PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Frankie Craft (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Matinho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Craft
vs
Matinho

182 cm
18
177 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

190 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Frankie Craft!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jose Matinho!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Valeri Chadov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craft closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Matinho is looking to chop away at Craft's legs.
Craft lands a head kick!
Craft misses with a two punch combination.
Craft fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Craft throws a head kick but Matinho moves out of range.
Matinho ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Craft misses with a hook

and Matinho decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Craft's guard.
Craft is breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Matinho stands up from Craft's guard - Matinho perhaps looking for a knockout.

Matinho gets a takedown into half guard.
Matinho looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matinho trying to pass the guard but Craft defending well.
Matinho sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Craft defending well though.
Matinho tries to pass the half guard into mount. Craft knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Matinho content to control rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Jose Matinho has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Matinho throws a head kick that misses.

Craft tries to sprawl but Matinho drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Matinho missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Matinho trying to control the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Matinho is trying to control. Craft wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matinho blocks the strikes from Craft.
Matinho not doing much here.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jose Matinho was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Matinho cracks Craft with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Matinho takes a swing at Craft's ribcage but misses.
Craft looks to land a left hand but Matinho moved out of range nicely.
Matinho tries to close the distance and clinch but Craft swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Matinho shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Craft manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Craft is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matinho trying to control the position from guard on top but Craft is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Matinho with a flurry of punches that miss.
Matinho passes Craft's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Matinho moves into full mount! Craft won't be happy about that!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Matinho moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Craft has worked his arm free - good work by Craft!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Matinho dominated that round.
That's time! Craft's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Craft looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Frankie Craft is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Craft blocks a leg kick.

Matinho scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Matinho looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Matinho in particular looking to stall.
Matinho throwing shots but Craft is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matinho content to control rather than advance.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jose Matinho was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Matinho feints and as Craft raises his hands in defense, Matinho changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Matinho throwing strikes but missing.
Craft keeping full guard, as Matinho tries to pass.
Matinho is still trying to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matinho forces his way into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matinho moves into full mount! Craft won't be happy about that!
Matinho throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Craft because Matinho loaded up on that one.
Matinho looking to finish with strikes here!
Matinho trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matinho throwing strikes but Craft uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Matinho is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jose Matinho was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Craft gets caught napping as Matinho dives in and scores a takedown. Craft manages to retain guard.
Craft looking for a sweep. Not yet Craft, not yet.
Matinho stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Craft swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Matinho trying to control but Craft is working from the bottom.
Matinho throwing strikes but missing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Jose Matinho hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Matinho misses with a body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Matinho showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Matinho avoids the head kick by Craft.

Craft closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Craft is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Matinho gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Craft jumps guard but Matinho stands there with Craft around his waist. Craft gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Craft has Matinho pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Craft pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Matinho tumbling to the mat - Craft dives into Matinho's guard.
Craft prevents Matinho from getting back to his feet.
Matinho pulls Craft in close to his closed guard and prevents Craft from doing any damage or advancing position.

Matinho is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craft is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Jose Matinho has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Matinho is working an open guard so Craft takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Matinho takes the fight into the clinch.
Matinho has had enough of the clinch but Craft keeps him there for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Matinho pulls guard successfully.
Craft prevents Matinho from getting back to his feet.
Matinho is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Matinho thows a huge punch but Craft dodges it nicely.
Matinho wants to stand up but Craft is controlling the position.
Matinho is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matinho wants to pass the guard but Craft is defending well.

Matinho is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Craft wants to sweep but Matinho has passed to side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Matinho stands up.
Matinho tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Craft manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Matinho closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Craft's guard.
Craft keeping moving, preventing Matinho from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Craft is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Matinho is aware though and is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose Matinho comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Matinho 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Matinho!