PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nautica Thorn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Mathison (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mathison has chosen The Sickness as his entrance music. David Mathison has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Thorn
vs
Mathison

190 cm
18
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

209 cm
22
244 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nautica Thorn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, David Mathison!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, George Francis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mathison shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Thorn sprawls well. Thorn wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mathison gets slowly back to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Mathison. No joy for Thorn on that attempt.
Mathison wants to clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Thorn is defended easily by Mathison.
Mathison looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thorn is fending him off so far but Mathison persists. Nope, Thorn circles away and we're back to standing.
Thorn tries to close the distance and clinch but Mathison swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mathison keeps the fight on the outside.
Mathison swats away the attempt to clinch by Thorn.
Mathison lands a head kick. Thorn smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathison checks a low kick from Thorn.
Mathison goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Sloppy strikes from Mathison. Those never looked like landing.
Thorn misses with a takedown attempt - Mathison sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nautica Thorn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mathison slaps away a takedown attempt from Thorn, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A head kick misses from Thorn.
Thorn misses with a takedown attempt - Mathison sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Thorn looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mathison is fending him off so far but Thorn persists. Nope, Mathison circles away and we're back to standing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Mathison shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Thorn napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Thorn might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mathison stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Mathison looks winded!
Thorn misses with the body kick
and Mathison counters with a one-two to the body.

It looks like Nautica Thorn has been cut.
No luck for Mathison with that takedown attempt.
Mathison tries to score a power double leg takedown but Thorn sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mathison somewhat.
Thorn with a poor takedown
and Mathison makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Mathison slaps away a takedown attempt from Thorn, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Thorn shoots in but Mathison avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Thorn tries to clinch but Mathison is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn doesn't manage to clinch there - Mathison circles away.
Thorn throws a sloppy head kick and Mathison moves out of range easily.
Thorn shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mathison but Mathison pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Thorn shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mathison but Mathison pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mathison bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Thorn's head backwards.
Mathison shoots for a double leg takedown but Thorn sprawls well. He's pushed Mathison's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thorn misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Horrible takedown by Mathison or perhaps it was just good defense by Thorn which made him look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathison showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Thorn.
Thorn fails to land with a series of punches.

Thorn gets a clinch.
Mathison can't find room to land a body shot as Thorn controls the action.
Thorn working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Mathison wants to break the clinch but can't.
Thorn is trying to maintain a safe position but Mathison gets an underhook and turns Thorn into the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thorn jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mathison walks away with a smile on his face. Thorn gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Thorn fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Thorn tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mathison paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Mathison dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nautica Thorn's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Mathison wants to clinch.
Mathison fails with a takedown attempt.
Mathison shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thorn as he avoids it easily.
Thorn closes the distance and clinches up with Mathison, looking for a takedown. Thorn pushes Mathison against the cage but Mathison circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Thorn has Mathison up against the cage in a clinch.

Mathison drags the fight down to the ground.
Thorn slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Thorn trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mathison is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thorn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Thorn drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Thorn jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Thorn postures up.
Thorn engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Thorn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mathison swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thorn seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mathison swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Mathison gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Thorn is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Mathison gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Thorn fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nautica Thorn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mathison scores with a shoulder strike.
Thorn is working for takedown but Mathison is calmly controlling the position for now.
Thorn tries to work over Mathison's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Mathison pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn has a takedown stuffed.
Nautica Thorn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Mathison.
Thorn sneaks back into half guard.

Thorn looking for submissions off his back.

Thorn manages to escape and get back to his feet!
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Mathison. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Thorn swats away the attempt to clinch by Mathison.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathison stuffs the takedown.
Thorn is looking to clinch but Mathison is avoiding it.
Thorn closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mathison circles away.
No luck for Thorn with that takedown attempt.
Mathison stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mathison wants it to stay on the feet.
Mathison tries to clinch there but Thorn circles away.
David Mathison seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thorn tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mathison paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mathison leaves Thorn with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Thorn could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Mathison shoots in and drives through. Thorn sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nautica Thorn will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nautica Thorn's cut.
That's time! Thorn's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Nice sprawl there from Mathison as Thorn shoots in.

Thorn gets the takedown into side control.
Thorn tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Mathison is being controlled here.

Thorn working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
A lull in the action here as Thorn stalls from top position.
Thorn throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Mathison takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thorn moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

Thorn tries for a kimura but Mathison is defending well.
Thorn misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Thorn tries to move to mount but Mathison blocks the move with his legs.
Thorn staying calm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorn has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thorn's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Nautica Thorn has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Thorn is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathison scores with a head kick.
Thorn shoots in for a takedown but Mathison shows good takedown defense.
Thorn closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mathison circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nautica Thorn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thorn dives in and grabs Mathison's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mathison pushes down on Thorn's head and hops out.
Mathison throws a nice outside leg kick.

Mathison drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Thorn is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mathison is aware though and is defending well.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thorn looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thorn keeping moving, preventing Mathison from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thorn is looking for a triangle but Mathison pushes his legs off easily.
Thorn pulls Mathison in close to prevent any damage.
Mathison wants to stand but Thorn is controlling his posture from full guard.
Nautica Thorn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Thorn pushes Mathison off and scrambles back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nautica Thorn showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Thorn 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nautica Thorn!
A relieved looking Nautica Thorn thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.