PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Valentin Stokes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dave Matthews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matthews has chosen Chaos is my life as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stokes
vs
Matthews

202 cm
18
177 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

178 cm
24
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Valentin Stokes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Dave Matthews!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Donald Grub and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stokes doesn't manage to clinch there - Matthews circles away.
Matthews swinging wildly here.
Matthews shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Matthews lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Matthews fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Stokes really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Matthews swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Stokes with a poor takedown

and Matthews counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Matthews.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Matthews postures up.
Matthews throwing strikes from guard but Stokes blocks nicely.
Stokes managing to control the position.
Matthews landing some decent shots from guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Matthews pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stokes is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Matthews trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stokes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Matthews is one step ahead there.
Stokes will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Stokes pulls Matthews in close to prevent any damage.

Matthews postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Stokes is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Matthews, into his guard.
Stokes working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Matthews's head.
Stokes not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stokes works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Matthews missing with punches from the bottom.
Matthews looks like he's trying to stand up.
Matthews is trying to get back to full guard.
Matthews looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Stokes trying to control the pace.
Matthews is in trouble now - Stokes has advanced to mount!
Stokes lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stokes avoids the attempt from Matthews to control.
Stokes controlling his opponent.
Matthews is looking to get to half guard.
Matthews looks winded!
Stokes controlling his opponent.
Stokes wants to get back to his feet but Matthews is holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stokes working for a submission but Matthews is keeping him at bay.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stokes looking to control and managing it successfully.
Stokes manages to capitalize on a mistake by Matthews to take his back!
Matthews wants to control his opponent's hands but Stokes gets his hands free.
Matthews tries to break free.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stokes is punishing Matthews with some ground and pound.
Matthews really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stokes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Stokes slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

Stokes working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valentin Stokes dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

No joy there for Stokes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Matthews rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Stokes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Matthews lands a nice shot to the body.
Stokes fails with a takedown attempt.
Matthews wants to clinch.

Matthews has Stokes up against the cage in a clinch.

Stokes decides to pull guard.
Stokes controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Stokes holds on and takes a little breather.

Matthews drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Stokes dives on top into guard.

Matthews working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Stokes has passed into half guard!
Matthews is breathing heavily.
Matthews wants to get back to full guard but Stokes has passed into side control.
Stokes tries to stand but Matthews is controlling his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stokes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Matthews keeps working.
Matthews tries to bench press Stokes off him but Stokes keeps the position.
Matthews taking a bit of punishment here - Stokes scoring with strikes.
Stokes advances to full mount.
Matthews wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Stokes really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Matthews.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stokes throwing damaging strikes from the back! Matthews could be in trouble here!

Matthews showing good submission defense here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stokes has the hooks in. Matthews is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Stokes working for the choke.
Stokes scores with punches and elbows.
Matthews is trying to stand back up.
Matthews tries to escape the position.
Matthews wants to control his opponent's hands but Stokes gets his hands free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matthews trying to get back to his feet but Stokes is in full control for now.
What can Matthews do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
I really don't envy Matthews right now.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Matthews wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valentin Stokes dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Stokes throws a body punch but Matthews moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Matthews. No joy for Stokes on that attempt.

Matthews tries to sprawl but Stokes drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Stokes takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Matthews can do anything to dispel that myth.
Matthews tries to kick Stokes off but Stokes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Stokes content to control rather than advance.

Matthews looking for submissions off his back.
Matthews pushes Stokes off looking to stand but Stokes dives back in and keeps control.
Matthews takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stokes is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Stokes working the head and body with strikes.
Matthews is staying active underneath Stokes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Matthews is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Stokes scores with a couple of nice shots.

Matthews makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Matthews tries to clinch up but Stokes circles away and keeps his distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Matthews.
Stokes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Matthews throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Stokes.
Stokes misses with a few strikes there.
Matthews doesn't manage to clinch there - Stokes circles away.
Stokes connects with a body shot.
Stokes shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Valentin Stokes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stokes gets tackled into the cage by Matthews. Matthews maintains the clinch.
Stokes looking to stall.

Matthews is trying to trip Stokes. He has hold of a leg but Stokes is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Matthews persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Valentin Stokes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stokes lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Matthews!
Stokes tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Stokes tries to control but Matthews wriggling away.
Matthews gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Matthews actively working from the bottom here.
Matthews tries to kick Stokes off but Stokes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Matthews is looking to improve his position.
Stokes working Matthews over with strikes.
Matthews taking some punishment here, with Stokes in his half guard.
Stokes passes to side control.
Matthews is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Stokes working the body and head with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matthews tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Stokes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Stokes moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Dave Matthews has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matthews is pushing Stokes's head away, looking to escape. Stokes manages to hold on to the position though.
Matthews is looking for a sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Matthews throws a few rabbit punches from the bottom. Stokes was waiting for it though - now Matthews's arm is in the perfect position for an arm triangle - he's tightening it up and Matthews is forced to tap out before he takes a nap! Very clever counter grappling there from Stokes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Valentin Stokes!