PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Josh Matic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phillippe Nover (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Josh Matic has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Matic
vs
Nover

179 cm
25
141 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
19
139 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

StarDust. Cosmic Creations.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Josh Matic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Phillippe Nover!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matic lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Nover shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Matic tries for a takedown but Nover circles away easily

and Nover counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Matic pushes Nover off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Nover has his takedown stuffed

and Matic holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Matic works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Nover looks gassed!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Matic wants to stand but Nover is controlling his posture from full guard.
Matic throws a big right hand that misses.

Matic decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Nover, up you get!
Nover fails with an attempt to clinch.

Matic darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Matic seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nover is refusing to be controlled, as Matic sits in half guard.
Nover is trying to stand up here but Matic is controlling him well.
Matic lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Matic scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Matic lands a nice short elbow.
Matic scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Matic really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Matic tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Nover.
Nover controlling the position well.
Matic wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Nover is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Matic's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Matic's back!

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.
Matic turns into Nover and is now in his guard.
Nover wants to stand and escape but Matic is having none of it.
Matic wants to pass the guard but Nover is keeping the position.

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

Matic shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Nover wants to control but Matic is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Matic with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matic is thwarting Nover's attempts to control the position.
Matic looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Nover with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Matic is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Nover is not content to let Matic control the position.

Matic wants to work for an arm triangle but Nover is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nover tries to clinch but fails miserably

so Matic counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Matic trying to control the position from guard on top but Nover is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matic trying to stand up but can't free himself from Nover's guard.
Matic passes Nover's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Nover tries to kick Matic off but Matic keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Matic is trying to control. Nover wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Matic prevents Nover from standing back up.
Nover avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Matic.
Nover won't allow Matic to pass to mount.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nover shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Matic pinned against the cage. Matic gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Josh Matic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Phillippe Nover.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Matic closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Nover to the mat! Nover manages to get full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Matic dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Matic with a lazy takedown attempt

and Nover counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Matic's guard now.

Matic uses the ropes to get back to his feet.
Matic with a poor takedown
and Nover counters with a left and a right that stings Matic.
Nover moves in looking to clinch but Matic pushes him off.

Nover darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Nover trying to pass the guard but Matic defending well.
Nover wants to stand up but Matic has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nover not doing much here.
Matic is trying to maintain the position but Nover is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nover blocks the strikes from Matic.
Nover working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Matic's thigh. Matic counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Nover wants to pass the guard but Matic is keeping the position.

Matic throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Matic lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Nover!
Nover really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matic with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Nover is desperately trying to improve his position but Matic has a good base and remains in mount.
Matic has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Nover wants to control but Matic is having none of it.
Matic dominating with strikes here.
Matic looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Matic trying to control but Nover is having none of it.
Matic with a couple of short strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matic has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Nover's face.
Nover tries to hold on but Matic pushes him away.
Matic controlling from mount.

Matic looking to isolate an arm here. Nover doesn't see it coming and as Matic extends the arm, he's forced to tap out! Nice submission by Matic!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:36 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Josh Matic!