PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matthew Godbolt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Mauti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Godbolt comes to the cage accompanied by Trenches by Pop Evil. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Michael Mauti enters the cage!

Godbolt
vs
Mauti

186 cm
25
202 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

188 cm
30
202 lbs
16 - 9 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Bad Man Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matthew Godbolt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Mauti !
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Tiny Johnson and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mauti with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Mauti scoring well with a low kick there.
Mauti has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Godbolt is landing a low percentage of strikes.

Mauti rushes Godbolt and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mauti is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Godbolt goes for a takedown attempt but Mauti pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Godbolt takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Mauti throws a front kick aimed at Godbolt's knee but Godbolt avoids it well.
Mauti takes one to the side of the head.
Mauti uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Godbolt.
Godbolt loads up on a big right hand but Mauti slips the punch.
Godbolt will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Godbolt wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Godbolt takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mauti tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mauti thuds his shin into the meat of Godbolt's side.
Mauti staying out of range there.
Godbolt misses with a wild body shot.
Godbolt throws a lazy right hand but Mauti sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Michael Mauti is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A head kick misses from Mauti .
A slow jab from Godbolt misses its intended target.
Godbolt swings for the body but Mauti moves out of range.
Godbolt thows a left - swing and a miss!
Godbolt throws a hook to the side of Mauti 's head but Mauti sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Godbolt has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Den of Tears (22 coaches, $300 fee) in the buildup to the fight.
Mauti wants to clinch.
Godbolt checks a low kick from Mauti .
Mauti throws a front kick that sends Godbolt stumbling back into the cage.
Godbolt is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mauti .

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Godbolt keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Godbolt throws a shot to the body.

Godbolt feints and as Mauti raises his hands in defense, Godbolt changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Godbolt wants to pass the guard but Mauti is keeping the position.
Godbolt is working hard here to advance position.
Mauti manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Godbolt manages to get himself to full guard.
Godbolt has Mauti pulled in close to control his posture.
Godbolt wants to sweep here but Mauti controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Godbolt working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mauti doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mauti manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mauti tries to stand but Godbolt is controlling from the bottom.
Mauti 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.
Mauti tries to free his leg and advance position but Godbolt is retaining full guard.
Mauti wants to control from the top but Godbolt keeps moving.
Godbolt trying to keep a closed guard but Mauti is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mauti controlling from the top position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Michael Mauti hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Mauti scoring well with a low kick there.
Matthew Godbolt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Godbolt throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mauti fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Godbolt has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A big left from Godbolt misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Godbolt. Mauti does a little dance to reset his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Godbolt crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Mauti - the referee stops the clock and Godbolt gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Mauti . Godbolt manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Godbolt has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Mauti .
Mauti throws a head kick that half lands.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mauti pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Michael Mauti will probably get the nod.
That's time! Godbolt's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mauti lets loose with a powerful body kick. Godbolt will feel that in the morning.
Mauti tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Godbolt throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Godbolt swats away the attempt to clinch by Mauti .
Godbolt scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Mauti doesn't seem bothered though.
Godbolt swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Godbolt avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
A big left from Godbolt misses.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Mauti .
Mauti moves out of range of the strikes.
Mauti connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Mauti scores with a spinning back kick!
Mauti ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Godbolt circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Godbolt takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Godbolt tries for a takedown but Mauti sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Godbolt misses the shot to the body.
Mauti connects with a leg kick. Godbolt looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Mauti finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Godbolt will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Godbolt misses with a wild body shot.
Godbolt tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mauti was well out of range. Poor timing from Godbolt.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Mauti .
Godbolt swats away the attempt to clinch by Mauti .
Good standup being displayed there by Godbolt as he connects with a hook.
Mauti misses with a low kick.
Mauti slips under a jab.
Mauti throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mauti lands a leg kick that knocks Godbolt off balance momentarily.
Mauti is looking to clinch.
Godbolt is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Godbolt tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mauti was well out of range. Poor timing from Godbolt.
Mauti is looking to clinch but Godbolt is avoiding it.
Godbolt fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Mauti darts in and clinches Godbolt up against the cage.
Godbolt on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Godbolt lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Mauti keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Godbolt missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mauti is trying to stand back up but Godbolt is controlling him
Godbolt tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mauti knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Godbolt is keen to just control but Mauti is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Godbolt throwing shots but Mauti is blocking nicely.

Godbolt is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Godbolt trying to control from half guard but Mauti is working away.
Godbolt throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Mauti tries to roll over but Godbolt keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Godbolt is keen to just control but Mauti is a slippery customer.
Godbolt sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mauti defending well though.

Godbolt wants to work for an arm triangle but Mauti is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Mauti is in trouble now - Godbolt has advanced to mount!
Godbolt pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Godbolt looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mauti taking shots to the head.

Mauti is rocked!
Matthew Godbolt overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Godbolt working some short elbows here. He postures up to throw some more ground and pound but Mauti slips a leg through to get back to half guard. Nice work.
Mauti is still in real trouble! Can Godbolt finish him?
Godbolt prevents Mauti from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Godbolt dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Mauti gets caught flat footed, as Godbolt shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Mauti seems to have recovered his senses.

Godbolt drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Mauti dives on top into guard.
Mauti slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Godbolt looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mauti is one step ahead there.
Godbolt has a closed guard, preventing Mauti from standing up.

Godbolt working for a triangle but Mauti defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mauti being controlled here momentarily.
Mauti wants to stand but Godbolt is controlling his posture from full guard.

Godbolt is looking for a triangle but Mauti pushes his legs off easily.

Mauti avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Godbolt trying to control the position.
Mauti has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Godbolt is proving hard to escape from.
Mauti wants to control from the top but Godbolt keeps moving.
Mauti won't allow Godbolt to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Godbolt managing to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Michael Mauti was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Godbolt stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Mauti .

Mauti rushes Godbolt and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Godbolt has a couple of punches blocked by Mauti .
Godbolt can't find room to land a body shot as Mauti controls the action.
Mauti utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Mauti prevents Godbolt from breaking the clinch.
Mauti gets underhooks to prevent Godbolt's takedown attempt.
Mauti putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Godbolt in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Godbolt changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Mauti fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Mauti fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Godbolt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Godbolt throws a shot from downtown. Mauti moves away and avoids it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mauti bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Michael Mauti seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mauti tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Godbolt avoids a kick to the body.
Mauti tries to clinch up but Godbolt circles away and keeps his distance.
Mauti takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Godbolt tries to keep at a distance but Mauti has taken the fight into the clinch.
Godbolt has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mauti is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matthew Godbolt. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Godbolt is working for takedown but Mauti is calmly controlling the position for now.
Mauti using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Godbolt can't get the takedown.
Mauti creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Godbolt's defenses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Mauti comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mauti has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Mauti !
A victorious Michael Mauti thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.