PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ravi Matos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Major (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Matos
vs
Major

175 cm
20
176 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

176 cm
20
167 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Good elbows
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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ravi Matos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Major!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Edson Gomes and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Major paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Major keeps the fight on the outside.
Major connects with a crisp jab.
Major keeps the fight on the outside.

Major gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Matos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Major has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Matos wants to break free but Major has control.
Major is leaning against Matos and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Matos is trying to break the clinch but Major has him pressed against the cage.

Matos manages to break the clinch.

Major shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Matos's guard.
Major stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Matos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Major passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Matos is being controlled here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matos on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Major working the ground and pound from side control.
Major is putting a hurting on Matos here, landing some big shots from side control.
Major is staying tight to Matos's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Matos tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

Major stands up and beckons Matos to his feet.
Matos tries to clinch

and Major counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Major.
Major keeps control of Matos as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Major avoiding damage as Matos throws knees to the body.
Matos throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matos tries to break free but Major pushes him back against the cage.
Matos tries to land a knee to the head but Major blocks with his arms.
Matos prevents the takedown attempt.
Major has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Matos is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Matos's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Major pressing his opponent against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Matos as Major tries to tie him up.
Major lands a left hand.
Matos tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Major pushes Matos back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Major breaks the clinch.

Major shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Matos is trying to defend but Major finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Major trying to pass the guard but Matos defending well.
Matos knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Major on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Major controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Major frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Major looking to finish Matos with some ground and pound. This is bad for Matos!
Major controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Major lands a big shot there that rocks Matos but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Major looking to control and managing it successfully.
Major can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Matos is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Matos closes the distance looking to clinch

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

Matos pulls guard successfully.
Major content to stall in guard here.
Matos keeping full guard, as Major tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matos is trying to control the position but Major postures up.
Major controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Major trying to control the position from guard on top but Matos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Matos on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Matos tries to get out of the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Major with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Matos closes the distance looking to clinch

and Major counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Major.
Matos with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Matos tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Major tries for a takedown but Matos manages to get underhooks.
Major is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Matos is keeping busy.
Matos misses with a knee to the head.

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.
Matos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Major has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Major goes for a takedown attempt but Matos pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Matos closes the distance looking to clinch

and Major counters with a nice double leg into side control. Matos won't be happy with that.
Major scoring with punches and elbows.
Major throws an elbow but Matos slips to the side and avoids it well.
Major is putting a hurting on Matos here, landing some big shots from side control.
Matos seems a little lost for a moment, as Major dominates the positioning.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Major connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Matos some visible discomfort.
Matos defending against the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Major trying to control the position but Matos is working away.
Major lands an elbow.
Matt Major has got the better of the ground game so far.
Major wants to lay and pray for a moment but Matos keeps working.
Matos taking punishment in the form of punches.
Check out the look on Major's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Matos's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Major moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Major misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
The referee asks Major politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Major prefers to stall for the moment though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Major showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Matos's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Matos closes the distance but Major moves to the side

and Major counters with a shoot takedown. Matos fights it but they end up in guard.
Matos trying to keep a closed guard but Major is proving a slippery customer.
Major pushes down on Matos's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Major winds up and cracks Matos with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Major slips a nice elbow through Matos's hands, connecting with Matos's forehead.
Major trying to control the action but Matos is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Major thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Matos's head.
Matos avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Major.
Well, if Major is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Matos has hold of Major's hands but Major slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Major is looking to take a break and control but Matos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two 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.

Matos looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Major is thwarting Matos's attempts to control the position.
Major moves into full mount! Matos won't be happy about that!
Matt Major is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Major controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matos swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Major sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four 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.
Matos can't escape the position.
Major controlling the position easily from mount.
Ravi Matos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Major avoids the attempt from Matos to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Major comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Major has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 26:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30

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