PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matt Serra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Serra
vs
Michaels

177 cm
20
180 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matt Serra!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sean Michaels!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Serra swings for the body but Michaels moves out of range.
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Serra moves out of range easily.
Michaels tries a head kick but it misses.
Michaels tries a head kick but it misses.
Michaels scores with a head kick.
Michaels misses with a head kick.
Michaels avoids the body shot from Serra.
Michaels misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Serra connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Serra misses the jab.
Serra throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Serra blocks a head kick by Michaels.
Serra fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Serra moves out of range easily.
Michaels throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Serra avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Serra.
Serra is looking to wear down Michaels with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Michaels takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Michaels pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Michaels throws a head kick but Serra moves out of range.
Michaels keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Serra cracks a nice hook into Michaels's ribs.
Serra lands with a shot to the body.
Sean Michaels is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Serra fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Michaels manages to avoid it.
Michaels tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Serra shoots for a double leg takedown but Michaels sprawls well. He's pushed Serra's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Serra moves out of range easily.
Michaels misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Serra throws a body punch but Michaels moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Serra swings for the body but Michaels moves out of range.
Serra jabs at Michaels's body.
Michaels pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Michaels throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Serra misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Serra misses with a wild body shot.
Michaels misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Serra shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Michaels but Michaels pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Serra. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Serra misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Michaels tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Serra fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Michaels plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Jab by Serra.
A head kick misses from Michaels.
Michaels tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Serra moves out of range easily.
Serra blocks a head kick by Michaels.
Michaels avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Serra closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Serra looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Michaels is avoiding damage well.
Serra misses with the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Serra tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Serra working the strikes but Michaels uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Serra scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Michaels avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Serra.
Michaels really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Serra. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Serra thows a huge punch but Michaels dodges it nicely.
Serra works his foot free and advances to mount.
Serra is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Michaels holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Serra tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Serra dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Michaels uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Serra.
Michaels blocks a jab.
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Serra moves out of range easily.
Serra avoids the head kick by Michaels.
Serra avoids the head kick by Michaels.
Michaels avoids the body shot from Serra.
Michaels misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Serra cracks Michaels with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Serra tries to score a power double leg takedown but Michaels sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Serra somewhat.
A head kick misses from Michaels.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels misses with a head kick.
Serra looks to land a left hand but Michaels moved out of range nicely.
Serra fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Michaels manages to avoid it.
Michaels walks into a straight right hand from Serra.
Michaels displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Serra throws out the jab.
A head kick misses from Michaels.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Serra.
Serra with the ground and pound but Michaels regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Serra is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Serra not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Serra throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Serra is trying to control. Michaels wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Serra thows a huge punch but Michaels dodges it nicely.
Serra missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Serra is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Michaels has managed to free his arm - good work.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Michaels tries a head kick but it misses.
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Serra moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels lands with a kick to the temple. Serra shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Michaels throws a head kick that misses.
Serra avoids the head kick by Michaels.
Serra avoids the head kick by Michaels.
Michaels pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Michaels throws a head kick that misses.
Serra avoids the head kick by Michaels.

Serra throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Michaels was covering up waiting for the punch and Serra finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Serra is looking to work some ground and pound but Michaels has wrist control.
Serra 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.
Serra throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Serra postures up in Michaels's guard and throws a big left but Michaels blocks it.
Serra tries to free his leg and advance position but Michaels is retaining full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Michaels can do anything to dispel that myth.
Serra throws and elbow that misses. Michaels uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Serra's guard. Nice move by Michaels!
Serra looking for a sweep. Not yet Serra, not yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Serra controlling Michaels's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Serra dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Michaels connects with a high kick.
Michaels pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Michaels tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Michaels connects with a high kick.
Serra fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Michaels avoids it really well and circles away.
Serra's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Serra duly obliges.
Serra ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Michaels moves away.
Serra jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Serra shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Michaels as he avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Serra. Michaels does a little dance to reset his feet.
Serra throws a series of punches but Michaels moves out of range.
Michaels pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Michaels jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Serra just misses with a punch to the body.
Michaels misses with a head kick.
Michaels uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Serra.
Serra tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Michaels was well out of range. Poor timing from Serra.
Michaels pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Michaels throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Michaels throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Serra.
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Serra moves out of range easily.
Michaels throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sean Michaels has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Michaels throws a head kick but Serra moves out of range.
Serra blocks a head kick by Michaels.
Michaels throws a head kick but Serra moves out of range.
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Serra moves out of range easily.
Matt Serra is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Serra fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Michaels manages to avoid it.
Matt Serra is winning the standup battle so far.
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Serra moves out of range easily.
Serra digs a good body shot into Michaels's ribs.
A head kick misses from Michaels.
Michaels throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Serra misses the shot to the body.

Serra feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Serra sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Serra controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Serra trying to control the position from guard on top but Michaels is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Michaels wants to stand but Serra is controlling the position.
Michaels utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Michaels can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Serra controls the pace.
Michaels wants to stand up but Serra is controlling him.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Matt Serra.
Well Serra has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Serra!