PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ej Resparzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marshall Mathers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Resparzo comes to the cage accompanied by Under the Rainbow by Brother Izzy. Mathers has chosen Square Dance as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Resparzo
vs
Mathers

182 cm
26
178 lbs
16 - 2 - 0

185 cm
25
185 lbs
16 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

New World Order Clothing
Syndicate Nutrition (DUS)

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 16 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ej Resparzo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Marshall Mathers!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mathers looks to land a body kick but Resparzo moved away.
Mathers on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Resparzo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mathers wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Resparzo throws the kick towards the body but Mathers avoids it.

Resparzo looking to score a takedown here. Mathers is defending well but Resparzo drives through and ends up in Mathers's guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Resparzo wants to pass the guard but Mathers is keeping the position.
Resparzo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mathers is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Resparzo postures up in Mathers's guard and throws a big left but Mathers blocks it.
Resparzo stopping the sweep attempt from Mathers.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Resparzo slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Resparzo working away.
Mathers takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
What's Mathers going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
Mathers tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Resparzo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Resparzo wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Mathers, who protects the arm well.
Mathers is trying to escape the position but Resparzo is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Resparzo tries for a kimura but Mathers is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Resparzo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mathers keeps working.
What's Mathers going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
Resparzo landing strikes.
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!
Resparzo lands some shots froms side control.
Mathers is not content to let Resparzo control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Resparzo tries for a kimura but Mathers is defending well.
Resparzo working the ground and pound but Mathers is defending the strikes.
Mathers tries to buck Resparzo off but Resparzo is having none of it.
Resparzo working the ground and pound.
Resparzo staying calm.

Resparzo thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathers can't do much from the bottom here.
Resparzo trying to control the position but Mathers is working away.
Resparzo scores with a couple of short elbows.
Resparzo works to advance to full mount. Mathers defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mathers tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Resparzo lands a heavy elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mathers wants to control but Resparzo is having none of it.
Resparzo controlling from the full mount.
Resparzo lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ej Resparzo dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mathers missing with a left hand there. Resparzo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mathers misses with a body shot.
Mathers connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Resparzo lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Mathers has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Mathers and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Resparzo throws a body punch but Mathers moves out of range.
Mathers feints and then cracks Resparzo's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Resparzo down.
Resparzo takes a swing at Mathers's ribcage but misses.
Mathers misses with a body shot.
Resparzo is looking to chop away at Mathers's legs.
Mathers fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Resparzo checks it well.
Resparzo wants to clinch.
Resparzo blocks the body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Resparzo throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Mathers throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Resparzo jabs at Mathers's body.
Mathers lands with a thumping leg kick.
Resparzo throws a big shot that misses.
Resparzo scores with a leg kick.
Resparzo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mathers's waist but Mathers gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Resparzo off to one side.
Mathers walks into a jab.
Resparzo throws a leg kick
and Mathers counters with a stiff right hand.
Resparzo staying out of range there.
Mathers is looking to score with low kicks.
Ej Resparzo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Resparzo buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Mathers misses the jab.
Mathers fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Resparzo manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Resparzo shoots for a takedown but Mathers saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Resparzo throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
An inside leg kick from Resparzo misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Resparzo.
Mathers misses with a body shot.
Mathers gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Resparzo counters with a thumping low kick.
Resparzo throws a leg kick but Mathers checks it.
Mathers connects with a single shot there.
Good work by Mathers as he checks the leg kick.
Mathers throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Resparzo counters with a nice body shot.
A jab lands there for Mathers.
Mathers pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Resparzo defending well as Mathers loads up on a big left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathers lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Resparzo lands with a thumping leg kick.
Resparzo connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Mathers throws a jab when Resparzo was well out of range.
Resparzo tries a head kick but it misses.
Marshall Mathers is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
No luck for Resparzo with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ej Resparzo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Resparzo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ej Resparzo is winning the standup battle so far.
Resparzo shoots in for a takedown but Mathers shows good takedown defense.
Mathers throws a leg kick that is checked
and Resparzo counters with a good low kick that Mathers was not able to check.
Resparzo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Mathers misses with a looping right.
Resparzo throws a good cross that connects.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathers misses with a lunging right hand
and Resparzo counters with a big head kick but Mathers shrugs it off.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mathers lands with a right hand.
Resparzo shoots in looking for a takedown but Mathers manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Resparzo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mathers stuffs the takedown.
Resparzo misses with a low kick.
Resparzo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
A big left from Mathers misses.

Resparzo feints and as Mathers raises his hands in defense, Resparzo changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mathers utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Resparzo is fighting to break Mathers's control of his arms but Mathers is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Resparzo working some strikes from top position.
Resparzo wants to control from the top but Mathers keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ej Resparzo dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Mathers takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Resparzo buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Mathers.
Mathers fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Resparzo manages to avoid it.
No luck for Resparzo with that takedown attempt.
Resparzo throws a lazy right hand but Mathers sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mathers swinging wildly here.
Mathers moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Resparzo lands a jab to Mathers's midsection.
Resparzo throws a low kick, looking for Mathers's leg but Mathers calmly moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Resparzo shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Mathers connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Resparzo's hands.
Mathers looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Mathers misses with a body kick.
Resparzo on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Mathers. Mathers obviously looking to wear him down.
Resparzo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mathers.
Good leg kick by Mathers there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Resparzo lands a high kick!
Mathers throws a hook but Resparzo avoids it easily.
Mathers looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Resparzo cracks the inside of Mathers's front leg.
A solid body kick from Resparzo.
Resparzo is looking to wear down Mathers with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Resparzo lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Marshall Mathers has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ej Resparzo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Resparzo lands with a nice body punch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mathers connects with a leg kick. Resparzo looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Nice uppercut there from Mathers.
Resparzo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Mathers defends it nicely.
Mathers delivers a nice body kick.
Resparzo slips a jab from Mathers.
Mathers looks to land a right hand but Resparzo moved out of range.
Mathers moves away from the strike by Resparzo.
Mathers throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Resparzo scoring well with a low kick there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Resparzo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mathers is fending him off so far but Resparzo persists. Nope, Mathers circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ej Resparzo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mathers takes a swing at Resparzo's ribcage but misses.
Mathers misses with a leg kick.
Mathers's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Mathers throws a lazy uppercut
and Resparzo counters with a good low kick that Mathers was not able to check.
A low kick from Mathers is predictable there
and Resparzo counters with a nice leg kick.
Resparzo works Mathers's body with a nice hook.
Resparzo slips under a jab.
Mathers takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A decent looking cross lands there for Mathers.

It looks like Ej Resparzo has been cut.
Resparzo fails to land with a series of punches.
Resparzo throws a quick inside leg kick.
Resparzo checks a low kick from Mathers.
Mathers throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Resparzo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slapping body kick lands there for Mathers.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Resparzo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mathers sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Resparzo somewhat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice body kick there by Mathers.
Mathers throws out a loose jab but Resparzo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Resparzo fails with a takedown attempt.
Crunch! Resparzo slams his shin into Mathers's torso.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Resparzo misses with a leg kick
and Mathers counters with a stiff right hand.
Resparzo works Mathers's body with a nice hook.
Resparzo with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marshall Mathers comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Resparzo 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ej Resparzo!
As Ej Resparzo got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: Montana, I dont break my word fo nothing'.