PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Raul Matos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joca Fenomeno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joca Fenomeno is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Matos
vs
Fenomeno

183 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
29
180 lbs
7 - 11 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Raul Matos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Joca Fenomeno!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Illya Tyunina and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fenomeno with a lazy takedown attempt

and Matos counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Matos has hold of one of Fenomeno's legs. Fenomeno is fighting the takedown attempt but Matos gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Matos engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Matos decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Fenomeno with a lazy takedown attempt
and Matos counters with a body kick.
Fenomeno with a poor takedown

and Matos counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Raul Matos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joca Fenomeno.
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!
Matos throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Matos with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Matos decides to return to a standing position.
Fenomeno fails with the takedown

and Matos moves into the clinch.

Matos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Matos moves into range and clinches up with Fenomeno.

Matos jumps into guard, dragging Fenomeno to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Fenomeno's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Fenomeno postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Fenomeno throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Matos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Matos seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Matos looking for a guillotine here but Fenomeno defends easily.

Matos scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Matos scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Matos controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Matos is trying to get an arm triangle but Fenomeno is defending well.
Fenomeno manages to work his way to half guard, despite Matos's best efforts.
Matos controlling the pace.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Fenomeno keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Fenomeno keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Matos takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Matos stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Fenomeno shoots for a takedown but Matos saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Matos drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fenomeno being controlled here, momentarily.
Matos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Matos preventing the sweep.
Matos sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Fenomeno's guard.
Matos controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Matos seems to be looking for submissions.
Fenomeno punching from the bottom.
Matos sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fenomeno defending well though.
Fenomeno punching from the bottom.
Matos not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Matos takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fenomeno landing a few short strikes.
Fenomeno punching from the bottom.
Matos moves nicely into side control.
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!
Fenomeno tries to bench press Matos off him but Matos keeps the position.
Fenomeno is trying to escape the position but Matos is controlling the position.
Sloppy strikes there by Matos.

Matos stands up.
Fenomeno with a lazy takedown attempt

and Matos decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Fenomeno's guard.
Matos slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Matos 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.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Matos dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Matos lands a head kick. Fenomeno smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Matos is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Fenomeno can do to turn this around?

Matos closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Matos content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Fenomeno tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Matos advances to mount.
Matos unloads with some shots from mount but Fenomeno bucks and avoids them well.
Matos throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Matos takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Fenomeno is wriggling around trying to escape.
Matos tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matos throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Fenomeno because Matos loaded up on that one.
Matos controlling the position easily from mount.
Fenomeno is looking to improve his position but Matos isn't that keen on the idea.
Fenomeno wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Matos.
Matos content just to control the position here.
Fenomeno is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Matos takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matos 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.
Fenomeno really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Matos. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Matos controlling the position easily from mount.
Matos misses with a head shot.
Matos controlling from mount.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Matos has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Fenomeno keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matos thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Matos throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Matos takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Fenomeno swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Fenomeno avoids a series of strikes thrown by Matos.
Matos controlling from the full mount.
Fenomeno is working to get back to half guard.
Matos controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fenomeno avoids a series of strikes thrown by Matos.
Matos takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Fenomeno blocking the ground and pound.
Matos punching from mount but Fenomeno doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Fenomeno is trying to escape the mount.
Fenomeno blocking the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Matos sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Matos looking to finish with strikes here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Matos dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Fenomeno tries to clinch but Matos moves out of range.
Fenomeno shoots and misses

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

Matos stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Raul Matos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Matos gets a clinch.

Matos pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Fenomeno tries to clinch up.
Fenomeno doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Matos counters with a nice double leg into side control. Fenomeno won't be happy with that.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Matos decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Joca Fenomeno seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fenomeno closes this distance looking for a takedown but Matos circles away.
Raul Matos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joca Fenomeno.
Matos scoring well with a low kick there.

Matos shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Fenomeno napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Matos controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matos tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Matos advances to mount.
Fenomeno is trying to escape the mount.

Matos working for a submission but Fenomeno is keeping him at bay.
Matos sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fenomeno is trying to escape the mount.
Fenomeno throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Fenomeno blocking the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matos thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Matos misses with a head shot.
Matos moves to the back position.
Matos controlling well, preventing Fenomeno from escaping the position.
Matos doesn't have the hooks in and Fenomeno manages to turn into his guard.
Matos bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Fenomeno's guard.
Fenomeno trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Fenomeno looking for subs off his back but Matos has passed one foot through into half guard.
Fenomeno takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Matos has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Fenomeno defend it? Matos steps over the head and cranks it - Fenomeno is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Matos!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Raul Matos!