PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kotetsu Yamamoto (ranked 699 p4p, 86 weight class) and Don Juan Matus (ranked 933 p4p, 104 weight class). Matus has chosen Crow Spirit as his entrance music. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Yamamoto
vs
Juan Matus

168 cm
30
149 lbs
22 - 9 - 2

175 cm
35
148 lbs
31 - 17 - 4

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

RAGS of a RONIN

Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 9 - 2, fighting out of New York, Kotetsu Yamamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 17 - 4, fighting out of Los Angeles, Don Juan Matus!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matus slips under a jab.
Matus let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Yamamoto will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Matus looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Yamamoto is looking to clinch.
Yamamoto uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Matus throws a sloppy head kick and Yamamoto moves out of range easily.
Yamamoto avoids a kick to the body.

Yamamoto clinches up against the cage.
Matus lands a shoulder strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yamamoto.
Yamamoto jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Matus walks away with a smile on his face. Yamamoto gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Yamamoto throws a lazy right hand but Matus sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Matus.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Yamamoto throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Matus was covering up waiting for the punch and Yamamoto finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Yamamoto pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Matus is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matus is controlling Yamamoto's posture.
Yamamoto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Yamamoto throwing strikes but missing.
Yamamoto pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Matus is keeping the position for now.
Yamamoto has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Matus pulls Yamamoto in close to his closed guard and prevents Yamamoto from doing any damage or advancing position.
Yamamoto content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Matus is adopting a defensive guard.
Yamamoto is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Yamamoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Matus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Matus looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yamamoto is one step ahead there.
Yamamoto throwing strikes from guard but Matus blocks nicely.
Matus keeping full guard, as Yamamoto tries to pass.
Yamamoto content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto throws a big right hand that misses.
Yamamoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Matus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yamamoto stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Matus swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Yamamoto throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yamamoto looking to sit in guard and control but Matus gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Yamamoto controls Matus momentarily but Matus frees himself.
Yamamoto can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Matus controls the pace.

Yamamoto throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Matus trying to move into half guard but instead Yamamoto has managed to sweep!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto looking to sit in guard and control but Matus gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Matus pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yamamoto is keeping the position for now.
Matus stopping the sweep attempt from Yamamoto.

Yamamoto looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Yamamoto keeping full guard, as Matus tries to pass.

Yamamoto looking for a guillotine here but Matus defends easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Yamamoto looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Matus passes into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kotetsu Yamamoto will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Yamamoto misses with a takedown attempt - Matus sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Matus throws out a counter right but Yamamoto avoids it with no problem.
Yamamoto looks to throw the jab but Matus is out of range.
Matus displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yamamoto throws out the jab.
Yamamoto lands an overhand right.
Yamamoto fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A slow jab from Yamamoto misses its intended target.
A lazy left from Matus finds it's target.
Matus slips a straight right by Yamamoto.

Matus tries to sprawl but Yamamoto drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Matus tries to roll over but Yamamoto keeps him under control.
Matus is not content to let Yamamoto control the position.
Yamamoto looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Matus with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matus is controlling Yamamoto's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Yamamoto seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Yamamoto is trying to control the action in half guard but Matus is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Yamamoto is working for a submission of some sort.
Matus tries to roll over but Yamamoto keeps him under control.
Matus is trying is best to control the position here.

Yamamoto is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Matus is just riding it out for now. Yamamoto eventually gives up the hold.

Yamamoto is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Matus slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Yamamoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Matus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Matus is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Yamamoto won't allow Matus to sweep him here.
Matus trying to keep a closed guard but Yamamoto is proving a slippery customer.
Yamamoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Matus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yamamoto throwing strikes from guard but Matus blocks nicely.
Matus has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto lands the left hand.
Yamamoto is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Matus can do to turn this around?
Matus keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd cheers as Matus lands an impressive looking overhand right. Yamamoto doesn't seem phased though.
Yamamoto swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Yamamoto wants to clinch up but Matus keeps it at a distance.
Yamamoto throws the left hand but Matus avoids the punch easily.

Yamamoto has closed the distance and engaged Matus in a clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Matus.
Yamamoto fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kotetsu Yamamoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matus works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Yamamoto gets control of Matus's arms and successfully pulls guard. Yamamoto will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Yamamoto has his foot on Matus's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Matus works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Yamamoto looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Matus wants to pass the guard but Yamamoto is keeping the position.
Yamamoto being controlled here, momentarily.

Yamamoto escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Matus gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Matus content to stall in guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Yamamoto escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Matus gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kotetsu Yamamoto dominated that second round.
That's time! Yamamoto's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Matus lands a leg kick that knocks Yamamoto off balance momentarily.
Yamamoto is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Yamamoto fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Matus pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Matus connects with a right hand. Yamamoto shakes it off.
Yamamoto walks into a jab.

Yamamoto is rocked!
Matus smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Oh Yamamoto is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Don Juan Matus seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Yamamoto shoots and misses
and Matus scores with a counter punch that sends Yamamoto to the canvas! Matus smells blood - he's punishing Yamamoto with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Yamamoto has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Don Juan Matus!
An out of breath Don Juan Matus thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.