PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dave Sherk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jay Matsuo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sherk kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Divinations by Mastodon. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Sherk
vs
Matsuo

185 cm
25
186 lbs
10 - 13 - 0

190 cm
27
180 lbs
9 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Powerful

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 10 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dave Sherk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jay Matsuo!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sherk tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Matsuo swivels and escapes.
Sherk tries to land a leg kick but Matsuo saw it coming and moves away.
Sherk shoots in for a takedown but Matsuo shows good takedown defense.

Matsuo looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Matsuo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Matsuo is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sherk has managed to free his arm - good work.
Sherk gets full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sherk keeping moving, preventing Matsuo from controlling successfully.
Sherk is trying to keep Matsuo in close.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk is controlling Matsuo's posture.
Sherk keeping full guard, as Matsuo tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sherk is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Matsuo trying to control but Sherk is working from the bottom.
Sherk trying to keep a closed guard but Matsuo is proving a slippery customer.
Matsuo trying to control the position from guard on top but Sherk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Matsuo won't allow Sherk to sweep him here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Nice sprawl there from Sherk as Matsuo shoots in.
Sherk appears to be looking for a big counter.
Horrible takedown attempt by Matsuo or perhaps it was just good defense by Sherk, which made it look bad.
Sherk wants to clinch
and Matsuo counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Sherk stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sherk wants it to stay on the feet.
Dave Sherk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jay Matsuo.
Matsuo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Matsuo shoots in for a double leg but Sherk sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sherk thumps Matsuo with a low kick.
Sherk throws a leg kick that misses.
Matsuo steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Sherk.
Matsuo stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Sherk.
Sherk cracks the inside of Matsuo's front leg.
Matsuo misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherk lands a jab-cross combination.
Sherk jabs at Matsuo's body.
Matsuo scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A nice inside leg kick there by Sherk. That's going to slow Matsuo down.
Sherk throws a body punch but Matsuo moves out of range.
Sherk shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Matsuo sprawls well. Matsuo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sherk gets slowly back to his feet.
Sherk fails to land the takedown.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sherk misses with a low kick as Matsuo jumps back.
Matsuo shoots and misses
and Sherk counters with a nice body shot.
Sherk ducks under a wild hook from Matsuo.

Sherk tries to sprawl but Matsuo drives through with a takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sherk is trying to control but Matsuo manages to pass to mount!
Sherk is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sherk sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Sherk manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Sherk keeping moving, preventing Matsuo from controlling successfully.

Sherk escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Matsuo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Matsuo looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Sherk 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.
Sherk is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jay Matsuo will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sherk closes this distance looking for a takedown but Matsuo circles away.
Sherk throws a right hand that Matsuo ducks under and follows up with a left that Matsuo also avoids with ease.
Sherk does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Sherk throws a series of strikes that have Matsuo backpedaling.

Sherk shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Matsuo napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sherk tries to advance to mount but Matsuo denies him.
Jay Matsuo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Matsuo manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Matsuo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sherk.
Matsuo wants to get back to full guard.

Matsuo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sherk thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Matsuo's head.
Matsuo is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk working Matsuo over with strikes.
Sherk trying to control the action but Matsuo is working from the bottom.
Matsuo avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sherk.
Sherk wants to pass the guard but Matsuo is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sherk missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sherk looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Matsuo is staying active underneath Sherk, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Matsuo tries to roll over but Sherk keeps him under control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Matsuo pushes Sherk off looking to stand but Sherk dives back in and keeps control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsuo dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sherk. That did some damage!
Sherk throws a solid leg kick but Matsuo takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Sherk.
Sherk tries to clinch there but Matsuo circles away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sherk.

Sherk is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Matsuo has escaped the position, nice work there.
Matsuo is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Sherk is looking to take a break and control but Matsuo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sherk thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Matsuo's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsuo has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sherk is working away from the top position though.
Sherk seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Matsuo does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Matsuo wants to get back to his feet.

Sherk seems to be working for a kimura but Matsuo defends the submission attempt.
Matsuo keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Sherk trying to control from half guard but Matsuo is working away.
Matsuo wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Sherk pushes Matsuo up against the cage in a clinch.
Matsuo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Matsuo manages to break the clinch.
Matsuo misses with a hook. Sherk ducked under it nicely.

Matsuo gets tackled into the cage by Sherk. Sherk maintains the clinch.
Sherk tries to land knees in the clinch but Matsuo avoids the damage to the body.

Sherk turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Sherk manages to end up in side control.

Sherk wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Matsuo, who protects the arm well.
Matsuo is looking for a sweep.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Matsuo sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Sherk dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Matsuo shoots in for a takedown but Sherk shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A good leg kick by Sherk.
Matsuo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sherk as he jumps to the side.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sherk.
Sherk fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Sherk wants to lay and pray for a moment but Matsuo keeps working.
Matsuo tries to buck Sherk off but Sherk is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sherk landing strikes.
Sherk sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Matsuo is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Sherk working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sherk tries for a kimura but Matsuo is defending well.
Matsuo manages to get back to half guard.
Matsuo manages to get to full guard.
Sherk wants to control from the top but Matsuo keeps moving.

Matsuo is looking for a triangle but Sherk pushes his legs off easily.
Sherk trying to control the position from guard on top but Matsuo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sherk pushes down on Matsuo's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Sherk throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Matsuo wants to control but Sherk is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sherk throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Matsuo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sherk.
Sherk is keen to just control but Matsuo is a slippery customer.
Sherk throwing shots but Matsuo is blocking nicely.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Sherk is working for a kimura but Matsuo is defending it quite comfortably.

Sherk is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsuo avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sherk shoots in and drives through. Matsuo sprawls well.
Sherk ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sherk scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Matsuo drives through with a takedown into Sherk's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sherk is trying to control the position but Matsuo postures up.

Sherk looking for a guillotine here but Matsuo defends easily.
Matsuo is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Matsuo gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
No luck for Matsuo with that takedown attempt.
Dave Sherk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jay Matsuo.
Sherk fails with an attempt to clinch.
It seemed like Matsuo was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Sherk blocks the body kick.
Matsuo throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Sherk looking to score a takedown here. Matsuo is defending well but Sherk drives through and ends up in Matsuo's guard.
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!
Sherk trying to control but Matsuo is working from the bottom.
Sherk won't allow Matsuo to sweep him here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dave Sherk showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sherk has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dave Sherk!
Dave Sherk decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.