PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Mir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Junior Matielli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matielli has chosen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvUiMEpZNSw as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mir
vs
Matielli

196 cm
20
199 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

180 cm
19
206 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Josh Mir!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Junior Matielli!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
An inside leg kick lands from Matielli.
Jeez, both these guys look absolutely knackered already, that's not a good sign!
Mir shoots in but no luck this time.
Mir is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Matielli tries to close the distance and clinch but Mir swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mir slaps away a takedown attempt from Matielli, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Mir takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Matielli bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Matielli throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Matielli misses with a takedown attempt
and Mir cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice sprawl there from Mir as Matielli shoots in.
Josh Mir has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Matielli.
Horrible takedown by Matielli or perhaps it was just good defense by Mir which made him look bad.
Mir wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mir goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Matielli tries to clinch but Mir moves out of range.
Matielli tries to clinch

and Mir counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Matielli wants to get back to his feet.
Mir is thwarting Matielli's attempts to control the position.
Matielli tries to kick Mir off but Mir keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mir wants to stand up but Matielli has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matielli missing with punches from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Matielli has his takedown stuffed

and Mir counters with a takedown into side control.
Mir working away.
Matielli pushes Mir away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Mir gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Matielli can't do much from the bottom here.

Mir stands up and beckons Matielli to his feet.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Mir.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir misses with a body kick.
Matielli tries to bum rush Mir with a series of wild strikes but Mir uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Matielli cracks Mir with a right hand to the side of the head.
Mir lands with a right hand.
Matielli throws a leg kick which misses Mir's front leg but catches the back leg as Mir tries to avoid it.
Matielli looks to land a combination but Mir avoids it well.
Matielli throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Mir counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Mir escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Matielli will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A head kick by Matielli misses
and Mir counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Matielli darts in trying to clinch
and Mir connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Matielli tries to clinch
and Mir counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Matielli pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Mir closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Mir will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Matielli has one foot on Mir's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Matielli avoids the head kick by Mir.
Matielli tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Mir counters by moving into the clinch.
Matielli tries to land a knee to the head but Mir blocks with his arms.
Matielli tries to stall but Mir uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Mir's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Mir dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mir rushes Matielli and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Matielli's face as he tries to break the clinch.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Mir here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

Mir manages to break the clinch.
Matielli scores with a shot to the body.
Mir has a takedown stuffed.

Mir closes the distance and pushes Matielli back into the cage.
Matielli throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mir with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Mir pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mir fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Matielli doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Mir counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Mir decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matielli falls off balance throwing a combination

and Mir counters by clinching up.
Mir prevents a takedown attempt there.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Mir just misses with a elbow thrown towards Matielli's brow.
Matielli tries for a takedown. No joy.
Josh Mir has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Matielli.
Matielli tries to pull guard but Mir holds him up against the cage and eventually Matielli drops back down to his feet.

Matielli decides to pull guard.

Mir gets to his feet. Matielli looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Matielli misses with a straight left.
Matielli clinches but Mir breaks the clinch
enabling Mir to counter with a crisp jab.
Matielli closes the distance and clinches up with Mir, looking for a takedown. Matielli pushes Mir against the cage but Mir circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mir slaps away a takedown attempt from Matielli, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Junior Matielli is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mir paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Matielli wants to clinch
letting Mir counter with a right hand.

Mir gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Matielli with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mir with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Mir wants to break the clinch but can't.
Matielli wants to break free but Mir has control.
Mir with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mir has Matielli pressed against the cage, preventing Matielli from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Matielli looking for a takedown.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Matielli manages to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Matielli is proving hard to escape from.

Mir stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Matielli takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Horrible takedown by Mir or perhaps it was just good defense by Matielli which made him look bad.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Matielli.
Mir has a takedown stuffed.
Mir keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Matielli.
Mir looks to land a body kick but Matielli moved away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Matielli uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Mir.
Matielli tries to clinch
and Mir counters with a straight right hand.
Matielli doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Mir counters with a nice body kick.
Matielli looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Matielli tries to close the distance and clinch but Mir swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Matielli throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mir stuns Matielli with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Mir steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Matielli.

Mir gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Mir's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Matielli fails to land the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Mir pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mir is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Matielli throws a head kick that misses.

Mir closes the distance and clinches.

Matielli gets control of Mir's arms and successfully pulls guard. Matielli will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Josh Mir overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Matielli wants to get back to his feet but Mir is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Mir trying to stand up but can't free himself from Matielli's guard.
Mir won't allow Matielli to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mir stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Mir misses with a head kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mir slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matielli misses with an attempted mid kick.
Matielli swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Mir counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Mir closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Matielli did well to prevent Mir getting side control.
Mir tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Mir decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Mir clinches with his opponent.

Mir pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Matielli wants to clinch up but Mir keeps it at a distance.
Matielli avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Matielli misses with a takedown attempt

and Mir counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Matielli!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mir trying to control but Matielli is having none of it.

Matielli bucks up and throws Mir to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Matielli swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Mir displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Matielli throws out the jab.
Matielli wants to clinch.
Mir is looking to clinch but Matielli is avoiding it.
Junior Matielli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matielli tries to bum rush Mir with a series of wild strikes but Mir uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice shot lands for Mir.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir avoids the head kick by Matielli.
Matielli wants to clinch but Mir slips to the side
and Mir counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Mir lands a nice shot that snaps Matielli's head back.
Mir shoots in for a takedown but Matielli shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mir shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Matielli tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Matielli scores with a jab to the head.
Matielli throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Mir counters with a stiff right hand.

Matielli has closed the distance and engaged Mir in a clinch.

Matielli breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Matielli tries to clinch but Mir moves away

and Mir counters with a single leg into guard. Matielli didn't expect that.

Mir decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mir moves in looking to clinch but Matielli pushes him off.
Matielli misses with a takedown attempt

and Mir counters with a single leg into guard. Matielli didn't expect that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Matielli is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mir is controlling him.

Mir decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Matielli, up you get!
Matielli circles away from the clinch attempt.
Matielli misses with a wild combination.

Mir fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Matielli sprawls well initially but Mir persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matielli is looking to get back to is feet but Mir passes into side control.
Josh Mir is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Matielli is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Mir is controlling him well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Mir showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mir, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Mir!