PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matiss Briedis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reinis Repss (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Briedis
vs
Repss

179 cm
21
200 lbs
2 - 0 - 1

175 cm
22
195 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matiss Briedis!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Reinis Repss!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Sergei Dronov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Briedis shoots for a takedown but Repss saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Briedis is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Repss.

It looks like Matiss Briedis has been cut.
Briedis fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Briedis misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matiss Briedis. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Briedis shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Briedis prevents Repss from standing back up.
Repss is looking to get back to is feet but Briedis passes into side control.
Briedis wants to control but Repss is keeping him busy.
Repss is trying to get back to his feet.
Repss is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briedis takes a little break here. Repss wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Briedis has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Briedis with the ground and pound from mount.
Briedis lands a big shot there that rocks Repss but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Briedis lands a big shot there that rocks Repss but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Briedis trying to control but Repss is having none of it.
Repss is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Briedis cracks Repss with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Briedis wants to control the pace but Repss is squirming around nicely.
Repss really wants to buck Briedis off and get back to his feet.
Repss looks gassed!
Briedis lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Repss hang on?
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Briedis cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Repss is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Briedis lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Repss hang on?
Briedis controlling the pace for now.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Briedis with the ground and pound from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Repss is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Briedis looking to control and managing it successfully.
A nice elbow there by Briedis.
Repss's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Briedis scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Briedis putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Briedis lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Briedis dominating with strikes here.
Repss wants to get back to his feet.
Briedis controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briedis lands with some strikes.
Briedis content just to control the position here.
Briedis scoring with strikes but Repss is staying in there.
Repss tries to buck Briedis off but he can't manage it.
Briedis looking to control and managing it successfully.
Repss wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matiss Briedis dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Matiss Briedis's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Briedis wants to clinch up but Repss keeps it at a distance.

Briedis gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Repss wants to get back to striking at distance but Briedis won't allow it.

Briedis manages to break the clinch.
Briedis fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Repss misses with a wild combination.

Repss gets caught flat footed, as Briedis shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Briedis has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Briedis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Briedis is stalling in the full guard.
Briedis postures up and lands a big shot to Repss's brow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Repss is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Briedis stands up and waves to Repss to follow him.
Briedis is looking to clinch.
Repss throws a right and a left that Briedis avoids nicely.
Repss keeps the fight on the outside.
Briedis shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Repss but Repss pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Briedis has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matiss Briedis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Briedis shoots for a double leg takedown but Repss sprawls well. He's pushed Briedis's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's two 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.
Repss throws a jab when Briedis was well out of range.
Matiss Briedis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Repss cracks Briedis with a good jab.
Repss lands a two punch combo.
Briedis fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nice shot lands for Repss.
Repss throws out a powerful jab.
Briedis tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Repss swivels and escapes.
Repss throws a nice head kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Repss throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Briedis stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Repss connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Briedis's hands.
Briedis shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Repss but Repss pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Repss throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A decent looking cross lands there for Repss.
Briedis displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Repss throws out the jab.
Briedis throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Repss misses with an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Briedis misses
enabling Repss to counter with a crisp jab.
Briedis shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Repss as he avoids it easily.
Repss fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Briedis on the side of the head.
Briedis shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Repss sprawls well. Repss wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Briedis gets slowly back to his feet.
Repss throws a combination. Briedis tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Briedis moves away from the strike by Repss.
Briedis doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Repss counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reinis Repss showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Matiss Briedis's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Repss throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Briedis sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Briedis misses with a wild combination.
Briedis uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Repss.
Briedis gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Repss counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Briedis shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Repss's guard.
Repss wants to stand and escape but Briedis is having none of it.
Briedis postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Repss is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Repss being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Repss wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Briedis manages to pass to side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Still in half guard, Briedis seems content to control.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Briedis connects with a nice short shot to Repss's temple.
Briedis controlling the pace.
Briedis wants to free his trapped foot but Repss is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Repss pushes Briedis off looking to stand but Briedis dives back in and keeps control.

That's two 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.
Briedis keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Briedis has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Briedis is trying to control. Repss wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Repss is trying to stand up here but Briedis is controlling him well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Repss jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Reinis Repss is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Briedis closes the distance and clinches.
Briedis wants a takedown.

Repss manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briedis shoots and misses
and Repss counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matiss Briedis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Repss throws a right hand that Briedis ducks under and follows up with a left that Briedis also avoids with ease.
Briedis defending well as Repss loads up on a big left hand.

Briedis shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Briedis not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Briedis performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Repss is looking to escape.
Repss scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Briedis manages to mount him!
Briedis has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Repss's face.
Repss tries to buck Briedis off but he can't manage it.
Repss takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Briedis landing punches.
Repss is trying to stand up.
Briedis working the ground and pound effectively.
Repss is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matiss Briedis showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Briedis 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matiss Briedis!
Matiss Briedis is the new light heavyweight champion!