PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Grace Matx (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Magambo Sokambo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Matx
vs
Sokambo

178 cm
19
155 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

176 cm
26
155 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Intelligent

KO Clothing

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Grace Matx!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Magambo Sokambo!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sokambo rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Matx counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sokambo with a jab.
Sokambo tests Matx's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sokambo lands a jab-cross combination.

It looks like Grace Matx has been cut.
The fighters circle momentarily. Sokambo darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Sokambo looks to score with a jab to the body but Matx is just out of range.
Sokambo works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Matx looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matx misses with a body shot.
A big left from Sokambo misses.
Matx ducks under a wild hook from Sokambo.
Matx on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Matx gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Matx darts in looking for a takedown but Sokambo gets double underhooks and turns Matx into the cage.
Matx missing with knees to the body.
Matx doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matx misses with a knee to the head.
Matx taking a breather.
Matx's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Matx taking a breather.
A short right from Sokambo on the inside.
Matx misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sokambo is leaning against Matx and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Sokambo wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Matx keeps control of Sokambo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sokambo lands a left hand.
Matx misses with a short punch on the inside.
Matx lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sokambo backwards.
Matx content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Matx.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Matx swings wildly with an uppercut but Sokambo uses good head movement to avoid it.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sokambo cracks Matx with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Sokambo throws a hook to the side of Matx's head but Matx sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sokambo connects with a body shot that sends Matx's belly button to the back.
Matx slips a jab from Sokambo.
A telegraphed right hand from Matx misses the target.
Sokambo with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sokambo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Matx doesn't seem bothered though.
Magambo Sokambo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matx needs to keep his hands up - Sokambo had a free shot at his head there.
Magambo Sokambo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sokambo misses with a wild combination.
Sokambo scores with a body shot.
Matx tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sokambo swivels and escapes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matx tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sokambo keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Matx.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Magambo Sokambo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Grace Matx's cut.
That's time! Matx's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Matx walks into a jab.
Nice shot lands for Sokambo.
Matx misses with a wild body shot.
Matx throws an overhand right that lands on Sokambo's shoulder, as Sokambo tries to avoid the shot.
Matx throws a big shot that misses.
Sokambo scores with a punch to the head.
Sokambo lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Sokambo takes a swing at Matx's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sokambo throws a hook but Matx blocks it.
Matx throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Sokambo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Matx misses with an uppercut. Sokambo saw that one coming.
Matx tries to clinch up but Sokambo circles away and keeps his distance.

Matx has closed the distance and engaged Sokambo in a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Matx pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sokambo scores with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sokambo thuds a left hand into Matx's body.
Magambo Sokambo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A jab from Matx misses.
Sokambo uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Matx.
Matx misses with a left hand
and Sokambo counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sokambo connects with a jab.
A jab from Matx misses.
Matx just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sokambo ducks right into an uppercut from Matx.
Sokambo lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Sokambo connects with a crisp jab.
Matx shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Sokambo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A lazy left from Sokambo finds it's target.
Matx doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sokambo lands a nice looking body shot.
Sokambo slips under a jab.
The fighters circling - Matx throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Matx needs to keep his hands up - Sokambo had a free shot at his head there.
Matx is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Matx walks into a stiff left hand from Sokambo.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matx shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sokambo sprawls well. Sokambo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Matx gets slowly back to his feet.
Matx drops his hands momentarily and Sokambo takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Magambo Sokambo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Grace Matx's cut.
That's time! Matx's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Matx tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sokambo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sokambo changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Sokambo scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A slow jab from Sokambo misses its intended target.
Sokambo shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Matx eats them both and turns towards Sokambo to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Matx moves in looking to clinch but Sokambo pushes him off.
Matx moves in looking to clinch but Sokambo pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sokambo throws the left hand but Matx avoids the punch easily.
Matx takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Matx gets a clinch.
Matx stalling against the cage.
Matx looking to stall.

Matx breaks the clinch.
Sokambo changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Sokambo lands a jab to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matx misses the jab.
Sokambo blocks a head kick by Matx.
Sokambo uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Matx.

Matx shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Matx showed some decent athleticism there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Matx not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sokambo is trying to get back to full guard.
Sokambo wants to sweep but Matx has passed to side control!
Sokambo is looking for a sweep.

That's four 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.
Matx takes a little break here. Sokambo wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Sokambo is letting Matx control him for a moment.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sokambo can do anything to dispel that myth.
Matx seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Sokambo for as long as he can get away with.
Grace Matx 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sokambo works Matx's body with a nice hook.

And that's the end of the fight!
Grace Matx showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sokambo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Magambo Sokambo!
During a confident post fight interview, Magambo Sokambo thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.