PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marc Fuentes (ranked 24028 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matko Mamic (ranked 4592 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Mamic's choice of entrance music: kralj diskoteke. Matko Mamic will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Fuentes
vs
Mamic

160 cm
19
193 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

187 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marc Fuentes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matko Mamic!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mamic throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Mamic throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Mamic misses with a low kick.

Mamic moves into the clinch.
Fuentes missing with knees to the body.
Fuentes is trying to pull guard but Mamic has him pressed against the cage.
Fuentes jumps guard but Mamic stands there with Fuentes around his waist. Fuentes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Fuentes is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mamic to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marc Fuentes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Mamic breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Mamic drives through and clinches with Fuentes against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fuentes tries to pull guard but Mamic holds him up against the cage and eventually Fuentes drops back down to his feet.

Mamic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Mamic closes the distance and clinches.

Mamic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fuentes could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuentes tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mamic defends well and Fuentes ends up having to push Mamic into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Fuentes backing away here, and Mamic unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Good standup being displayed there by Mamic as he connects with a hook.

Mamic clinches.

Mamic breaks from the clinch.
Mamic goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Fuentes appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Mamic misses with a low kick.
Mamic pushes Fuentes away with a front kick.
Nice cross by Mamic.
Mamic defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Fuentes.
Mamic wants to counter the offense by Fuentes and move into the clinch position.
Fuentes is breathing heavily.

Fuentes tries to keep at a distance but Mamic has taken the fight into the clinch.
Mamic throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mamic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Mamic forces Fuentes back against the cage and clinches.

Mamic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Mamic moves into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fuentes goes for a takedown in the clinch but Mamic prevents it.
Fuentes creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Mamic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Fuentes throws a hook to the side of Mamic's head but Mamic sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Mamic connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Mamic closes the distance and pushes Fuentes back into the cage.
Fuentes jumps guard but Mamic stands there with Fuentes around his waist. Fuentes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Mamic escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mamic clinches up against the cage.

Mamic breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mamic is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Mamic displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Mamic throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Fuentes gets tackled into the cage by Mamic. Mamic maintains the clinch.
Fuentes is trying to pull guard but Mamic has him pressed against the cage.
Fuentes is looking to take this one to the mat.
Mamic connects with a nasty looking knee right to Fuentes's face.

Mamic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mamic fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Fuentes avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Mamic throws a combination. Fuentes tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mamic wants to slow Fuentes down by chopping away at his legs.
Mamic lets loose with a powerful body kick. Fuentes will feel that in the morning.

Mamic pushes Fuentes up against the cage in a clinch.

Mamic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Mamic has closed the distance and engaged Fuentes in a clinch.

Mamic breaks the clinch.
Mamic scores with a push kick.

Mamic has managed to clinch.
Fuentes tries to pull guard but Mamic won't allow it.
Mamic lands a left hand that snaps the head of Fuentes backwards.
Fuentes is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mamic pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Mamic breaks the clinch.
Fuentes takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matko Mamic dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Mamic takes the fight into the clinch.

Mamic breaks the clinch.

Mamic gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Fuentes struggles to land a body shot inside as Mamic controls his hands.

Mamic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mamic lands a lovely overhand right.

Mamic moves into the clinch.
Mamic has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Mamic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mamic throws a leg kick
and Fuentes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mamic tries to land a front kick but Fuentes steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Mamic misses with a low kick.
Fuentes attempts a counter takedown but Mamic avoids it well and moves away.

Fuentes gets tackled into the cage by Mamic. Mamic maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mamic manages to break the clinch.
Matko Mamic seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fuentes takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Mamic clinches up against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Mamic just misses with a elbow thrown towards Fuentes's brow.
Mamic content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Fuentes is trying to break the clinch but Mamic is controlling him.
Matko Mamic seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Fuentes jumps guard but Mamic turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Mamic has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Mamic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Fuentes tries to keep at a distance but Mamic has taken the fight into the clinch.

Mamic breaks from the clinch.
Mamic does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Mamic throws a leg kick but Fuentes moved away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mamic misses with a kick to the body.
Mamic lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Mamic throws a nice outside leg kick.
Fuentes goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Mamic throws out a counter right but Fuentes avoids it with no problem.

Fuentes gets tackled into the cage by Mamic. Mamic maintains the clinch.

Mamic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Good standup being displayed there by Mamic as he connects with a hook.
Mamic cracks Fuentes with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Fuentes moves out of range of the body kick.
Mamic moves away from the strike by Fuentes.
Mamic steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Fuentes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fuentes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mamic lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Fuentes with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Mamic to score with a decent uppercut.

Mamic closes the distance and clinches.

Mamic breaks the clinch.
Mamic thuds his shin into the meat of Fuentes's side.
A bone on bone clash there as Fuentes blocks the leg kick.
Fuentes tries to counter with a takedown but Mamic is quick to defend against it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fuentes takes one to the chin there.
Mamic throws a low kick but Fuentes moves out of range easily.
Mamic clobbers Fuentes with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Fuentes shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Mamic keeps Fuentes at a distance using the push kick.
Mamic catches Fuentes with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mamic connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Mamic forces Fuentes back against the cage and clinches.

Mamic breaks from the clinch.
Mamic showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Fuentes.
Mamic replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Fuentes blocks it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matko Mamic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Mamic darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Mamic closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Mamic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mamic is looking to chop away at Fuentes's legs.
Fuentes takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Fuentes's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Mamic connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Fuentes scrambles back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fuentes blocks the body kick.
Mamic is looking to slow Fuentes down with leg kicks.
Fuentes takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuentes shoots in for a takedown but Mamic shows good takedown defense.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Mamic gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Mamic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mamic uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Fuentes has time to react.
Mamic wants to slow Fuentes down by chopping away at his legs.
Mamic lands a jab-cross combination.

Mamic closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Mamic breaks the clinch.
Mamic looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Mamic clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fuentes breaks from the clinch.
Fuentes misses with a series of wild punches.

Mamic darts in and clinches Fuentes up against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mamic keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Fuentes's efforts to push away.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Mamic.
Fuentes wants to stall.
Fuentes looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Mamic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Decent striking displayed by Mamic there.

Fuentes gets tackled into the cage by Mamic. Mamic maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mamic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mamic works the jab nicely.
Mamic throws a nice inside leg kick.
Mamic bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Fuentes is rocked!
Mamic closes the distance and lands a vicious right hand that drops Fuentes! Mamic dives in looking to finish! Fuentes is still trying to defend himself but he's taking too many shots and the referee has no choice but to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Matko Mamic!
Matko Mamic spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.