PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mickey Petolu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lo Ej Matip (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Petolu
vs
Ej Matip

187 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
18
216 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mickey Petolu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lo Ej Matip!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Micheangelo Fripello and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Petolu shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Matip has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Petolu is on him like a limpet, forcing Matip back against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Petolu fails to land.
Petolu wants to break the clinch but can't.
Matip presses Petolu against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Petolu fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Matip presses Petolu against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Petolu drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Matip gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Matip manages to break the clinch.
Petolu closes this distance looking for a takedown but Matip circles away.
Matip throws out a counter right but Petolu avoids it with no problem.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mickey Petolu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matip stuffs the takedown.
Matip misses with a lunging right hand
and Petolu counters with a one-two to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Petolu is looking to clinch.
Matip looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matip jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Matip misses with a straight left.
Horrible takedown attempt by Petolu or perhaps it was just good defense by Matip, which made it look bad.
Matip takes a swing at Petolu's ribcage but misses.
Matip misses with a body shot.
Petolu tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Matip defends well and Petolu ends up having to push Matip into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Petolu fails with a takedown attempt.
A countering left hand to the body from Matip misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matip throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Matip scores with a punch to the head.
Petolu fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Matip avoids it really well and circles away.
Matip waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Petolu.

Matip gets caught napping as Petolu dives in and scores a takedown. Matip manages to retain guard.
Matip wants to stand and escape but Petolu is having none of it.

Matip has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Petolu off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Petolu slips under a jab.
Petolu shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Matip but Matip pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matip misses with a jab to the body

and Petolu counters with a single leg into guard. Matip didn't expect that.
Matip is looking to stand up but Petolu isn't so interested in that idea.
Petolu not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Petolu prevents Matip from getting back to his feet.
Petolu showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Matip can do anything to dispel that myth.
Petolu has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Petolu seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Matip for as long as he can get away with.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matip is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Petolu is controlling him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Petolu tries to clinch up.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Matip! But no joy.
Matip blocks a head kick by Petolu.
Petolu throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A little jabbing left from Matip on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Matip misses with a straight right.
Matip looks to score with a jab to the body but Petolu is just out of range.

Petolu scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Matip pushes Petolu off and gets back to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matip throws a series of punches but Petolu avoids them all with ease.
Matip throws an overhand right that lands on Petolu's shoulder, as Petolu tries to avoid the shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lo Ej Matip dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Petolu misses with an attempted mid kick.
Matip misses with a hook.
Matip throws a poor cross that misses
and Petolu counters with a straight right hand.
Matip has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Lo Ej Matip has been cut.
Petolu steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Matip.
Matip ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Petolu moves away.
Lo Ej Matip seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Matip has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petolu shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Matip sprawls well. Matip wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Petolu gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matip throws an off balance right hand
and Petolu counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Lo Ej Matip is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Petolu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Matip is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Petolu with a body shot.
Petolu tries to clinch but Matip is having none of it.
Matip misses with a wild body shot.
Petolu appears to be looking for a big counter.
Petolu feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Matips jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Matip fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Petolu manages to avoid it.
Petolu throws a right and a left that Matip avoids nicely.
Petolu moves forwards but Matip connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Petolu looks for a takedown but Matip sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petolu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Matip throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Petolu tries to counter with a takedown but Matip is quick to defend against it.
Petolu misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Matip is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mickey Petolu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matip misses with a jab, cross combination.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Petolu is defended easily by Matip.
Matip throws out a counter right but Petolu avoids it with no problem.
Matip misses with a looping right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petolu connects with a crisp jab.
Matip stuffs the takedown attempt from Petolu. Petolu gets slowly back to his feet.
Petolu shoots in but Matip avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Matip misses the shot to the body.
Petolu walks into a jab.
Petolu goes for a double leg but Matip avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Matip continues to drive forward.
Petolu fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Matip is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matip misses the shot to the body.
Petolu takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Matip swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Petolu half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Petolu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Matip swings for the body but Petolu moves out of range.
Matip lands a glancing blow to the side of Petolu's head.
Petolu takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Petolu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Petolu gets a takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lo Ej Matip will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Lo Ej Matip's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Petolu dives in and grabs Matip's left leg, looking for a takedown. Matip pushes down on Petolu's head and hops out.
Petolu slips a straight right by Matip.
Petolu changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Matip tries to avoid it but Petolu manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Matip to the ground. Matip escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Petolu shoots in and drives through. Matip sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mickey Petolu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matip swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Matip lands with a right hand.
Matip swings for the body but Petolu moves out of range.
Petolu throws a counter high kick but Matip was just alert enough to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petolu shoots for a takedown but Matip saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Matip swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Matip throws a body shot but no joy.
Petolu throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petolu lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Petolu.
Matip throws a jab but it's blocked by Petolu.
Petolu with a poor takedown
and Matip counters with a straight right hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Petolu shoots for a takedown but Matip saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Matip misses the shot to the body.
Petolu misses with a series of wild punches.
Matip throws out a counter right but Petolu avoids it with no problem.
Petolu goes for a double leg but Matip avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Matip continues to drive forward.
Matip swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Petolu counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Lo Ej Matip is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Petolu.
A nice combination there by Petolu.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matip looks to score with a jab to the body but Petolu is just out of range.
Matip has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Petolu shoots in looking for a takedown but Matip manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Petolu's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Matip misses the shot to the body.
Petolu tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Matip swivels and escapes.
Petolu fails to land the takedown.
It seemed like Matip was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matip punishes Petolu's body with a nice straight punch.
Petolu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Petolu is looking for a counter combo.
Matip throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Matip misses with an uppercut.
A punch combination from Matip misses.
Matip throws a body punch but Petolu moves out of range.
Petolu seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Petolu shoots for a double leg takedown but Matip sprawls well. He's pushed Petolu's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Matip misses.
Petolu throwing a counter right hand but Matip manages to avoid it.
Matip swings for the body but Petolu moves out of range.
Petolu lands a jab-cross combination.
Petolu shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Matip as he jumps to the side.
Matip misses with a straight left.
It looked like Petolu was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Petolu is looking to clinch but Matip is avoiding it.
Petolu dives in and grabs Matip's left leg, looking for a takedown. Matip pushes down on Petolu's head and hops out.
Mickey Petolu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A low kick from Petolu is predictable there
and Matip counters with a right hand to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lo Ej Matip comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Matip has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lo Ej Matip!