PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Emel Arslan (ranked 6440 p4p, 6250 weight class) and Christian Mathers (ranked 467 p4p, 460 weight class). Emel Arslan has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Arslan
vs
Mathers

182 cm
20
155
1 - 1 - 0

171 cm
25
150
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Emel Arslan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Christian Mathers!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Dillan Fox and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arslan tries for a takedown but Mathers sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mathers defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Arslan.

Mathers looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mathers wants to pass the guard but Arslan is defending well.
We've been hearing good reports from Arslan's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Mathers stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
A looping hook to the body misses from Arslan. Mathers does a little dance to reset his feet.
Arslan shoots for a double leg takedown but Mathers sprawls well. He's pushed Arslan's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emel Arslan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Mathers shoots in and bounces Arslan off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Arslan wriggles free and stands up.
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!

Mathers gets a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathers is stalling here.

Mathers escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Arslan looks to clinch
and Mathers connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Mathers closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Arslan quickly recovers to half guard.
Mathers looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Arslan is trying to control but can't.
Mathers stops Arslan from getting back to his feet.
Arslan is looking for a sweep. Mathers is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Arslan is looking to control Mathers's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Arslan avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arslan is refusing to be controlled, as Mathers sits in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arslan moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Arslan keeping full guard, as Mathers tries to pass.
Mathers prevents Arslan from getting back to his feet.
Mathers is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Arslan tries to keep at a distance but Mathers has taken the fight into the clinch.
Mathers slowing the pace effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arslan has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Mathers after a bit of a struggle.

Mathers jumps into guard, dragging Arslan to the mat.

Mathers uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Mathers has managed to clinch.
Mathers stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Arslan being controlled against the cage.
The crowd are getting on Mathers's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mathers drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Arslan throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Arslan shoots in but Mathers avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Arslan drives through with a takedown into Mathers's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mathers kicks Arslan off and gets to his feet.
Arslan misses with a shot to the body

and Mathers counters with a takedown into side control.

Arslan throws Mathers to one side and escapes!
Arslan lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Mathers stuffs the takedown attempt from Arslan. Arslan gets slowly back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Mathers dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Arslan misses the jab.
Mathers swats away the attempt to clinch by Arslan.
Arslan dives in for a single leg takedown but Mathers sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Mathers throws out a counter right but Arslan avoids it with no problem.
Mathers is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Mathers throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Arslan blocks it with crossed arms.

Mathers manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Mathers has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arslan forces his way into half guard.
Arslan tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Mathers.
Mathers keeping control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arslan is looking for a kimura but Mathers is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Arslan to get the leverage.

Arslan is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Arslan trying to control from half guard but Mathers is working away.
Mathers is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Arslan wants to control but Mathers is keeping him busy.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mathers manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mathers holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mathers is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mathers keeping moving, preventing Arslan from controlling successfully.
Arslan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mathers works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Arslan postures up in Mathers's guard and throws a big left but Mathers blocks it.
Arslan forces his way into half guard.
Mathers is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mathers is trying to control but can't.

Arslan is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathers is looking to improve his position.
Arslan is looking to take a break and control but Mathers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Mathers breaks from the clinch.
Arslan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mathers throws a body punch but Arslan moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mathers closes the distance and pushes Arslan back into the cage.

Mathers pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Arslan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Arslan showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mathers.
Arslan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mathers as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emel Arslan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arslan throws a left and a right that both miss

and Mathers counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Arslan is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Arslan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mathers postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Mathers showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Arslan's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Mathers shoots in for a takedown but Arslan shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Arslan fails to land with a series of punches.
Arslan swings for the body but Mathers moves out of range.
Arslan shoots in but Mathers avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Mathers throws a counter combo.

Mathers pushes Arslan up against the cage in a clinch.

Mathers breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Arslan misses with the combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Arslan.
Arslan swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathers pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Christian Mathers seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Arslan gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Arslan manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Arslan is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Mathers pulls guard effortlessly.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Mathers is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Arslan presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Mathers has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Arslan clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Arslan just trying to survive but Mathers is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Mathers controlling from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mathers punishes Arslan with strikes from the back mount.
Arslan looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Mathers has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Mathers is landing with strikes. Arslan can't take much more of this.
Arslan trying to control the hands but Mathers won't let him.
Mathers is trying to stick to Arslan's back but Arslan is turning into Mathers. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Mathers's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Arslan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arslan trying to control the position from guard on top but Mathers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Christian Mathers has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mathers wants to stand up but Arslan is controlling him.
Arslan trying to control but Mathers is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Mathers is working an open guard so Arslan takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Arslan shoots in for a takedown but Mathers shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emel Arslan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice sprawl there from Mathers as Arslan shoots in.
Emel Arslan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mathers looks for a takedown but Arslan sprawls well.
Mathers pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Arslan back to the cage. Mathers follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Emel Arslan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Arslan with a poor takedown

and Mathers counters by moving into the clinch.

Mathers escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Christian Mathers is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
No joy there for Arslan, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Christian Mathers.
Well Mathers has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Christian Mathers!