PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matt Nowka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zarek Reschke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nowka comes into the arena with I Get Knocked Down blaring out of the sound system. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Nowka
vs
Reschke

178 cm
25
153 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

164 cm
21
150 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Nowka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zarek Reschke!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Felipe Paraventi and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nowka looks to land a left hand but Reschke moved out of range nicely.
Nowka keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Reschke.
Nowka throws a looping overhand right but Reschke ducks down to avoid it.
Nowka connects with a good right hand that stumbles Reschke. Reschke circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Reschke tries to clinch there but Nowka circles away.
Nowka throws a body punch but Reschke moves out of range.
Nowka throws a body punch but Reschke moves out of range.
Nowka thows a body shot but no joy.

Reschke has closed the distance and engaged Nowka in a clinch.
Reschke missing with knees to the body.
Reschke blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Reschke with a knee to the head.
Nowka avoids a wild elbow strike from Reschke.
Nowka misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reschke looking to slow down the pace here.

Nowka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nowka circles away from the clinch attempt
and Reschke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Reschke looks to clinch
and Reschke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Zarek Reschke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nowka lands a nice shot to the body.
Reschke misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Reschke looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Reschke moves to clinch but Nowka breaks away
and Nowka counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Reschke tries to clinch up but Nowka circles away and keeps his distance.
Nowka misses with a hook

and Reschke counters by clinching up.
Nowka swings wildly with an uppercut but Reschke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nowka scores with a shoulder strike.
Nowka struggles to land a body shot inside as Reschke controls his hands.
Nowka scores with a nice hook to the head.

Nowka manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Nowka wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Nowka is working an open guard so Reschke takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reschke looks to clinch
and Nowka counters with a stiff right hand.
Nowka is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Reschke tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nowka paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Reschke tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Reschke tries to clinch up but Nowka circles away and keeps his distance.
A good leg kick by Reschke.
Nowka cracks Reschke with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Reschke tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Nowka counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nowka smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Reschke tries to clinch but Nowka moves out of range.
Nowka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Nowka misses with an uppercut. Reschke saw that one coming.
Reschke connects with an inside leg kick.
Reschke is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Reschke closes the distance looking to clinch
and Nowka counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Reschke instigates a clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nowka tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Reschke's elbow.
Reschke trying to land knees to the body.
Nowka avoiding damage as Reschke throws knees to the body.
Nowka avoids the elbow strike from Reschke, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Nowka dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A head kick misses from Reschke.

Reschke drives through and clinches with Nowka against the cage.
Nowka avoiding damage as Reschke throws knees to the body.
Reschke tries a body shot but Nowka blocks it.
Nowka lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Reschke backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nowka.
Reschke missing with knees to the body.
Nowka lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Reschke tries to land knees in the clinch but Nowka avoids the damage to the body.
Nowka has a couple of punches blocked by Reschke.
Reschke tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nowka fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nowka misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Reschke misses with an elbow strike.
Nowka misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nowka swings wildly with an uppercut but Reschke uses good head movement to avoid it.
Reschke looking to throw knees to the head but Nowka is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reschke misses with a knee strike.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Nowka creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Nowka pulls guard successfully.
Nowka is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Nowka wants to get back to his feet but Reschke is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Nowka looking for a sweep. Not yet Nowka, not yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Reschke moves in looking to clinch but Nowka pushes him off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reschke throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Nowka's head.

It looks like Matt Nowka has been cut.
Reschke tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nowka paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nowka is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Reschke fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Nowka is out of range.
Reschke tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Nowka manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Reschke tries to close the distance and clinch but Nowka swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Reschke moves in looking to clinch but Nowka pushes him off.
Reschke steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nowka.
Nowka throws a nice looking combination but Reschke bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Reschke throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reschke tries to clinch there but Nowka circles away.
Nowka checks the leg kick.
Nowka misses with a wild body shot.
Nowka walks forward, straight into a front kick from Reschke.
Reschke scores with a leg kick.
Nowka misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Reschke.
Reschke misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Reschke connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Nowka momentarily.
Matt Nowka is winning the standup battle so far.
Nowka missing with a left hand there. Reschke was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Reschke tries to clinch there but Nowka circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reschke throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Reschke looks to clinch
and Reschke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Reschke tries to close the distance and clinch but Nowka swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Reschke tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Reschke takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Reschke looks to clinch
and Nowka counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Nowka throws a hook but Reschke blocks it.
Reschke lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nowka throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nowka misses with a hook

and Reschke counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Reschke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zarek Reschke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Matt Nowka's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Nowka misses with a jab, cross combination.
Reschke on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Reschke moves into the clinch.
Reschke creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Nowka's defenses.
Reschke using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nowka has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Reschke working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Nowka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Reschke throws a leg kick but Nowka sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Reschke throws a head kick that misses.
Reschke ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Reschke tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Nowka manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Reschke fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reschke doesn't manage to clinch there - Nowka circles away.
Reschke chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Reschke wants to clinch
and Nowka counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Reschke gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Nowka pulls guard effortlessly.
Reschke must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Nowka has a closed guard, preventing Reschke from standing up.
Nowka wants to get back to his feet but Reschke is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nowka controls Reschke momentarily but Reschke frees himself.

We're going to have a standup here because Matt Nowka wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Nowka throws an overhand right that lands on Reschke's shoulder, as Reschke tries to avoid the shot.
Good work by Nowka as he checks the leg kick.
Nowka connects with a body shot that sends Reschke's belly button to the back.
Reschke fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nowka blocks a head kick by Reschke.
Reschke moves away from the strike by Nowka.
Nowka keeps the fight on the outside.
Nowka swinging wildly here.
Nice body punch from Nowka.
Reschke moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Reschke doesn't manage to clinch there - Nowka circles away.
Crunch! Reschke slams his shin into Nowka's torso.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nowka tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Reschke closes the distance and pushes Nowka back into the cage.
Reschke tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Reschke presses Nowka against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nowka misses with some punches.
Nowka on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Reschke landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Reschke misses with a knee strike.
Reschke is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nowka is defending well for now.
Nowka tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Reschke is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nowka is defending well for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Reschke lands an elbow just above Nowka 's eye.
Reschke putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Nowka in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Reschke lands a knee to the body.
Reschke looking to throw knees to the head but Nowka is blocking nicely.
Nowka managing to block the knees to the body from Reschke.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zarek Reschke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Reschke has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight for Zarek Reschke!
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight for Zarek Reschke!
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight for Matt Nowka!

Zarek Reschke wins by split decision!