PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Marshall Matters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sabu Steel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Matters might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Lose Yourself - Eminem. Steel has chosen Hardcore as his entrance music. Sabu Steel has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Matters
vs
Steel

168 cm
21
145 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

160 cm
22
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marshall Matters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sabu Steel!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Alexandre Firmino and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steel moves in looking to clinch but Matters pushes him off.

Matters closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Steel tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Matters wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Steel wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Steel really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Matters. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Matters lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Steel down.
Steel tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Matters is working Steel over with some ground and pound from side control.
Steel is looking for a sweep.
Matters wants to lay and pray for a moment but Steel keeps working.
Steel is looking to regain half guard here but Matters keeps moving and retains side control.
Steel takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
You can see the frustration on Steel's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Matters gets to mount! Steel was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matters wants to control the pace but Steel is squirming around nicely.
Matters controlling from the full mount.
Matters landing strikes from the mount and Steel is in trouble!
Matters scoring with strikes but Steel is staying in there.
Matters looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Matters punishing his opponent with strikes.
Steel is bucking up trying to escape but Matters cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Steel wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Steel is looking to improve his position but Matters isn't that keen on the idea.
Matters scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel really wants to buck Matters off and get back to his feet.

Matters has control of Steel's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Steel regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Steel manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Matters is breathing heavily.
Steel wants to control but Matters is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Steel gets full guard.
Matters prevents Steel from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matters is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Matters pushes down on Steel's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Matters jumps into side control!

Matters is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Steel is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Steel is pushing Matters's head away, looking to escape. Matters manages to hold on to the position though.
Steel on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Matters working away.
Steel is trying to improve his position.
Steel is trying to buck Matters off.
Steel gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steel is looking to control Matters's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Steel avoid being mounted?

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Steel lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Matters scores with a takedown into Steel's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Steel doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Steel is trying to control the position but Matters postures up.
Steel lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Matters!
Steel landing punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matters tries to reverse the position but Steel maintains control.
Steel looking to control but Matters is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Matters is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marshall Matters dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Steel scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Steel wants to clinch up but Matters keeps it at a distance.
Steel shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Matters counters with a shoot takedown. Steel fights it but they end up in guard.
Matters trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Steel not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Matters trying to control the position from guard on top but Steel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Matters trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Steel looking to control.

Matters drops back looking for a leg! Steel is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Steel manages to kick Matters off! Matters jumps back into Steel's guard.

Steel looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Matters postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Matters shoots in and bounces Steel off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Steel wants to stand and escape but Matters is having none of it.
Matters stopping the sweep attempt from Steel.
Steel trying to keep a closed guard but Matters is proving a slippery customer.
Steel scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Steel not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Steel has momentary wrist control but Matters slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matters pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Steel is keeping the position for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Steel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Matters misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Matters takes a kick to the side of the head.
Matters has a takedown stuffed.
Steel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Steel swings for the body but Matters moves out of range.
Steel lands a high kick!
Matters swats away the attempt to clinch by Steel.
Steel shoots in but Matters avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Matters with a poor takedown
and Steel makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marshall Matters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Steel looks to land a combination but Matters avoids it well.
Steel is looking to clinch but Matters is avoiding it.

Matters drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Matters has gone for a leg lock! Steel slips out almost immediately though and dives into Matters's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matters strikes from his own guard.

Matters has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Steel can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Steel wants to stand but Matters is controlling his posture from full guard.
Matters tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Matters manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Matters putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matters pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Steel is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Matters controlling the pace for now.
Steel is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Matters working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Steel gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marshall Matters dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Steel gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Matters lands a couple of digs.
Matters is working Steel over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Steel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Matters.
Matters postures up and lands a big shot to Steel's brow.
Matters postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Steel wants to stand but Matters is controlling the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Matters accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Steel throwing short punches from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Matters fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Steel. Matters shrugs it off though.
Steel takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Matters fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Steel sprawls well initially but Matters persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matters is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Matters is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Steel!
Matters tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Steel is looking to improve his position but Matters isn't that keen on the idea.
Steel takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Steel is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Steel tries to lock up and control but Matters gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Steel is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Matters is staying active.
Matters prevents Steel from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Matters looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Matters working for a guillotine from mount but Steel is in no mood to give up.
Steel is looking to get to half guard.
Steel is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Matters lands a big shot there that rocks Steel but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Matters is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Steel can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Matters throws some wild stikes that Steel manages to avoid easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matters landing punches.

Steel is rocked!
Matters postures up and connects with a big shot that has rocked Steel badly. He's trying desperately to grab hold of Matters around the waist but Matters pushes him off and unloads with more strikes, forcing the referee to jump in and save him! Matters is the winner by TKO! Matters jumps onto the cage and shouts into the camera. "We did it momma!"

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Marshall Matters!