PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ras Putin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthew Emanuel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Putin
vs
Emanuel

180 cm
19
180 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

187 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ras Putin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matthew Emanuel!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Kenichi Hosakawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Putin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Emanuel moves into range and clinches up with Putin.
Putin is trying to break free.
Emanuel lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Emanuel.
Emanuel leaning against his opponent.
Emanuel has Putin pressed against the cage, preventing Putin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Putin is trying to break the clinch but Emanuel is controlling him.
Emanuel lands a body punch in the clinch.
Emanuel makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Emanuel scores with a nice short uppercut.
A hook to the body from Emanuel.
Emanuel dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Putin fails to land.
Emanuel is pushing Putin up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Emanuel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Putin thows a left - swing and a miss!
Putin throws a series of punches but Emanuel avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Emanuel scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Putin is looking for a sweep. Emanuel is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Emanuel throwing shots but Putin is blocking nicely.
Emanuel not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Putin is looking to improve his position.
Emanuel keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Putin controlling the position well.
Putin tries to get to full guard but Emanuel has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Putin wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Emanuel lands with a thumping leg kick.
Putin misses with a straight right.
Putin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Putin misses with a double jab.
Putin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Putin walks into a jab.
Emanuel slips a jab and a cross from Putin.
Putin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Putin is breathing heavily.
Jab by Emanuel.
Matthew Emanuel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Putin takes one to the chin there.

Emanuel closes the distance and pushes Putin back into the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Emanuel.

It looks like Ras Putin has been cut.
Emanuel lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Putin is looking to control Emanuel's arms but Emanuel gets an underhook and turns him. Now Putin has his back to the cage.
Emanuel stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Emanuel lands a right hand that snaps the head of Putin backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Emanuel lands a hook that snaps the head of Putin backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emanuel works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A short uppercut from Emanuel.
Emanuel effectively controlling the action here.
Emanuel tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Emanuel lands an uppercut.
Emanuel manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Emanuel working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Emanuel lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Emanuel breaks from the clinch.
Emanuel scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Emanuel moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Putin throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Putin tries to keep at a distance but Emanuel has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Emanuel creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Emanuel manages to break the clinch.
Emanuel is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Putin.
Putin moves out of range of the strikes.
Emanuel lands with a thumping leg kick.
Putin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Emanuel sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A combination from Putin does no damage.

Emanuel darts in and clinches Putin up against the cage.
Emanuel scores with a shot to the side of Putin's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A short uppercut from Emanuel.
Emanuel lands with a short shot to the head.
A short body shot lands from Emanuel as the two fighters clinch.
Emanuel makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Putin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Emanuel tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Putin avoids it.
Emanuel has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Putin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Emanuel lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Emanuel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ras Putin's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Putin misses with a wild combination.
Emanuel throws out a loose jab but Putin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Putin misses the jab.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Putin slaps away a takedown attempt from Emanuel, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A punch combination from Putin misses.
Emanuel turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Putin jabbing away but nothing is landing.
No joy there for Putin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ras Putin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Good leg kick by Emanuel there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
A left and a right from Putin both land. Nice combination.
Putin throws a right and a left that Emanuel avoids nicely.
Emanuel takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Putin throws a series of punches but Emanuel moves out of range.
Putin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Emanuel scores with a takedown into Putin's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emanuel trying to control but Putin is working from the bottom.
Emanuel sitting in guard here, content to control.
Emanuel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Putin is keeping the position for now.
Emanuel throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Putin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Putin is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

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.

Putin throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Putin thows a body shot but no joy.
Putin closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
A cross from Emanuel lands.
Putin looks to throw the jab but Emanuel is out of range.
Putin throws a right and a left that both miss.
A nice combination there by Putin.

Emanuel shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Putin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Emanuel lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Putin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Emanuel is working away from the top position though.
Emanuel drops an elbow to the side of Putin's head.
Putin desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Emanuel is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Emanuel trying to control the pace.
Emanuel works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Putin is looking for a sweep.
Putin is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Emanuel has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Emanuel trying to control the position but Putin is working away.
Putin is working to avoid the ground and pound but Emanuel connects with a decent elbow.
Emanuel landing strikes.
Emanuel lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Emanuel grinds an elbow into Putin's temple.
Emanuel has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Emanuel advances to mount.
Putin takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Putin digs a good hook to Emanuel's body.
Putin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Emanuel moves out of range as Putin strikes.
Putin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Emanuel throws a hook but Putin blocks it.
Putin throws an overhand right that lands on Emanuel's shoulder, as Emanuel tries to avoid the shot.
Putin misses with a straight left.
Emanuel has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Emanuel lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Putin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Emanuel tries to score with a low kick but Putin moves his leg out of the way.
Emanuel throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Putin is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Emanuel's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Emanuel fails with an attempt to clinch.
Putin lands with a shot to the body.
Emanuel takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Putin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Emanuel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Putin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Emanuel moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Putin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Putin scores with a jab to the jaw.

Emanuel fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Putin, pushing him back against the cage.
Putin avoiding damage as Emanuel throws knees to the body.
Putin prevents a takedown attempt there.
Emanuel lands a shoulder strike.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Emanuel jumps into guard, dragging Putin to the mat.

Emanuel throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Putin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Emanuel is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Putin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Putin gets to his feet - Emanuel follows without any prompting.
Putin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Emanuel turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Emanuel throws a nice inside leg kick.
Putin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Putin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Putin is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Putin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Emanuel.
A slow jab from Putin misses its intended target.
Putin sizes up Emanuel with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Putin looks to throw the jab but Emanuel is out of range.
Danga de danga de dang - Emanuel scores with a four punch combination!
Putin misses with a series of wild punches.
Emanuel throws a shot to the body.
Putin is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Putin connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Putin chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Emanuel can pounce on him.
Putin takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Putin throws out a powerful jab.
Putin misses with a hook. Emanuel ducked under it nicely.
Emanuel smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Emanuel lands a glancing blow to the side of Putin's head.
Emanuel slips a jab and a cross from Putin.
Ras Putin is winning the standup battle so far.
Emanuel rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Putin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Emanuel has managed to clinch.
Putin can't break the clinch.

Emanuel pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Putin looks to throw the jab but Emanuel is out of range.
Emanuel misses the shot to the body.
Putin misses with a straight left.
Emanuel lands with a nice body punch.
Matthew Emanuel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Emanuel.

Emanuel moves into the clinch.
Putin is trying to break the clinch but Emanuel is controlling him.
Nice body punch from Emanuel - that landed with a thud.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Emanuel.
Emanuel lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Emanuel stalling the fight.
Emanuel lands with a left to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Emanuel scores with a shoulder strike.
Emanuel lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Emanuel throws a knee to the head but misses.
A hook to the body from Emanuel.
A short right from Emanuel.
Ras Putin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Emanuel lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Putin is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Emanuel is keeping busy.

Emanuel breaks the clinch.
Putin takes a body punch but keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matthew Emanuel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Emanuel 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matthew Emanuel!