PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frank Matters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Moraes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Frank Matters has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Matters
vs
Moraes

225 cm
18
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

muscle health

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frank Matters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thiago Moraes!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matters circles away from the clinch attempt.
Matters misses with a head kick.
Matters tries to clinch

and Moraes counters with a nice double leg into side control. Matters won't be happy with that.

Moraes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Matters gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Moraes counters with a takedown into side control.

Moraes decides to stand up, so the ref orders Matters to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Matters shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Moraes counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Matters!
Moraes content just to control the position here.
Matters is breathing heavily.
Matters tries to reverse the position but Moraes maintains control.
Moraes controlling from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moraes's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Matters tries to hold on but Moraes pushes him away.
Moraes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Thiago Moraes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Moraes gets the takedown into side control.
Matters is being controlled here.
Matters really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Matters can't do much from the bottom here.

Moraes decides to stand back up.

Moraes changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Matters looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Moraes trying to control the position but Matters is working away.
Matters tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Moraes stands up and beckons Matters to his feet.

Moraes 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.

Moraes decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Moraes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Matters can't escape the position.
Moraes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Matters is looking to improve his position but Moraes isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moraes content just to control the position here.
Moraes trying to control but Matters is having none of it.
Moraes controlling the pace for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Matters working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Moraes dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Decent striking displayed by Moraes there.
Thiago Moraes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Matters fails with the takedown

and Moraes counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Matters's guard now.
Moraes has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Matters is proving hard to escape from.

Matters looking for a guillotine here but Moraes defends easily.
Moraes is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Matters is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moraes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Moraes stands and steps away. Matters gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Some wild striking there from Matters.
Matters tries for a takedown but Moraes circles away easily

and Moraes counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Matters!
Matters is trying desperately to improve position.
Matters tries to lock up and control but Moraes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Matters regains half guard.
Matters trying to control but Moraes postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moraes wants to free his trapped foot but Matters is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Matters wants to control but Moraes is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Moraes keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Moraes wants to get back to his feet.

Moraes decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Moraes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Moraes ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Moraes scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Moraes stands up and beckons Matters to his feet.

Moraes gets a takedown into half guard.
Moraes controlling the pace.
Matters is trying to maintain the position but Moraes is very close to passing his half guard.
Moraes controlling the pace.
Moraes wants to stand up but Matters has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moraes perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Thiago Moraes has got the better of the ground game so far.

Moraes gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Matters lands with a nice body kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Moraes misses with a straight right.
Moraes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Matters tries for a takedown but Moraes circles away easily

and Moraes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Matters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Moraes slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Moraes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Matters clinches but Moraes breaks the clinch

so Moraes counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Moraes wants to stand but Matters is controlling his posture from full guard.

Matters is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Moraes decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A combination from Matters does no damage.

Moraes looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Matters makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Matters.
Moraes stops Matters from standing up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moraes stays in close to Matters's body and controls the position.
Let's hope that Moraes has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Moraes wants to get up but he can't break Matters's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Moraes controls from within his opponent's guard.
Moraes wants to control from the top but Matters keeps moving.
Matters will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Moraes wants to get up but he can't break Matters's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

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.

Moraes stands up and waves to Matters to follow him.

Matters forces Moraes back against the cage and clinches.
Moraes blocks the elbow strike.

Moraes tightens his grip and picks Matters up, before dumping him to the ground. Matters manages to land in guard.

Moraes gets to his feet - Matters follows without any prompting.
Matters lunges at Moraes with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Moraes's hand.

Moraes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Moraes showed some decent athleticism there.
Moraes is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Moraes postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Matters to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Matters gets caught flat footed, as Moraes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Moraes stands up from Matters's guard - Moraes perhaps looking for a knockout.
Matters is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Moraes on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Matters shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Matters showed some decent athleticism there.

Moraes pushes Matters off and gets back to his feet.

Moraes closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!

Moraes stands up and beckons Matters to his feet.
Matters tries to close the distance and clinch but Moraes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Moraes closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Moraes lands in his opponent's guard.

Matters is looking for a triangle but Moraes pushes his legs off easily.

Moraes stands up from Matters's guard - Moraes perhaps looking for a knockout.
Matters has his takedown stuffed

and Moraes counters with a nice double leg into side control. Matters won't be happy with that.
Matters keeps Moraes under control for a moment.

Moraes decides to stand back up. Moraes steps back and let's Matters get back to his feet.
Frank Matters is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Moraes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Moraes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Frank Matters has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Moraes scores with a takedown into Matters's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Moraes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Moraes winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 26:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 26:30
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Moraes!