PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Reinaldo Hopper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesse Matozzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hopper
vs
Matozzo

153 cm
21
151 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

180 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Reinaldo Hopper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jesse Matozzo!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Dean Styles and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Matozzo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Hopper manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Hopper wants to stand up but Matozzo is controlling him.
Hopper might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Hopper can't keep his opponent in guard - Matozzo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Matozzo wants to pass to mount but Hopper is defending the position.
Hopper is refusing to be controlled, as Matozzo sits in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matozzo controlling the action here.
Hopper is staying active underneath Matozzo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matozzo prevents Hopper from improving his position.
Hopper is staying active underneath Matozzo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Matozzo stops Hopper from getting back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Matozzo tries to clinch there but Hopper circles away.

Matozzo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Matozzo trying to control but Hopper is working from the bottom.
Hopper really is a fat lump.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopper is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Matozzo is controlling him.
Matozzo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hopper utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matozzo is in close to Hopper's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Matozzo tries to stand but Hopper is controlling from the bottom.
Matozzo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Matozzo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hopper works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matozzo wants to stand but Hopper has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Matozzo fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hopper to the ground. Matozzo is now in Hopper's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hopper is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Matozzo is controlling him.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Matozzo is looking to stand up but Hopper won't let him.
Matozzo is in close to Hopper's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hopper looking for a sweep. Not yet Hopper, not yet.
Matozzo looking to pass the guard.
Hopper wants to stand and escape but Matozzo is having none of it.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopper trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Matozzo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hopper swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A counter left hand to the body from Hopper misses its target.
Matozzo is looking to clinch but Hopper is avoiding it.
Matozzo stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Matozzo wants it to stay on the feet.
Hopper takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Hopper gets caught flat footed, as Matozzo shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Hopper is breathing heavily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Matozzo wants to get up but he can't break Hopper's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Hopper working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Matozzo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Matozzo dominated that round.
That's time! Hopper's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hopper tries to sprawl but Matozzo drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Hopper kicks off Matozzo and gets to his feet.

Matozzo moves into the clinch.

Hopper is fighting off a takedown attempt but Matozzo is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Hopper to the mat. Hopper regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Hopper pushes Matozzo off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matozzo tries a head kick but it misses.
A counter left hand to the body from Hopper misses its target.

Matozzo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Hopper was covering up waiting for the punch and Matozzo finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Matozzo trying to control but Hopper is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matozzo won't allow Hopper to sweep him here.

Hopper manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Matozzo is trying to break free.

Matozzo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hopper shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Matozzo sprawls well. Matozzo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hopper gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matozzo misses with a few strikes there.
As Matozzo looks to move away, Hopper throws a big counter combo but Matozzo just gets out of the way.

Hopper moves into the clinch.

Matozzo jumps into guard, dragging Hopper to the mat.

Hopper avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Matozzo is breathing heavily.
Matozzo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Hopper avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hopper stands up over Matozzo, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopper is working Matozzo over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hopper wants to stand but Matozzo is controlling his posture from full guard.
Matozzo wants to sweep but no luck.
Matozzo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hopper lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Matozzo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hopper is working Matozzo over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hopper postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Matozzo has a closed guard, preventing Hopper from standing up.
Hopper working some strikes from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matozzo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hopper has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Matozzo trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hopper stopping the sweep attempt from Matozzo.
Hopper scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Matozzo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Hopper gets to his feet - Matozzo follows without any prompting.
Matozzo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Hopper.

Matozzo scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Hopper sneaks out the side door and pushes Matozzo away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hopper misses with a few strikes there.
Matozzo looks like he wants to counter punch here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reinaldo Hopper dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Hopper throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Matozzo tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Hopper is in Matozzo's guard.
Matozzo trying to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hopper accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hopper trying to stand up but can't free himself from Matozzo's guard.
Hopper is looking to work some ground and pound but Matozzo has wrist control.
Hopper won't allow Matozzo to get back to his feet.
Hopper wants to stand and escape but instead Matozzo has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hopper wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Matozzo manages to pass to side control.
Hopper looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopper is trying to control but can't.
Matozzo lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Matozzo content to control rather than advance.
Matozzo is looking to take a break and control but Hopper is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two 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.

Matozzo is looking for a kimura but Hopper is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Matozzo to get the leverage.
Matozzo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Matozzo seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Matozzo content to control rather than advance.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Hopper tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Matozzo has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Matozzo tries to control but Hopper wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Matozzo goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Hopper turns into him and now he's in Matozzo's guard.

Hopper stands and steps away. Matozzo gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Matozzo throws a head kick but Hopper moves out of range.
Hopper moves out of range of the body kick from Matozzo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matozzo throws a sloppy head kick and Hopper moves out of range easily.
Hopper swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Matozzo doesn't manage to clinch there - Hopper circles away.
Hopper keeps the fight on the outside.
Matozzo wants to clinch.
Hopper was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Jesse Matozzo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Hopper tries to sprawl but Matozzo drives through with a takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jesse Matozzo.
I think Matozzo 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesse Matozzo!