PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eugenio Roth (ranked 4077 p4p, 4321 weight class) and Asuki Matsuhara (ranked 531 p4p, 548 weight class). Asuki Matsuhara struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 206.7lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Roth
vs
Matsuhara

163 cm
25
196
2 - 1 - 0

167 cm
25
224
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Good takedowns
Brawler
Knockout power

Uncle Rufus Clothing .Co

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Eugenio Roth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Asuki Matsuhara!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Albert Achterberg and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matsuhara shoots and misses
and Roth counters with a series of strikes. Matsuhara will be more careful next time no doubt.
Asuki Matsuhara seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Matsuhara looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Matsuhara dives in and grabs Roth's left leg, looking for a takedown. Roth pushes down on Matsuhara's head and hops out.
Roth appears to be looking for a big counter.
We've been told by Roth's head coaches at Ajax Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Eugenio Roth has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Asuki Matsuhara.
Matsuhara darts in looking for a takedown but Roth gets double underhooks and turns Matsuhara into the cage.
Matsuhara shoots for a double leg takedown but Roth sprawls well. He's pushed Matsuhara's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Matsuhara shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Roth counters with a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matsuhara misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Matsuhara tries to score a power double leg takedown but Roth sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Matsuhara somewhat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Roth is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Matsuhara's half guard.
Matsuhara trying to hold on to Roth's head to control him but Roth postures up.

Roth is trying to work for a kimura but Matsuhara is defending well.
Matsuhara wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roth is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Roth controlling the action here.
Matsuhara works his way to full guard. Good work.
Matsuhara controlling Roth's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roth stopping the sweep attempt from Matsuhara.
Matsuhara wants to stand and escape but Roth is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Roth working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Matsuhara shoots in looking for a takedown. Roth tries to sprawl out of it but Matsuhara keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Roth manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Roth has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Matsuhara drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Roth gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Matsuhara wants a takedown.
Roth crunches a lovely knee into Matsuhara's ribcage.
Roth scores a nice knee to the body.
Matsuhara looks winded!
Roth landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Roth lands a knee to the body.

Roth's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Roth closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Roth dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Roth lands with a right to the head.
A short uppercut from Roth.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Eugenio Roth dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Roth shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Matsuhara eats them both and turns towards Roth to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Matsuhara throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Roth's waist but Roth gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Matsuhara off to one side.
Roth drops down looking for a counter takedown but Matsuhara sprawls and moves away.

Roth gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Matsuhara to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Roth scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Roth clobbers Matsuhara with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matsuhara shoots for a double leg takedown but Roth sprawls well. He's pushed Matsuhara's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Horrible takedown attempt by Matsuhara or perhaps it was just good defense by Roth, which made it look bad.
Roth is looking for a counter combo.
Eugenio Roth has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Asuki Matsuhara.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matsuhara tries for a takedown but Roth circles away easily
and Roth counters with a three punch combo that has Matsuhara backing up. Matsuhara nods at Roth to acknowledge the strikes.
Matsuhara is breathing heavily.

Roth drives through and clinches with Matsuhara against the cage.
Roth utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Roth unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Roth manages to break the clinch.
Matsuhara has his takedown stuffed
and Roth counters with a three punch combo that has Matsuhara backing up. Matsuhara nods at Roth to acknowledge the strikes.

Matsuhara tries to keep at a distance but Roth has taken the fight into the clinch.
Matsuhara looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Roth lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A nice glancing elbow lands by Roth.
Matsuhara looking for a takedown.
A shot in the inside from Roth.
Roth lands a nice knee to the body.
Matsuhara is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Roth is defending well.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Roth here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

Roth manages to break the clinch.
Eugenio Roth is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Matsuhara misses with a takedown attempt - Roth sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Roth wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

Roth fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Matsuhara, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsuhara is trying to drag Roth to the mat but Roth just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Roth landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Roth breaks the clinch.
Matsuhara dives in for a single leg takedown but Roth sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Roth closes the distance and clinches.

Roth escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Eugenio Roth is winning the standup battle so far.

Roth looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Matsuhara makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Matsuhara gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Roth to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Roth in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Roth wants to control from the top but Matsuhara keeps moving.
Matsuhara looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Roth landing with the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roth trying to control the position from guard on top but Matsuhara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Eugenio Roth dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Nice sprawl there from Matsuhara as Roth shoots in.
Roth tries to close the distance and clinch up but Matsuhara swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Roth connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Matsuhara darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Roth is trying to stand up here but Matsuhara is controlling him well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matsuhara not landing any meaningful shots this time.
My spies in Cozad MMA Tokyo inform me that Matsuhara has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Roth knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Matsuhara on the ground.
Matsuhara looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Matsuhara missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Roth is not content to let Matsuhara control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Matsuhara lands a nice short elbow.
Roth is staying active underneath Matsuhara, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Roth has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Matsuhara is on him like a limpet, forcing Roth back against the cage.
Matsuhara avoiding damage as Roth throws knees to the body.
Roth unloads a knee to the mid-section. Matsuhara lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Matsuhara lands a takedown into guard.
Matsuhara postures up in Roth's guard and throws a big left but Roth blocks it.
Matsuhara controlling from the top position.
Roth preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Matsuhara stands up over Roth, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Matsuhara has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Matsuhara's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Matsuhara lands a couple of digs.
Matsuhara is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Roth has momentary wrist control but Matsuhara slips an elbow through the middle.
Matsuhara with a nice head shot there.
Matsuhara is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Matsuhara working some strikes from top position.
Matsuhara postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Matsuhara is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Matsuhara wants to control from the top but Roth keeps moving.
Matsuhara content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsuhara working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Roth's head.
Matsuhara is working Roth over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Matsuhara trying to control but Roth is working from the bottom.
Matsuhara content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Matsuhara is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Asuki Matsuhara has got the better of the ground game so far.
Matsuhara with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Matsuhara cracks Roth with a solid left hand.
Matsuhara advances position into side control!
Roth is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Roth is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matsuhara in side control here. He's dropped a big elbow there and Roth looks hurt! Oh, he is hurt! Matsuhara turns on the heat and pounds him out for a TKO victory! Good killer instinct there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Asuki Matsuhara!