PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matt Thorne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hugh Matthews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Thorne
vs
Matthews

180 cm
23
170 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

179 cm
21
187 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matt Thorne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hugh Matthews!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Alec Ball and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thorne slaps away a takedown attempt from Matthews, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thorne looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thorne looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Matthews scores with a takedown into Thorne's guard.
Thorne being controlled here, momentarily.
Thorne is looking to stand up but Matthews isn't so interested in that idea.
Matthews passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Thorne is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Matthews has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Matthews scores with a couple of short elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thorne is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Matthews is controlling him well.
Matthews in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Thorne sneaks out the side door and pushes Matthews away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Matthews closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Thorne to the mat! Thorne manages to get full guard.
Matthews's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Matthews scoring with punches to the head and body.
Matthews with a flurry of punches that miss.
Matthews working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matthews sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Thorne's guard.

Matthews decides to stand up.
Matthews looks gassed!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Matthews tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thorne swivels and escapes.
Matthews displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Thorne.
Thorne wants to clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Matthews misses the target.
Thorne goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Matthews defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Thorne.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews loads up on a big right hand but Thorne slips the punch.
No luck for Thorne with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Thorne. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

Matthews stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Thorne tries to clinch but Matthews is having none of it.
Thorne moves in looking to clinch but Matthews pushes him off.
Matthews looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Thorne fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thorne tries to move into range but Matthews moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Matthews lands with a cross.
Matthews is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Thorne.
Thorne tries to clinch up but Matthews circles away and keeps his distance.
Matthews looks to throw the jab but Thorne is out of range.
Thorne tries to clinch but Matthews is having none of it.

Matthews drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thorne wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Matthews taking a breather here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thorne taking a bit of punishment here - Matthews scoring with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hugh Matthews dominated that round.
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.

Thorne takes one to the side of the head.
Matthews cracks Thorne with a right hand to the side of the head.
Thorne tries to clinch but Matthews is having none of it.
Matthews shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Thorne counters with a left and a right that stings Matthews.
Thorne slips under a jab from Matthews.
Thorne tries to close the distance and clinch but Matthews swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thorne pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
A jab from Matthews misses.

Matthews gets a takedown into half guard.
Thorne tries to kick Matthews off but Matthews keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Matthews.
Matthews controlling the action here.
Thorne is trying to stand.
Thorne is looking to improve his position.
Thorne trying to control from the bottom.
Matthews prevents Thorne from standing back up.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Matthews lands a nice short elbow.
Thorne has hold of Matthews's hands but Matthews slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Matthews passes to side control.
Matthews cracks Thorne with a big right hand but Thorne just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorne pushes Matthews away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Matthews gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Matthews scoring with punches and elbows.
Matthews controlling the position from side mount.
Thorne is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Matthews has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Matthews working the ground and pound.
Hugh Matthews has got the better of the ground game so far.
Matthews landing strikes.
Thorne is pushing Matthews's head away, looking to escape. Matthews manages to hold on to the position though.
Matthews cracks Thorne with a big right hand but Thorne just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Matthews scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Thorne to see if he's OK.
Matthews staying calm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews working away.
Matthews lands an elbow.
Matthews working the head with strikes.
Matthews working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Matthews controls the position from side control.
Thorne taking a bit of punishment here - Matthews scoring with strikes.
Thorne taking a bit of punishment here - Matthews scoring with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matthews connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Thorne some visible discomfort.
Matthews landing strikes.
Matthews in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Matthews creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Thorne on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Matthews taking a breather here.
Matthews is working Thorne over with some ground and pound from side control.
Matthews cracks Thorne with a big right hand but Thorne just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thorne is trying to get back to half guard.
Matthews cracks Thorne with an elbow. That is naaassty.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hugh Matthews showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Matthews just misses with a punch to the body.
Matthews avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hugh Matthews seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thorne misses with a head kick.
Thorne shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Matthews decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Thorne's guard.
Matthews forces his way into half guard.
Matthews with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Matthews has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thorne wants to get back to his feet.
Matthews passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews lands with some strikes.
Matthews has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Matthews connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Thorne is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Matthews pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Matthews scoring with strikes but Thorne is staying in there.
Matthews lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Matthews landing shots from mount.
Matthews lands a heavy elbow.
A nice elbow there by Matthews.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matthews controlling the position easily from mount.
Thorne is bucking up trying to escape but Matthews cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Thorne is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Matthews scoring with strikes but Thorne is staying in there.
Hugh Matthews is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thorne tries to buck Matthews off but he can't manage it.
Matthews tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Thorne is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Matthews controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorne keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Matthews controlling from mount.

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.
Thorne tries to hold on but Matthews postures up.
Thorne is working to get back to half guard.
Matthews controlling the pace for now.

Matthews wants to finish this one by submission but Thorne is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Matthews.
Matthews content just to control the position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hugh Matthews comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Matthews 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 William Peck scores the fight 25:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 25:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hugh Matthews!