PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ispa Perkele (ranked 17 p4p, 30 weight class) and Keisuke Matsuzaka (ranked 2 p4p, 4 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Perkele
vs
Matsuzaka

178 cm
29
171
28 - 8 - 0

179 cm
35
181
37 - 14 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Hoarse Pills

New Standard
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Ispa Perkele!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Keisuke Matsuzaka!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Alexandre Firmino and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Perkele swings for the body but Matsuzaka moves out of range.
Perkele walks into a jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Matsuzaka misses the target.
Perkele throws a leg kick but Matsuzaka sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Perkele feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Matsuzakas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Matsuzaka tries to work over Perkele's front leg with a kick but Perkele checks it.
Perkele tests Matsuzaka's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Perkele pushes Matsuzaka up against the cage in a clinch.
Matsuzaka misses with an elbow over the top.
Perkele goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Perkele breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Perkele misses with a hook. Matsuzaka ducked under it nicely.
Matsuzaka swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Nice uppercut lands for Matsuzaka. That snapped Perkele's head back.
Perkele needs to keep his hands up - Matsuzaka had a free shot at his head there.
Matsuzaka works Perkele's body with a nice hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Matsuzaka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matsuzaka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Perkele tries a body shot but Matsuzaka blocks it.
Nice body punch from Matsuzaka - that landed with a thud.
Perkele throws a head punch that misses.
Perkele blocks the elbow strike.
Perkele misses with a body punch.
I was talking to Perkele's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A nice right hand lands inside from Matsuzaka.
Perkele lands a shot to the body.
Matsuzaka lands an elbow inside.
Matsuzaka blocks an uppercut.
Matsuzaka tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Perkele scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Perkele prevents a body shot from Matsuzaka.
Perkele blocks a body shot from Matsuzaka.
Perkele throws a head punch that misses.

Perkele's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Perkele moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Matsuzaka wants to slow Perkele down by chopping away at his legs.
Perkele throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Matsuzaka swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!

Matsuzaka has Perkele up against the cage in a clinch.
Perkele lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Matsuzaka struggles to land a body shot inside as Perkele controls his hands.
Perkele swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Perkele looking to slow down the pace here.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Perkele taking a breather.
Matsuzaka fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Perkele throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Matsuzakas head.
Matsuzaka takes a shot to the head.
Perkele is struggling to control the position.
Matsuzaka scores with a shoulder strike.
Matsuzaka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Perkele lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Matsuzaka backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsuzaka swings wildly with an uppercut but Perkele uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short left from Perkele.
Perkele blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Matsuzaka takes a shot to the head.
Perkele fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Perkele gets through Matsuzaka's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Perkele throws a punch but it's blocked by Matsuzaka.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Matsuzaka blocking some punches.
Perkele gets through Matsuzaka's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Perkele misses with a hook to the ribs.
Matsuzaka lands with a right to the head.
Perkele swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A shot in the inside from Matsuzaka.
Perkele is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Matsuzaka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Perkele blocking some punches.
Matsuzaka blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matsuzaka blocks a body shot from Perkele.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Matsuzaka misses with a punch on the inside.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Perkele is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Matsuzaka is keeping busy.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Perkele.
A shot in the inside from Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka throws a head punch that misses.
Matsuzaka misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Matsuzaka works on Perkele's body with a couple of short punches.
Perkele misses with a body punch.
Matsuzaka lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Perkele backwards.
Still in the clinch, Matsuzaka scores with a nice short uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Matsuzaka creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Matsuzaka misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Matsuzaka softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Matsuzaka.
Perkele digs a right hand underneath Matsuzaka's ribcage. Matsuzaka let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Perkele blocks an uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Keisuke Matsuzaka will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Matsuzaka pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Matsuzaka scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Perkele misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Perkele takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Perkele throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
It seemed like Matsuzaka was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Matsuzaka lands a nice shot that snaps Perkele's head back.
Ispa Perkele seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A nice leg kick lands there from Matsuzaka.
Perkele swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Perkele walks into a straight right hand from Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka blocks a head kick by Perkele.
Perkele fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Matsuzaka manages to avoid it.
Perkele tries to clinch there but Matsuzaka circles away.
Matsuzaka swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Perkele throws a poor cross that misses
and Matsuzaka counters with a nice uppercut.
Perkele missing with a left hand there. Matsuzaka was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Matsuzaka misses the shot to the body.
Matsuzaka jabs at Perkele's body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Good shot there by Matsuzaka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perkele checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Perkele throws a body shot but no joy.
Perkele thumps Matsuzaka with a low kick.
Perkele connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
A swing and a miss from Matsuzaka.

Matsuzaka moves into range and clinches up with Perkele.
Matsuzaka has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Perkele seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Matsuzaka can turn it around.
Perkele misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Perkele just leaning against Matsuzaka, taking a breather.
Matsuzaka misses with a body punch.
Perkele looking to throw knees to the head but Matsuzaka is blocking nicely.
A right handed body shot lands from Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Matsuzaka misses with a punch to the body.
Keisuke Matsuzaka seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Matsuzaka cracks Perkele with a nice body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A short uppercut from Matsuzaka.
Perkele avoids the elbow strike from Matsuzaka, against the cage.
Matsuzaka tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsuzaka creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Perkele's defenses.
Perkele lands a shoulder strike.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Perkele can't find room to land a body shot as Matsuzaka controls the action.
Matsuzaka pushes Perkele back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Matsuzaka scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Matsuzaka lands a nice elbow.
Matsuzaka working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Matsuzaka blocking some punches.
Perkele avoids the elbow strike from Matsuzaka, against the cage.
Perkele misses with the head strike.
Matsuzaka creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Perkele's defenses.
A short left from Matsuzaka.
Perkele trying to control the position but instead, Matsuzaka has worked for underhooks and has pushed Perkele into the cage.
Good body shot from Matsuzaka.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Matsuzaka.
Perkele tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Matsuzaka pushes Perkele back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Perkele takes an elbow to the temple.
Matsuzaka doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsuzaka lands an elbow just above Perkele 's eye.
Matsuzaka gets through Perkele's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Still in the clinch, Matsuzaka scores with a nice short uppercut.
Matsuzaka scores with a shoulder strike.
Matsuzaka lands a right hand.
Matsuzaka looking to slow down the pace here.
Matsuzaka lands a damaging elbow.
Matsuzaka creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Perkele's defenses.
Perkele can't find room to land a body shot as Matsuzaka controls the action.
Matsuzaka lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Perkele is rocked!
Matsuzaka throws an elbow but it misses.
Oh Perkele is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Matsuzaka lands an elbow just above Perkele 's eye.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A body shot lands from Matsuzaka.
Perkele doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Perkele seems to have got his legs back now.
Perkele wants to stall.
Perkele tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Perkele lands with a right to the head.
Perkele misses with the head strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Nice body punch from Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka lands a damaging elbow.
Matsuzaka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Matsuzaka misses with a punch to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka is working Perkele over against the cage.
Matsuzaka has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Perkele blocks an elbow strike.
Matsuzaka gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Matsuzaka comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A shot in the inside from Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka lands an elbow inside.
Matsuzaka lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Matsuzaka lands with a right to the head.
Matsuzaka pulls back and lands a big elbow that stuns Perkele! Matsuzaka unloads with more strikes and Perkele sinks to his knees! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Keisuke Matsuzaka!
Keisuke Matsuzaka is the new welterweight champion!
Keisuke Matsuzaka decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.