PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Idi Ota (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Byrne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Idi Ota has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Ota
vs
Byrne

184 cm
28
287 lbs
25 - 10 - 0

203 cm
22
240 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

SP Ultimate Nutrition
Big Bear Nutrition 160Q

INTENSITY RIO'S BEST!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Idi Ota!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Matt Byrne!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Topper Green and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ota fails with an attempt to clinch.
Byrne keeps the fight on the outside.
Ota is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Byrne misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Ota fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Byrne, pushing him back against the cage.
Ota tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Byrne lands a shot to the body.
Byrne is looking to control Ota's arms but Ota gets an underhook and turns him. Now Byrne has his back to the cage.
Ota lands a damaging elbow.
Ota blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Byrne pulls Ota into guard.

Byrne working for a triangle but Ota defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne wants to sweep here but Ota controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ota wants to stand but Byrne has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Byrne 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Ota is looking to stand up but Byrne won't let him.
Byrne manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ota manages to get himself to full guard.

Ota is looking to stand up but Byrne isn't so interested in that idea.
Byrne distracts Ota with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Byrne is looking to work some ground and pound but Ota has wrist control.
Byrne stops Ota from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Ota keeping moving, preventing Byrne from controlling successfully.
Byrne postures up in Ota's guard and throws a big left but Ota blocks it.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Byrne throwing strikes but missing.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ota looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
It seemed like Byrne was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Byrne, as that shot connected.
A looping hook to the body misses from Byrne. Ota does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ota looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ota moves to clinch but Byrne breaks away
enabling Byrne to counter with a crisp jab.
Ota tries to close the distance and clinch but Byrne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Byrne avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ota moves in looking to clinch but Byrne pushes him off.
Ota fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ota uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Byrne.
Idi Ota seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ota tries to clinch up.
Ota fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ota wants to clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ota throws a body shot but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Byrne dominated that 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.

Byrne swats away the attempt to clinch by Ota.
Ota wants to clinch.
Ota looks to clinch
and Byrne counters with a left and a right that stings Ota.
Ota moves in looking to clinch but Byrne pushes him off.
Ota wants to clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Byrne! But no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ota tries to close the distance and clinch but Byrne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ota tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Byrne counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like Idi Ota has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ota takes the fight into the clinch.
Byrne prevents a body shot from Ota.
Ota looking to throw knees to the head but Byrne is blocking nicely.
Ota throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Byrne has a couple of punches blocked by Ota.
Ota misses with a punch to the body.
Byrne blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ota tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Byrne is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ota to keep the fight standing.
Byrne blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Byrne has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Byrne prevents a body shot from Ota.
Ota tries to land knees in the clinch but Byrne avoids the damage to the body.
Byrne wants to get back to striking at distance but Ota won't allow it.
Byrne working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Byrne avoids a wild elbow strike from Ota.
Ota lands an elbow inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ota throws a knee to the head but misses.
Byrne managing to block the knees to the body from Ota.
Byrne blocks a body shot from Ota.
Byrne on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Ota tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Byrne avoids it.
Byrne tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Byrne avoiding damage as Ota throws knees to the body.
Byrne pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ota misses with a body punch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Ota throws an elbow but misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ota trying to land knees to the body.
Ota tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ota with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ota throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Byrne blocks it with crossed arms.
Byrne managing to block the knees to the body from Ota.
Byrne blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Idi Ota has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Ota throws an elbow but misses.
Ota gets through Byrne's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Byrne pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No joy there for Byrne, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ota fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ota blocks the body kick.
Byrne stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Ota wants to clinch.
Byrne scores with a head kick.
Ota is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrne connects with a single shot there.

Byrne steps into range and cracks Ota with a monster punch that buckles his knees! Ota flops backwards and Byrne dives into his guard looking to finish!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Byrne controlling from the top position.
Byrne advances to half guard.
Ota blocking the ground and pound attempt from Byrne.
Byrne passes the guard and advances to mount!

Byrne goes for an armbar but Ota turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Ota.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Byrne showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Idi Ota's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Ota tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Byrne manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Byrne goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Byrne is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Ota tries to clinch there but Byrne circles away.
Byrne has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Byrne keeps the fight on the outside.
Ota wants to clinch.
Ota is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ota tries to clinch up.
Ota tries to close the distance and clinch but Byrne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Byrne looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Byrne swats away the attempt to clinch by Ota.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
It looked like Ota wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Ota tries to close the distance and clinch up but Byrne swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Byrne showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ota.
Ota tries to close the distance and clinch but Byrne swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Byrne circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ota is looking to clinch.
Ota tries to clinch but Byrne moves out of range.
Ota wants to clinch.
Matt Byrne seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Byrne missing with a left hand there. Ota was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ota tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Byrne paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Byrne is trying to counter with his kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ota tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ota looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Ota moves into the clinch.
Ota keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Byrne's efforts to push away.
Ota tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Byrne avoids it.
Ota missing with knees to the body.
Byrne on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ota misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ota with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ota.

Byrne decides to pull guard.

Byrne has his foot on Ota's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ota works his way back into a safe position though.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Byrne is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ota preventing the sweep.
Byrne is trying to keep Ota in close.
Ota trying to stand up but can't free himself from Byrne's guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Byrne has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Ota doesn't defend quickly enough and Byrne has managed to lock this one up! Can Ota escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Byrne on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Matt Byrne!
Matt Byrne is the new heavyweight champion!
Matt Byrne thanked the fans post fight for their support.