PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Robbie Luatua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Byrne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luatua's entrance music is Puff Daddy feat Jimmy Page - Come with me. A fine choice. Matt Byrne will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Luatua
vs
Byrne

189 cm
24
262 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

203 cm
25
240 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Conviction

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 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Robbie Luatua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Byrne!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Ian Loll and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Byrne misses with a low kick as Luatua jumps back.
Luatua bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Luatua slips a jab from Byrne.
Luatua pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Byrne keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Luatua misses with a low kick as Byrne jumps back.
A little jabbing left from Byrne on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Byrne lands a right hook to the body.
Byrne tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Luatua was well out of range. Poor timing from Byrne.
Byrne throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Byrne throws a low kick but it's checked well by Luatua.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luatua takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Luatua throws a quick counter head kick but Byrne was just out of range.
Luatua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Good standup being displayed there by Luatua as he connects with a hook.
Luatua lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Byrne throws a head kick that misses.
Luatua uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Byrne has time to react.
Luatua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Byrne was well out of range. Poor timing from Luatua.
Luatua lands a glancing blow to the side of Byrne's head.
Byrne misses with a two punch combination.
Byrne misses with a straight right.

Luatua clinches up against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Luatua struggles to land a body shot inside as Byrne controls his hands.
Byrne drops down looking for an ankle pick but Luatua pulls his leg out and moves away.
Byrne slips under a jab from Luatua.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luatua misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Jab, jab by Byrne - just one landing.
Luatua moves into range and connects with a jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Byrne fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Luatua.
Byrne thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Luatua if he has to take too many more of those.
A jab from Luatua misses.
Luatua throws a sloppy head kick and Byrne moves out of range easily.
Luatua dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A combination from Byrne does no damage.
Luatua uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Byrne.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Byrne lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Luatua has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Luatua and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Byrne lands a glancing blow to the side of Luatua's head.
Luatua keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Byrne.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luatua lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Byrne at a distance.
Luatua tries to clinch there but Byrne circles away.
Byrne drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
It looks like Luatua has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Luatua stalks Byrne and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Byrne's face. Byrne staggers backwards, shaken.
Luatua looks to throw the jab but Byrne is out of range.
Byrne keeps the fight on the outside.
Luatua slips a jab from Byrne.
Luatua lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Luatua throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Byrne lands the left hand.
Byrne tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Byrne swinging wildly here.
An attempted straight right counter from Luatua misses the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Luatua throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Byrne cracks Luatua with a right hand to the side of the head.
Byrne throws a nice outside leg kick.
Luatua walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Byrne misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Luatua was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
A slow jab from Luatua misses its intended target.
Byrne tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Byrne throws a shot from downtown. Luatua moves away and avoids it.
Byrne throws a hook to the side of Luatua's head but Luatua sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Byrne throws a leg kick
and Luatua counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Luatua will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Matt Byrne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Byrne fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Robbie Luatua will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Luatua throws a nice looking combination but Byrne bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Luatua throws a front kick that sends Byrne stumbling back into the cage.
Luatua scores with a nice head shot.
Byrne avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Robbie Luatua is winning the standup battle so far.
A swing and a miss from Byrne.
Byrne fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Luatua manages to avoid it.
It looked like Luatua wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Nice defenses there by Luatua.
Byrne misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Luatua uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luatua throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Byrne moves out of range as Luatua strikes.
Luatua throws a hook to the side of Byrne's head but Byrne sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Byrne moves out of range of the body kick from Luatua.
Byrne drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Luatua defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Luatua misses.
Byrne missing with a left hand there. Luatua was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Luatua is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Byrne.
Byrne ducks under a wild hook from Luatua.
Byrne tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Luatua was well out of range. Poor timing from Byrne.
Luatua scores with a hook.
Luatua finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Byrne tries to work over Luatua's front leg with a kick but Luatua checks it.
Byrne lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Luatua lands a left and a right that send Byrne crashing to the mat, dazed. Luatua thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Luatua takes one to the chin there.
Nice uppercut there from Luatua.

Byrne is rocked!
Byrne lands a lovely overhand right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luatua throws a jab when Byrne was well out of range.
Byrne scores with a hook to the body. Luatua takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Luatua has taken the fight to the clinch.

Luatua breaks the clinch.
Luatua swings for the body but Byrne moves out of range.
Byrne feints the counter takedown.
Byrne throws a chopping leg kick but Luatua manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
It appears Luatua was looking to counter with a kick there.
Byrne looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Byrne pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Some wild striking there from Byrne.
A leg kick checked by Byrne.
Byrne misses with a wild body shot.
Luatua connects with a solid leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Luatua.
A slow jab from Byrne misses its intended target.
Byrne scores with a hook.
A punch lands to the side of Luatua 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Byrne waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Luatua.
An inside leg kick lands from Luatua.
Byrne throws a jab but it's blocked by Luatua.
Luatua misses with a kick to the body.
Luatua ducks under a wild hook from Byrne.
Luatua throws a big counter combination but Byrne scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Byrne misses with a left hand
and Luatua counters with a straight right hand.
Luatua jabs Byrne to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Byrne lands a nice hook to Luatua's body. Luatua takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrne swings widly with a right hand
and Luatua counters with a straight right hand.
Luatua looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Byrne tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Luatua misses with a body shot.
Luatua misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Byrne pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Byrne throws out a loose jab but Luatua uses good head movement to avoid it.
Byrne misses with a looping left.
Byrne swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Byrne looks to land a body kick but Luatua moved away.
Luatua missing with a left hand there. Byrne was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Byrne walks into a stiff left hand from Luatua.
Luatua takes a shot to the body in his stride.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robbie Luatua dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

The fighters circling - Byrne throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Byrne pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Byrne listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A jab from Byrne misses.

Byrne shoots in and gets a takedown into Luatua's guard.
Luatua pulls Byrne in close to his closed guard and prevents Byrne from doing any damage or advancing position.
Byrne won't allow Luatua to sweep him here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Byrne won't allow Luatua to get back to his feet.
Byrne postures up.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Byrne working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Byrne lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luatua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Luatua being controlled here, momentarily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Byrne accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Byrne postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Luatua wants to stand up but Byrne is controlling him.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Byrne trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Luatua keeping moving, preventing Byrne from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Luatua misses with a straight left.

Luatua has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Byrne manages to break the clinch.
Byrne misses with a hook. Luatua ducked under it nicely.
Luatua staying out of range there.
Byrne misses with a body shot.
Byrne throws a jab when Luatua was well out of range.
Luatua was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Jab, jab by Byrne - just one landing.
Byrne slips a straight right by Luatua.
Luatua slips a straight right by Byrne.
Luatua uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Byrne.
Byrne throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Byrne scores with a decent looking hook.
A decent looking cross lands there for Luatua.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luatua tries to move into range but Byrne moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Nice defenses there by Byrne.
Byrne is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Byrne looks to land a body kick but Luatua moved away.
Byrne tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Luatua moves out of range of the strikes.
A cross from Luatua lands.
Byrne looks to land a right hand but Luatua moved out of range.
Luatua swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A jab lands there for Byrne.
Luatua connects with a jab.
Luatua looks to land a left hand but Byrne moved out of range nicely.
Luatua throws a big shot that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luatua lands an overhand right.
Robbie Luatua is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Luatua thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Byrne if he has to take too many more of those.
Byrne swings for the body but Luatua moves out of range.
Byrne has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Luatua scores with a shot to the body.
A big right from Byrne misses.
Luatua smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Luatua paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Luatua on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Byrne throws a shot from downtown. Luatua moves away and avoids it.
Luatua misses with a low kick.
Matt Byrne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A solid leg kick lands there for Luatua.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Byrne comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Luatua 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robbie Luatua!
A less than humble Robbie Luatua misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.