PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Imani Idowu (ranked 1007 p4p, 2874 weight class) and Futoshi Matsunaga (ranked 90 p4p, 244 weight class). Futoshi Matsunaga has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Idowu
vs
Matsunaga

170 cm
38
145
29 - 14 - 1

170 cm
44
145
41 - 26 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Shadow Realm Apparel

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 29 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Imani Idowu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 41 - 26 - 2, fighting out of New York, Futoshi Matsunaga!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Percy O'Donnell and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matsunaga takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Futoshi Matsunaga has been cut.
Matsunaga cracks Idowu with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Idowu has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Pablo in the buildup to the fight.
Idowu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Matsunaga.
Idowu scores with a shot to the body.
Matsunaga has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Matsunaga throws out a leg kick but Idowu moves out of range and Matsunaga only half commits.
Idowu swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Matsunaga tries to score with a low kick but Idowu moves his leg out of the way.
Idowu seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Idowu will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Idowu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Matsunaga paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Matsunaga misses with an uppercut. Idowu saw that one coming.
Matsunaga tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Idowu is able to avoid easily.
A swing and a miss from Matsunaga.
Idowu blocks a jab.
Matsunaga misses with a looping left.
Idowu throws a jab when Matsunaga was well out of range.
Matsunaga misses with a double jab.
Matsunaga will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A little feinted left hand from Idowu on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Idowu misses with a straight right.
Matsunaga let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matsunaga throws a big shot that misses.
Idowu was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Futoshi Matsunaga seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fighters circling - Idowu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Matsunaga misses with a jab, cross combination.
Idowu is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Idowu lands with a straight right. Matsunaga didn't see that one coming.
Matsunaga is looking to land body kicks.
Matsunaga throws a series of punches but Idowu avoids them all with ease.
Idowu bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A shot to the body from Matsunaga misses
and Idowu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Idowu slips under a jab.
Idowu throwing a counter right hand but Matsunaga manages to avoid it.
Idowu digs a good body shot into Matsunaga's ribs.
Matsunaga lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Idowu circles away quickly and effectively.
Matsunaga fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Idowu manages to avoid it.
Idowu jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Idowu closes the distance and pushes Matsunaga back into the cage.
Matsunaga has had enough of the clinch but Idowu keeps him there for the moment.
Idowu prevents Matsunaga from breaking the clinch.

Idowu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Matsunaga throws out a loose jab but Idowu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Idowu lands a glancing blow to the side of Matsunaga's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsunaga throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Idowu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Idowu misses with a straight left.
Matsunaga thinks about the counter body kick.

Matsunaga gets tackled into the cage by Idowu. Idowu maintains the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Matsunaga's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Idowu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Matsunaga ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Idowu moves away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Matsunaga. Idowu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Idowu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Matsunaga looks to score with a jab to the body but Idowu is just out of range.
Idowu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Idowu avoids a kick to the body.
Matsunaga misses the body punch
and Matsunaga takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The fighters circling - Idowu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Matsunaga looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Idowu lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Idowu walks into a straight right hand from Matsunaga.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Idowu instigates a clinch.

Idowu manages to break the clinch.
Idowu showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Matsunaga.
Matsunaga throws a lazy right hand but Idowu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Matsunaga connects with a good right hand that stumbles Idowu. Idowu circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Idowu lands a left and a right that send Matsunaga crashing to the mat, dazed. Idowu thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Matsunaga is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matsunaga throws a right and a left that both miss.
Idowu misses the jab.
Idowu misses with a looping right.
Matsunaga avoids the body shot from Idowu.
Idowu showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Matsunaga.
Idowu is looking to counter punch.
Idowu lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
A big right from Matsunaga misses.
Idowu throws a right and a left that both miss.
Matsunaga throws a counter combo.
Matsunaga scores with a nice strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Idowu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Matsunaga throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Idowu dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Idowu drops his hands momentarily and Matsunaga takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Matsunaga blocks a jab.
Matsunaga fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Idowu.
A looping hook to the body misses from Matsunaga. Idowu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Idowu takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Matsunaga keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Idowu on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A punch lands to the side of Matsunaga 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Matsunaga slips a straight right by Idowu.
Matsunaga tries to score with a low kick but Idowu moves his leg out of the way.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Idowu misses with a wild combination.
Idowu checks a low kick from Matsunaga.
Matsunaga throws a good cross that connects.
A punch combination from Idowu misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Imani Idowu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Futoshi Matsunaga's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Matsunaga misses with a straight left.
Idowu throws a right and a left that both miss.
Matsunaga throws a leg kick but Idowu moved away.
Matsunaga showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Idowu.
A little jabbing left from Matsunaga on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Matsunaga misses with a head kick.
Idowu takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Matsunaga lands with a hook. Idowu tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
A telegraphed right hand from Idowu misses the target.
Idowu throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Idowu takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Matsunaga ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matsunaga misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Idowu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Idowu takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
The fighters circling - Matsunaga throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A big right from Matsunaga misses.
Imani Idowu is winning the standup battle so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Matsunaga just misses with a punch to the body.
Matsunaga stalks Idowu and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Idowu's face. Idowu staggers backwards, shaken.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Idowu misses with a straight right.
Matsunaga displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Idowu throws out the jab.
Matsunaga misses with a hook. Idowu ducked under it nicely.
Idowu throws a big shot that misses.
Matsunaga just misses with a punch to the body.
Matsunaga throws a lazy right hand but Idowu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Idowu has Matsunaga up against the cage in a clinch.

Matsunaga breaks from the clinch.
Idowu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Matsunaga moves away.
Matsunaga throws a hook but Idowu blocks it.
A lazy left from Matsunaga finds it's target.
Idowu takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Matsunaga scores with a jab to the jaw.
Matsunaga connects with a right hand. Idowu shakes it off.
Matsunaga swinging wildly here.
Idowu defending well as Matsunaga loads up on a big left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsunaga slips a jab from Idowu.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Matsunaga misses with a right hand
and Idowu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Matsunaga misses with an uppercut. Idowu saw that one coming.
Idowu dodges the punch combination from Matsunaga.
Matsunaga scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Idowu moves out of range of the body kick.
It looked like Idowu was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Matsunaga throws a jab when Idowu was well out of range.
Idowu moves out of range of the strikes.
Idowu takes a swing at Matsunaga's ribcage but misses.
Idowu scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Idowu lands a body shot.
Idowu takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Idowu takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Idowu connects with a body shot.
Matsunaga is breathing heavily.
Matsunaga takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsunaga lands a nice shot to the body.
Idowu misses with an uppercut.
A big right from Matsunaga misses.
Matsunaga fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Idowu manages to avoid it.
It looked like Idowu was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Matsunaga.
Idowu cracks Matsunaga with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A jab from Idowu does it's job there.
Idowu throws a hook but Matsunaga avoids it easily.
A jab from Matsunaga misses.
Matsunaga throws a body punch but Idowu moves out of range.
Matsunaga looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Idowu moves out of range of the body kick from Matsunaga.
Idowu thows a body kick. Matsunaga tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Idowu misses with a two punch combination.
Matsunaga thinks about the counter body kick.
Idowu with a nice cross.
Idowu moves out of range of the strikes.
Matsunaga misses with a leg kick
and Idowu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Matsunaga throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Idowu to counter with a crisp jab.
Matsunaga is still on wobbly legs! Can Idowu finish him?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Idowu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Matsunaga seems to have recovered his senses.
Idowu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Idowu getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

That has opened up Futoshi Matsunaga's cut even more.
Idowu cracks Matsunaga on the jaw with a powerful right hand and Matsunaga falls backwards against the cage. Idowu follows up with more strikes that drop Matsunaga to his knees. Idowu keeps the pressure on and the referee jumps in to save Matsunaga! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:16 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Imani Idowu!
During a confident post fight interview, Imani Idowu thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.