PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jesse Mathis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Villi Varmar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Mathis
vs
Varmar

153 cm
25
151 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

176 cm
24
144 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jesse Mathis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Villi Varmar!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mathis showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Varmar.
Mathis fails to land the takedown.

Varmar looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Mathis!
Varmar working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Mathis is trying to control Varmar's posture but Varmar avoids it.
Varmar has control of an arm but Mathis manages to advance to Varmar's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Varmar is really stuck here.
Mathis gets his hands free as Varmar looks to control.
Varmar tries to escape but Mathis has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Varmar really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mathis. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Varmar defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Mathis throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.

Mathis looking to break Varmar's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Varmar remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Mathis will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

Mathis is persistently looking for the submission but Varmar is defending it well.

Mathis looking for the choke but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Varmar tries to escape the position.

Mathis patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Mathis not allowing Varmar to control his hands.
Varmar tries to escape but Mathis has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Mathis avoiding Varmar 's attempts to control his hands.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Mathis tightening his grip on Varmar, looking for the choke.
Mathis really is a fat lump.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Varmar looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Varmar preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Mathis.
Mathis is hanging on to Varmar's back as he tries to escape.
Varmar looking to control the position.
Varmar looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

That's four 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.
Varmar rolls, trying to escape but Mathis keeps control of the position.

Mathis has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Varmar has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Varmar rolls, trying to escape but Mathis keeps control of the position.

Varmar is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Varmar looking to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Mathis is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Varmar has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Varmar scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Varmar tries to advance to mount but can't.
Varmar tries to score with some ground and pound. Mathis controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Varmar has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Varmar stuffs the takedown.
Mathis tries to score a power double leg takedown but Varmar sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mathis somewhat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Varmar scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Varmar closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Mathis to the mat! Mathis manages to get full guard.
Varmar wants to get up but he can't break Mathis's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Mathis working a defensive guard here.
Varmar's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mathis is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Varmar defends well.
Mathis is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Mathis is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Mathis is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Varmar is trying to get back to full guard.
It looks like Mathis is going to stand back up.
Varmar misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Varmar pushes Mathis off looking to stand but Mathis dives back in and keeps control.

Mathis is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The fighters are battling for position here. Varmar manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Jesse Mathis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Varmar bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mathis's guard.

Varmar wants to pass the guard but Mathis is keeping the position.
Mathis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mathis is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Varmar looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Villi Varmar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Varmar is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Mathis's half guard.
Mathis is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Mathis wants to control but Varmar is keeping busy.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mathis looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Mathis throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Varmar prevents Mathis from improving his position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Varmar is trying to control. Mathis wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Varmar clinches up against the cage.
Mathis controlling the action here for a moment.
Mathis avoiding damage as Varmar throws knees to the body.
Mathis lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Varmar backwards.
Mathis managing to block the knees to the body from Varmar.
Varmar tries a body shot but Mathis blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Varmar working Mathis over with knees to the body.
Varmar pressing his opponent against the cage.

Varmar breaks from the clinch.
Varmar throws a sloppy body shot
and Mathis counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Varmar thinking.
Varmar closes the distance looking to clinch

and Mathis counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Varmar is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mathis is aware though and is defending well.
Varmar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Mathis thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathis postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Varmar is working an open guard so Mathis takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Varmar tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Mathis forces Varmar back against the cage and clinches.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Varmar as Mathis tries to tie him up.

Varmar breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Varmar darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Mathis is refusing to be controlled, as Varmar sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mathis looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Mathis is trying is best to control the position here.

Mathis looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Varmar trying to control the action but Mathis is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Villi Varmar.
I think Varmar 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Villi Varmar!