PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thorstein Matsburg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matsburg has chosen Wardruna - Algir Tognatale as his entrance music. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Alvarez
vs
Matsburg

178 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

194 cm
18
181 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

No Shit Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antonio Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thorstein Matsburg!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Matsburg as he avoids it easily.

Matsburg closes the distance and clinches.
Alvarez blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Matsburg breaks the clinch.
Alvarez fails in his attempt to clinch.
A punch combination from Matsburg misses.
Matsburg buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Matsburg looks to clinch

and Alvarez counters with a nice double leg into side control. Matsburg won't be happy with that.
Matsburg is looking for a sweep.
Matsburg wants to control but Alvarez postures up.
Matsburg is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Matsburg is being controlled here.
Alvarez tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Alvarez taking a breather here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Alvarez wants to control but Matsburg is keeping him busy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Alvarez swats away the attempt to clinch by Matsburg.
Matsburg lands with a slapping head kick.
Matsburg shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Alvarez counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Matsburg looks like he's trying to stand up.
Alvarez passes to side control.

Matsburg explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Alvarez scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Alvarez is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Alvarez is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Alvarez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Matsburg's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsburg slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Alvarez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Matsburg wriggles free and stands up.
Alvarez tries to clinch but Matsburg moves out of range.
Matsburg avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
No luck for Alvarez with that takedown attempt.
Alvarez circles away from the clinch attempt

and Alvarez counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Matsburg!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez tries to control but Matsburg wriggling away.
Matsburg tries to hold on but Alvarez pushes him away.
Matsburg is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Matsburg is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Matsburg is working to get back to half guard.
Matsburg wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matsburg really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Alvarez dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A combination from Alvarez does no damage.
A nice combination there by Matsburg.
Alvarez shoots in looking for a takedown. Matsburg tries to sprawl out of it but Alvarez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Matsburg manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Matsburg moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matsburg stalling in the clinch.

Matsburg escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Alvarez misses with an uppercut. Matsburg saw that one coming.
Antonio Alvarez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Matsburg shoots and misses

and Alvarez counters with a single leg into guard. Matsburg didn't expect that.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Matsburg wants to get back to his feet but Alvarez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matsburg lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Alvarez!
Alvarez working to try and regain half guard.
Alvarez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Matsburg looking to ground and pound but Alvarez is blocking nicely.
Matsburg sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two 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.

Matsburg gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Alvarez doesn't manage to clinch there - Matsburg circles away.
Alvarez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Matsburg pinned against the cage. Matsburg gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
No luck for Matsburg with that takedown attempt.
Matsburg shoots in but Alvarez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Antonio Alvarez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thorstein Matsburg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Alvarez gets the takedown into side control.
Matsburg is looking to reverse the position.
Matsburg wants to get back to his feet.
Matsburg tries to buck Alvarez off but Alvarez is having none of it.
Antonio Alvarez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Matsburg tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Alvarez keeps control of the position easily here as Matsburg tries to buck him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Alvarez tightening his grip on Matsburg, looking for the choke.
Matsburg holding both Alvarez 's hands and preventing any damage.
Alvarez wants to control but Matsburg manages to buck him off and is now in Alvarez's guard! Nice work there by Matsburg!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Alvarez dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Alvarez scores with a takedown into Matsburg's guard.
Alvarez trying to control but Matsburg is working from the bottom.
Matsburg wants to get back to his feet but Alvarez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Matsburg looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matsburg keeping full guard, as Alvarez tries to pass.
Matsburg keeping moving, preventing Alvarez from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Alvarez throws a left and a right that both miss
and Matsburg counters with a two punch combo.
Alvarez takes a kick to the side of the head.
Matsburg scores with a head kick.

Alvarez scores a takedown into full mount!

Alvarez working for a guillotine from mount but Matsburg is in no mood to give up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsburg's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Alvarez lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Matsburg hang on?
Matsburg working to try and regain half guard.
Matsburg is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Alvarez controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Alvarez thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Matsburg keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Thorstein Matsburg has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matsburg wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
A nice elbow there by Alvarez.
Alvarez content just to control the position here.
Alvarez prevents Matsburg from getting the reversal.
Matsburg trying desperately to get to his feet.
Matsburg wants to control but Alvarez is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Matsburg throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Alvarez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Alvarez, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Alvarez!