PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Balfour Darrow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dado Mata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mata has chosen 和楽器バンド / 千本桜 as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Darrow
vs
Mata

166 cm
28
138 lbs
11 - 3 - 0

172 cm
28
145 lbs
9 - 0 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

RHINO Clothing
Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Balfour Darrow!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dado Mata!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Darrow digs a good hook to Mata's body.
Darrow throws an overhand right that lands on Mata's shoulder, as Mata tries to avoid the shot.
Darrow thows a left - swing and a miss!
Mata now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Mata scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Mata shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Darrow but Darrow pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mata jabbing away but nothing is landing.
We've been hearing reports that Darrow has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.

Mata dives in and scores a takedown into Darrow's guard.
Mata pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Darrow is keeping the position for now.
Mata trying to control the position from guard on top but Darrow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Darrow controlling Mata's posture.
Mata stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Darrow swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mata is looking to work some ground and pound but Darrow has wrist control.
Mata tries to free his leg and advance position but Darrow is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mata throws an elbow that misses. Darrow uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mata's guard. Nice move by Darrow!

Darrow got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mata has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Darrow has managed to get both his arms back between Mata's legs - danger averted.
Darrow trying to control the position from guard on top but Mata is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mata working for a triangle but Darrow defends it easily.
Darrow postures up.
Mata has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mata throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mata 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.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Mata is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mata bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Darrow's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darrow manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mata manages to get himself to full guard.

Mata looking for a sweep. Not yet Mata, not yet.
Darrow showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Darrow preventing the sweep.

Mata looking for a guillotine here but Darrow defends easily.
Darrow trying to control the position from guard on top but Mata is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Darrow is really struggling to control Mata but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Mata throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mata looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Mata has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Darrow can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Darrow trying to control the position from guard on top but Mata is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mata isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Darrow stacks Mata on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Darrow!
Mata is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dado Mata will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Mata catches Darrow with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Darrow jabs Mata right on the nose. Mata blinks but takes it well.
Darrow scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Darrow throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nice defenses there by Mata.
Mata misses the jab.
Darrow wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Darrow shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Mata eats them both and turns towards Darrow to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Mata works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Darrow uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mata.
Mata scores with a body shot.
Balfour Darrow is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mata lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Mata scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Mata misses with a takedown attempt - Darrow sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Darrow tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mata was well out of range. Poor timing from Darrow.
A little jabbing left from Mata on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darrow scores with a shot to the body.
Darrow throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Darrow fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mata manages to avoid it.
Mata looks to land a right hand but Darrow moved out of range.
The fighters circling - Darrow throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Darrow shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Mata throws out a counter right but Darrow avoids it with no problem.
Darrow connects with an inside leg kick.
Darrow scores with a shot to the body.
A jab from Mata finds it's way through Darrow's defenses.
Mata throws a push kick but Darrow slaps the foot to one side.
Mata takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Mata takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Mata misses the shot to the body.
Darrow fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Darrow throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Mata stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mata throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Darrow tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Mata manages to circle out of the way.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Darrow tenderised Mata's leg. Mata is trying to keep his angry face on.
Mata lands a jab to Darrow's midsection.
Balfour Darrow seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mata avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Mata throws a body shot but no joy.
Darrow tries to counter by clinching up but Mata breaks away and moves out of range.
A jab from Mata misses.

Darrow closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mata misses with the head strike.
Mata is trying to drag Darrow to the mat but Darrow just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Mata works on Darrow's body with a couple of short punches.
Mata misses with a hook from the clinch.

Mata tightens his grip and picks Darrow up, before dumping him to the ground. Darrow manages to land in guard.
Mata pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Darrow is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mata is looking to advance position but Darrow has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Mata is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Darrow wants to control the pace but Mata is squirming around nicely.
Mata tries to hold on but Darrow pushes him away.
Mata is looking to improve his position but Darrow isn't that keen on the idea.
Darrow avoids the attempt from Mata to control.
Darrow sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Mata sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darrow stalling.
Mata wants to improve his position but Darrow is controlling well.
Mata keeps trying to improve his position.
Darrow trying to mount his opponent but Mata defends it.

Mata looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mata wants to improve his position but Darrow is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Balfour Darrow dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mata takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Darrow throws a head kick but Mata moves out of range.
It seemed like Mata was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mata keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Darrow connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Darrow sizes up Mata with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

It looks like Dado Mata has been cut.
Mata connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Darrow momentarily.
Mata lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Nice uppercut there from Darrow.

Mata is rocked!
Darrow throws a nice looking combination but Mata bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mata is still on wobbly legs! Can Darrow finish him?
Darrow lands the left hand.
Mata shoots in and drives through. Darrow sprawls well.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Darrow drops Mata with a big left hand! Mata is injured, injured bad! Darrow jumps in and finished him with strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Balfour Darrow!
Balfour Darrow retains his bantamweight title!
Balfour Darrow seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.