PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Zecheriah Matthews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Hall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Matthews
vs
Hall

190 cm
24
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Inexperienced

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zecheriah Matthews!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Scott Hall!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Dmitry Maklakov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hall has his takedown stuffed

and Matthews counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Matthews.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Matthews accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Matthews gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Matthews has managed to clinch.
Matthews changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hall fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hall looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hall closes this distance looking for a takedown but Matthews circles away.
Zecheriah Matthews has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Scott Hall.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A punch combination from Matthews misses.
Hall tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Matthews manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hall shoots in looking for a takedown. Matthews tries to sprawl out of it but Hall keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Matthews manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Matthews is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hall sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hall.

Hall decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hall throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hall lands strikes from half guard.
Hall looks to land a strike but Matthews avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Hall throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Matthews is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hall postures up in Matthews's guard and throws a big left but Matthews blocks it.
Matthews thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Hall wants to pass the guard but Matthews is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall is looking to work some ground and pound but Matthews has wrist control.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hall's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hall accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hall postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hall throws a strike but Matthews rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hall wants to get back to his feet but Matthews is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Matthews looking to sit in guard and control but Hall gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hallis looking to pass into half guard but Matthews pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Matthews is in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews trying to control the position from guard on top but Hall is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hall avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Matthews postures up.
Hall utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Matthews preventing the sweep.
Matthews trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matthews would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Matthews preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hall is on top in guard.
Matthews is pulling down on Hall's head. It's preventing any offense from Hall, at least for the moment.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hall's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Matthews is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hall distracts Matthews with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hall throws a strike but Matthews rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hall 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Scott Hall will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hall swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Matthews wants to clinch.
Hall avoids a punch combination nicely.

Matthews looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Hall!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hall can do anything to dispel that myth.

Matthews looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Matthews is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Hall to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Hall shrugs it off.
Hall reaches up and holds on to Matthews to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews trying to control but Hall is having none of it.
Matthews looking to finish with strikes here!
Matthews misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Matthews working the ground and pound effectively.
Matthews avoids the attempt from Hall to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Hall reaches up and holds on to Matthews to control the position.
Matthews throws some wild stikes that Hall manages to avoid easily.
Matthews has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Hall is trying to stand.
Hall is trying desperately to improve position.
Hall is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Hall because Matthews loaded up on that one.
Matthews throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Hall because Matthews loaded up on that one.
Matthews trying to control but Hall is having none of it.
Zecheriah Matthews overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hall tries to lock up and control but Matthews gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Matthews trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hall is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Matthews sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hall tries to hold on but Matthews pushes him away.
Hall is squirming around, avoiding Matthews's attempts to control the action.
Matthews prevents Hall from getting the reversal.
Hall is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Hall wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Matthews.
Matthews looking to ground and pound but Hall is blocking nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hall tries to reverse the position but Matthews maintains control.
Matthews landing shots from mount.
Hall squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zecheriah Matthews dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Matthews doesn't manage to clinch there - Hall circles away.
Hall throws a half hearted mid kick.
Matthews misses with the combination.
Matthews darts in trying to clinch

and Hall counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Hall trying to control from Matthews's half guard. Matthews has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Matthews keeping full guard, as Hall tries to pass.
Hall stopping the sweep attempt from Matthews.
Hall landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hall advances position into side control!
Matthews takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Hall is putting a hurting on Matthews here, landing some big shots from side control.
Hall works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Matthews can't do much from the bottom here.
Matthews gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hall thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Hall sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Matthews defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall wants to pass the guard but Matthews is defending well.
Hall throwing shots but Matthews is blocking nicely.

Matthews manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hall shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Matthews as he avoids it easily.
Matthews looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hall is fending him off so far but Matthews persists. Nope, Hall circles away and we're back to standing.

Hall shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Hall lands a nice shot to the head.
Hall scoring with strikes but Matthews is staying in there.
Hall lands a big shot there that rocks Matthews but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Hall working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Matthews keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Hall raining down shots from the mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hall landing shots from mount.
Hall scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Matthews?
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hall cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Matthews is in a horrible position here. Hall smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Hall fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Hall avoids the attempt from Matthews to control.
Hall unloading with bombs!
Hall with shots to the head and body - Matthews looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The referee warns Matthews that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Matthews sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Hall works his way into full mount!
Hall landing shots from mount.
Hall is landing with some decent strikes but Matthews is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Hall cracks Matthews with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Matthews is rocked!
Hall lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Oh Matthews is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hall landing strikes from the mount and Matthews is in trouble!
Hall postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Matthews bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Hall and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Scott Hall!