PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Juha Koistinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raymond Matice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Koistinen
vs
Matice

174 cm
24
152 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

174 cm
21
151 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juha Koistinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Raymond Matice!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matice will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Koistinen doesn't manage to clinch there - Matice circles away.

Matice closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Koistinen quickly recovers to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Koistinen is pressing down on Matice's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Matice controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Koistinen striking off his back but it's not causing Matice any problems.
Matice preventing the sweep.
Koistinen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Matice.
Matice lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matice tries to free his leg and advance position but Koistinen is retaining full guard.

Koistinen uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Koistinen sizes up Matice with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Koistinen takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

It looks like Juha Koistinen has been cut.

Matice drives through with a takedown into Koistinen's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Koistinen doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Matice controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Koistinen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Matice manages to get himself to full guard.
Matice pulls Koistinen in close to his closed guard and prevents Koistinen from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matice looking to hit a scissor sweep but Koistinen is one step ahead there.
Matice is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Raymond Matice has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Koistinen manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Matice on his heels. He'll look to pass Matice's guard now, I'm sure.
Matice looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Matice wants to sweep but no luck.

Matice looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Koistinen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Matice controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koistinen stopping the sweep attempt from Matice.
Matice bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Koistinen's guard.
Koistinen wants to sweep but no luck.
Matice sitting in guard here, content to control.
Koistinen doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matice postures up.
Matice passes Koistinen's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Koistinen is looking to get back to is feet but Matice passes into side control.
Matice controls the position.
Matice's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koistinen is looking for a sweep.
Matice working the ground and pound.
Koistinen seems a little lost for a moment, as Matice dominates the positioning.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Koistinen sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Matice controlling the action here.
Matice lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Koistinen throws a strike from the bottom but Matice passes into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raymond Matice dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Juha Koistinen's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Koistinen shoots in but Matice avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Matice shoots in but no luck this time.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Koistinen is defended easily by Matice.
Nice straight punches there by Koistinen. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Koistinen.
Left hook, right uppercut from Matice.
Matice checks the leg kick nicely there.
Koistinen throws a hook but Matice avoids it easily.
Matice fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Matice has a takedown stuffed.
Juha Koistinen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raymond Matice.
The fighters circling - Koistinen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Koistinen lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Juha Koistinen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Koistinen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Koistinen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Matice as he jumps to the side.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matice fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Koistinen sprawls well initially but Matice persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Matice works his way into full mount!
Matice sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Raymond Matice has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matice lands a nice shot to the head.
Matice tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
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!
Koistinen is bucking up trying to escape but Matice cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Matice raining down hammerfists from mount.
Matice takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koistinen is working to get back to half guard.
Matice controlling the position easily from mount.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Raymond Matice.
Koistinen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Matice.

Matice drives through with a takedown into Koistinen's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Koistinen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Matice is one step ahead there.
Matice not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matice passes Koistinen's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Matice in particular looking to stall.
Koistinen tries to get to full guard but Matice has control of the leg.
Matice content to control rather than advance.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Koistinen gets back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raymond Matice showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Juha Koistinen's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Koistinen moves out of range as Matice strikes.
Nice shot lands for Koistinen.
Donk. Matice catches Koistinen right on the button with a cross.
Matice fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Koistinen avoids it really well and circles away.
Matice steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Koistinen.
Koistinen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Matice misses with an uppercut. Koistinen saw that one coming.
Matice swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Matice stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Matice wants it to stay on the feet.
Matice misses with a wild combination.

Matice looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Koistinen trying to control but Matice postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matice is controlling the pace.
Koistinen is looking to improve his position.
Matice scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Matice keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Koistinen wants to get back to full guard but Matice has mounted him!
Matice controlling from the full mount.
Raymond Matice is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koistinen tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Raymond Matice hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Koistinen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Matice has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Matice throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Koistinen throws a nice looking combination but Matice bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Matice 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.
Koistinen being controlled here, momentarily.
Matice passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Koistinen is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Matice has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Matice controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matice passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Koistinen!
Matice tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raymond Matice comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Matice 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Raymond Matice!
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Raymond Matice!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Raymond Matice!

Raymond Matice wins by unanimous decision!