PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mike Matthes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Salva Gomez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Matthes could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Salva Gomez's chin.

Matthes
vs
Gomez

177 cm
19
160 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
160 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Matthes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Salva Gomez!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gomez tries to clinch

and Matthes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Matthes slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Matthes postures up and lands a big shot to Gomez's brow.
Gomez doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Gomez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Matthes defends well.
Matthes scoring with punches to the head and body.
Matthes wants to control from the top but Gomez keeps moving.
Matthes knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gomez on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matthes working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Matthes tries to free his leg and advance position but Gomez is retaining full guard.
Matthes throwing strikes from guard but Gomez blocks nicely.
Gomez trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matthes drops back looking for a leg! Gomez is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Gomez manages to kick Matthes off! Matthes jumps back into Gomez's guard.
Gomez controls Matthes momentarily but Matthes frees himself.
Gomez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Matthes manages to get himself to full guard.

Gomez sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Matthes's guard.
Gomez tries to pass to full mount but Matthes defends it.
Gomez wants to take a breather but Matthes is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomez prevents Matthes from standing back up.
Gomez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Matthes defending well though.
Gomez with the ground and pound but Matthes uses the opportunity to regain guard.

Matthes pushes Gomez off and gets back to his feet.
Gomez has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Matthes is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Gomez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Matthes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gomez misses with a left hand

and Matthes counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gomez can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Matthes controls the pace.
Matthes scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Matthes with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Gomez looking for a guillotine here but Matthes defends easily.
Gomez wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Matthes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Matthes postures up in Gomez's guard and throws a big left but Gomez blocks it.

Matthes drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gomez looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gomez looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gomez!

Gomez in side control, throwing shots but Matthes defends.
Gomez postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Matthes has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Matthes is trying to control Gomez's posture but Gomez avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matthes is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Gomez's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Gomez prevents Matthes from standing back up.
Gomez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gomez is trying to control the action in half guard but Matthes is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Matthes has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Gomez is on him like a limpet, forcing Matthes back against the cage.
Gomez taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Gomez is looking to control Matthes's arms but Matthes gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gomez has his back to the cage.
Gomez trying to control the position but instead, Matthes has worked for underhooks and has pushed Gomez into the cage.
Gomez is looking to control Matthes's arms but Matthes gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gomez has his back to the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Matthes dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Matthes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gomez tries to clinch but Matthes is having none of it.
Gomez tries to clinch up but Matthes circles away and keeps his distance.
Matthes half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Matthes with a poor takedown

and Gomez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Matthes as Gomez tries to tie him up.
Gomez stalling against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Salva Gomez.
Gomez throws a poor cross that misses

and Matthes counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Gomez!
Gomez defending against the ground and pound.
Matthes slows the pace down.

Matthes tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Matthes has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthes scoring with punches from side control.

Matthes wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gomez, who protects the arm well.
Gomez tries to bench press Matthes off him but Matthes keeps the position.
Gomez regains half guard.

Matthes is working for a submission of some sort.
Gomez throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Gomez wants to improve his position but Matthes is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gomez is trying to control but can't.
Matthes prevents Gomez from improving his position.
Matthes seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Gomez is trying to get back to full guard.
Gomez keeps trying to improve his position.
Matthes looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Matthes is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Gomez sees it coming and defends easily.
Matthes trying to control the action but Gomez is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gomez is looking for a sweep. Matthes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gomez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Matthes's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Matthes's back!
Matthes trying to control the position but Gomez manages to sink in the hooks.
Gomez throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Gomez struggling to keep hold of the position.
Matthes is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Matthes covering up well under a series of strikes from Gomez.
Matthes is really stuck here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gomez throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Well, with Gomez on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Matthes is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
Matthes wants to get back to his feet.
Matthes tries to escape but Gomez has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Matthes wants to get back to his feet. He's half way up but Gomez drags him back down with a jolt, managing to get his forearm deep under Matthes 's chin! Matthes is in real trouble! His face is turning bright red and he's forced to tap! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:44 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Salva Gomez!