PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mo Mason (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Relic Fatu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fatu is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Outshined. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Mason
vs
Fatu

199 cm
27
260 lbs
11 - 10 - 0

200 cm
24
225 lbs
11 - 6 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mo Mason!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Relic Fatu!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Wesley Smith and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fatu works the jab nicely.
Mason misses with a series of wild punches.
Fatu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mason misses with a takedown attempt - Fatu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Fatu tries to close the distance and clinch but Mason swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Fatu is looking to clinch but Mason is avoiding it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mason misses with a wild combination.
The fighters circling - Fatu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason tests Fatu's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Fatu closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Mason swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Fatu counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Danga de danga de dang - Fatu scores with a four punch combination!
Mason doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Fatu holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Mason tries to score a body lock takedown but Fatu shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mo Mason. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fatu is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Fatu tries to break the clinch but Mason is controlling the position.

Fatu breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Fatu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mason throws a lazy head kick
and Fatu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Fatu closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Mason throws a sloppy head kick
and Fatu counters with a head kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Fatu avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mason shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Fatu sprawls well. Fatu wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mason gets slowly back to his feet.
Mason with a lazy takedown attempt
and Fatu counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Fatu throws a right hand that Mason ducks under and follows up with a left that Mason also avoids with ease.
Fatu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason swats away the attempt to clinch by Fatu.
Mason misses with a takedown attempt
and Fatu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mason fails with the takedown
and Fatu counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Mason is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Fatu throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Mason on the side of the head.
Mason circles away from the clinch attempt.
Fatu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mason.
Mason keeps the fight on the outside.
Mason misses with a two punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fatu throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fatu scores with a one two! Mason had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Mo Mason has been cut.
A combination from Mason does no damage.
Fatu closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mason circles away.
Mason takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Fatu looks to throw the jab but Mason is out of range.
A head kick misses from Mason.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head kick misses from Fatu.
Fatu throws a left and a right that both miss
and Mason counters with a three punch combo that has Fatu backing up. Fatu nods at Mason to acknowledge the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Relic Fatu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mo Mason's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Fatu moves into range and clinches up with Mason.
Fatu lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Fatu can't break the clinch.
Mason keeps control of Fatu as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Fatu pulls Mason into guard.
Mason pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fatu is keeping the position for now.
Fatu is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mason is controlling him.
Fatu is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Fatu looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Fatu is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mason is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Fatu wants to stand up but Mason is controlling him.
Mason controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mason tries to free his leg and advance position but Fatu is retaining full guard.
Mason controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mason won't allow Fatu to get back to his feet.

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.
Fatu looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mason is one step ahead there.
Fatu being controlled here, momentarily.
Fatu trying to strike off his back.
Mason is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Mason drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Fatu dives on top into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fatu wants to stand but Mason has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Fatu stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mason swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Fatu working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Fatu wants to stand but Mason is controlling his posture from full guard.
Fatu is breathing heavily.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Fatu tries a head kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fatu throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mo Mason is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mason closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Fatu to the mat! Fatu manages to get full guard.
Fatu wants to get back to his feet but Mason is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Mason seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mason's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mo Mason will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mo Mason's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Fatu misses with a head kick.
Mason throws a lazy head kick

and Fatu counters by moving into the clinch.
Fatu is trying to break the clinch but Mason is controlling him.
A frustrated look appears on Fatu's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Mason is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Fatu gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mason tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Fatu is pressed up against the cage. Mason has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Fatu down to the mat. Fatu avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mo Mason. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mason blocks a head kick by Fatu.
A head kick misses from Fatu.
Mason throws a sloppy head kick
letting Fatu counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Fatu misses.
Mo Mason seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fatu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Mason counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fatu tries to kick Mason off but Mason keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mason controlling the action here.
Fatu keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Fatu is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mason stalling away here and it's allowed Fatu to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Mason loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mason makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Fatu is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mason sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason stops Fatu from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Mason drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mason jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Fatu is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mason is controlling him.
Mason trying to control the position from guard on top but Fatu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mason prevents Fatu from getting back to his feet.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mason doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Fatu counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Mason is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Mason on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Nice body kick there by Mason.
Fatu moves into range and connects with a jab.
Fatu misses with a straight right.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Fatu is defended easily by Mason.
Fatu throws a hook but Mason avoids it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mo Mason showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mason 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mo Mason!