PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mihai Matei (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wil Bazic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bazic is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Here comes the pain. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Wil Bazic was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Matei
vs
Bazic

169 cm
24
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
25
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mihai Matei!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Wil Bazic!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Daniel Blasius and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bazic looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Matei shoots in but Bazic avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bazic tries to clinch but Matei is having none of it.
Matei cracks Bazic with a good jab.

It looks like Wil Bazic has been cut.
Matei shoots in but Bazic avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Matei gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Matei taking a breather.
Bazic is pushing Matei up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Matei drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bazic gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mihai Matei. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matei leaning his opponent against the cage.

Matei pulls guard effortlessly.
Matei wants to stand but Bazic is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bazic postures up.
Bazic in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Matei might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bazic looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Matei looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Matei is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bazic prevents Matei from getting back to his feet.
Bazic trying to control but Matei is working from the bottom.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Wil Bazic hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Bazic moves in looking to clinch but Matei pushes him off.
Bazic dives in and grabs Matei's left leg, looking for a takedown. Matei pushes down on Bazic's head and hops out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bazic shoots in but Matei avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bazic fails with an attempt to clinch.
Matei has a takedown stuffed.
Matei slips a jab from Bazic.
Matei stuffs the takedown.
Matei stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Matei wants it to stay on the feet.
Bazic shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Matei sprawls well. Matei wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bazic gets slowly back to his feet.
Bazic tries to clinch but Matei is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matei displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bazic.
Bazic fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bazic tries to clinch up.
Bazic shoots in looking for a takedown. Matei tries to sprawl out of it but Bazic keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Matei manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Matei goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Matei lands with a kick to the temple. Bazic shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matei is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bazic sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Matei fails with a takedown attempt.
Bazic fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Matei avoids it really well and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mihai Matei dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Wil Bazic'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.

Bazic shoots for a double leg takedown but Matei sprawls well. He's pushed Bazic's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Bazic fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bazic misses with a double jab.

Bazic scores with a takedown into Matei's guard.
Bazic prevents Matei from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bazic trying to control the position from guard on top but Matei is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Matei being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matei is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bazic is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Matei can't keep his opponent in guard - Bazic advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Matei keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Bazic wants to work for an arm triangle but Matei is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bazic seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Matei does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bazic stands up and beckons Matei to join him on the feet.
Bazic leaves Matei with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bazic looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bazic tries to clinch up.
Bazic is looking to clinch.
Bazic looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mihai Matei has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wil Bazic.
Bazic shoots for a double leg takedown but Matei sprawls well. He's pushed Bazic's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Bazic as Matei shoots in.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Bazic is defended easily by Matei.
Bazic misses with a wild combination.
Bazic is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Wil Bazic seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Matei shoots for a double leg takedown but Bazic sprawls well. He's pushed Matei's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Bazic looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Matei displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bazic.
Bazic closes the distance and clinches up with Matei, looking for a takedown. Bazic pushes Matei against the cage but Matei circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bazic shoots in and drives through. Matei sprawls well.
Bazic looks for a takedown but Matei sprawls well.
Matei shoots for a takedown but Bazic saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Bazic tries for a takedown but Matei sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bazic shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Matei pinned against the cage. Matei gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Bazic dives in and grabs Matei's left leg, looking for a takedown. Matei pushes down on Bazic's head and hops out.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matei works over Bazic's head and body with a nice combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wil Bazic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Wil Bazic's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bazic shoots in but Matei avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Matei shoots in for a double leg but Bazic sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bazic shoots in but no luck this time.
Bazic steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Matei. That one must have hurt.
Bazic stuffs the takedown.
Matei tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bazic swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bazic shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Matei defends it nicely.
Mihai Matei has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wil Bazic.
Bazic closes this distance looking for a takedown but Matei circles away.

Matei has closed the distance and engaged Bazic in a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matei is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bazic gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Matei gets underhooks to prevent Bazic's takedown attempt.
Matei fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bazic fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bazic wants a takedown but no success here.

Matei breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Matei lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bazic circles away quickly and effectively.
Bazic shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Matei as he jumps to the side.
Matei shoots for a double leg takedown but Bazic sprawls well. He's pushed Matei's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bazic throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nice sprawl there from Bazic as Matei shoots in.
Matei misses the shot to the body.

Bazic moves into the clinch.
Bazic fails to pull guard.
Bazic tries for a takedown but Matei manages to get underhooks.
Matei drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bazic gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A frustrated look appears on Bazic's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bazic wants a takedown but no success here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matei has Bazic pressed against the cage.
Bazic tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Matei breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bazic shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Matei sprawls well. Matei wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bazic gets slowly back to his feet.
Nice sprawl there from Bazic as Matei shoots in.
Matei defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bazic.
Bazic misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bazic shoots for a double leg takedown but Matei sprawls well. He's pushed Bazic's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matei throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Bazic fails to land the takedown.
Bazic shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Matei but Matei pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bazic misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bazic displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Matei.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bazic shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Matei pinned against the cage. Matei gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

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 Mihai Matei.
I think Matei 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mihai Matei!