PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matti Mattinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simon MCdonald (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matti Mattinen had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 146.1lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Matti Mattinen has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Mattinen
vs
MCdonald

178 cm
25
154 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

174 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matti Mattinen!
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, Simon MCdonald!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Viktor Lagutenko and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mattinen rushes MCdonald and presses him up against the cage.
Mattinen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mattinen missing with knees to the body.
MCdonald avoids the elbow strike from Mattinen, against the cage.
Mattinen tries to land a knee to the head but MCdonald blocks with his arms.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
MCdonald looks to throw an elbow but misses.
MCdonald tries a knee to the head but Mattinen blocks it.
Mattinen tries for a takedown. No joy.
Mattinen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mattinen trying to stall but MCdonald improves his position.
Mattinen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
MCdonald looking to slow down the pace here.
With the fighters up against the cage, MCdonald throws an elbow but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
MCdonald with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mattinen throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Mattinen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Mattinen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mattinen missing with knees to the body.
Mattinen throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mattinen with an attempt at a knee that misses.

MCdonald gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Mattinen regains guard.
MCdonald must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Mattinen is breathing heavily.
Mattinen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
MCdonald throws a big right hand that misses.
MCdonald trying to control the position from guard on top but Mattinen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
MCdonald looking to sit in guard and control but Mattinen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Mattinen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
MCdonald working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
MCdonald 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.
Mattinen stops MCdonald from standing up.
MCdonald looking to control.
Mattinen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Simon MCdonald is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mattinen doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting MCdonald counter with a right hand.
MCdonald lands a jab to Mattinen's midsection.

MCdonald closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mattinen managing to block the knees to the body from MCdonald.
Mattinen blocks an elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
MCdonald tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mattinen avoids it.
Mattinen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. MCdonald fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matti Mattinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mattinen walks into a stiff left hand from MCdonald.

MCdonald gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mattinen landing knees to the head.
MCdonald tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
MCdonald is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mattinen is defending well for now.
Mattinen avoids the elbow strike from MCdonald, against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by MCdonald as Mattinen tries to tie him up.
MCdonald throws a knee to the head but misses.
MCdonald with an attempt at a knee that misses.
MCdonald on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Mattinen looking to slow down the pace here.
Mattinen misses with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Nice body punch from MCdonald - that landed with a thud.
MCdonald cracks Mattinen with a nice body shot.
MCdonald stalling in the clinch.
MCdonald trying to land knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, MCdonald throws an elbow but misses.
Mattinen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
MCdonald has Mattinen pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Mattinen manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Mattinen avoiding damage as MCdonald throws knees to the body.
MCdonald trying to control the position but instead, Mattinen has worked for underhooks and has pushed MCdonald into the cage.
Mattinen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from MCdonald.
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!
MCdonald has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Mattinen after a bit of a struggle.
Mattinen avoiding damage as MCdonald throws knees to the body.
MCdonald drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Mattinen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon MCdonald dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

MCdonald changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
MCdonald lands a nice looking body shot.
MCdonald dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

MCdonald clinches up with Mattinen and pushes him back against the cage.
Mattinen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
MCdonald with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nice body punch from MCdonald - that landed with a thud.
MCdonald missing with knees to the body.
Simon MCdonald seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Mattinen has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but MCdonald regains guard immediately.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
MCdonald looking to control but Mattinen passes into half guard.
Mattinen with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
MCdonald is looking for a sweep. Mattinen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mattinen sitting and controlling from the half guard.
MCdonald trying to control from the bottom.
MCdonald might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Mattinen haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
MCdonald tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Mattinen has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mattinen controlling the pace for now.
MCdonald tries to hold on but Mattinen pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mattinen controlling the position easily from mount.
MCdonald is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
MCdonald tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mattinen mounts MCdonald! Really nice guard pass there!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
MCdonald is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mattinen controlling the pace for now.
Mattinen seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down MCdonald for as long as he can get away with.
MCdonald tries to lock up and control but Mattinen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mattinen controlling the pace for now.
Mattinen lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Mattinen dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Mattinen tries to close the distance and clinch but MCdonald swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mattinen tries to clinch up but MCdonald circles away and keeps his distance.
Mattinen on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Mattinen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mattinen doesn't manage to clinch there - MCdonald circles away.
MCdonald swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mattinen tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and MCdonald avoids it.
Mattinen connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Simon MCdonald has been cut.
MCdonald creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mattinen using the Thai plumb to throw knees but MCdonald has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
MCdonald has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Mattinen after a bit of a struggle.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Mattinen obliges.
MCdonald misses with a knee to the head.
MCdonald takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
MCdonald tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mattinen avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Mattinen successfully pulls guard.
MCdonald wants to stand but Mattinen has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Mattinen looking to hit a scissor sweep but MCdonald is one step ahead there.
Mattinen seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mattinen holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
MCdonald wants to control from the top but Mattinen keeps moving.
MCdonald throws a big right hand that misses.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
MCdonald looking to sit in guard and control but Mattinen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Mattinen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

MCdonald is working an open guard so Mattinen takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

MCdonald closes the distance and clinches.
MCdonald tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mattinen trying to stall but MCdonald improves his position.
MCdonald has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mattinen is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
MCdonald tries a knee to the head but Mattinen blocks it.
Mattinen managing to block the knees to the body from MCdonald.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Mattinen misses with an elbow over the top.
MCdonald throws an elbow that misses.
Mattinen scores with a knee to the head.
MCdonald is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mattinen is defending well for now.
Mattinen looking to throw knees to the head but MCdonald is blocking nicely.
MCdonald using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mattinen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
MCdonald on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
MCdonald wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mattinen is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Mattinen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from MCdonald.
Mattinen has MCdonald pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. MCdonald manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Mattinen blocks the elbow strike.
MCdonald is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mattinen is defending well for now.
Mattinen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mattinen trying to control the position but instead, MCdonald has worked for underhooks and has pushed Mattinen into the cage.
MCdonald tries to land knees in the clinch but Mattinen avoids the damage to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mattinen throws an elbow but it misses.
MCdonald tries a knee to the head but Mattinen blocks it.
MCdonald wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mattinen has him pressed against the cage.
Mattinen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Matti Mattinen.
I think Mattinen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Simon MCdonald!