PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Futoshi Matsunaga (ranked 2886 p4p, 140 weight class) and Otto Tjack (ranked 2657 p4p, 130 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Matsunaga
vs
Tjack

170 cm
22
145 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

176 cm
22
145 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Futoshi Matsunaga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Otto Tjack!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tjack looks to score with a jab to the body but Matsunaga is just out of range.
We've been told by Matsunaga's head coaches at Zero Tolerance that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Tjack scores with a jab. Matsunaga acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Matsunaga is looking to clinch.
Tjack comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Tjack connects with a body shot.
Tjack lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

It looks like Futoshi Matsunaga has been cut.
Otto Tjack seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Matsunaga doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Matsunaga tries to clinch up but Tjack circles away and keeps his distance.

Matsunaga instigates a clinch.
Matsunaga's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Matsunaga blocks a body shot from Tjack.
Matsunaga blocks an uppercut.

Matsunaga successfully pulls guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Matsunaga pulls Tjack in to control the position.
Tjack tries to stand but Matsunaga is controlling from the bottom.

Tjack gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matsunaga gets a clinch.
Tjack tries to throw a body punch but Matsunaga avoids it by throwing Tjack back against the cage.
Tjack lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Matsunaga tries to pull guard but Tjack forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Tjack has a couple of punches blocked by Matsunaga.

Matsunaga successfully pulls guard.
Tjack wants to control from the top but Matsunaga keeps moving.
Tjack has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Matsunaga is proving hard to escape from.

Matsunaga has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Tjack can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Matsunaga looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Tjack passes into side control.
Matsunaga is looking to regain half guard here but Tjack keeps moving and retains side control.
Who's going to make the next move?
Tjack wants to stand but Matsunaga is controlling his arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsunaga is trying to improve his position.
Matsunaga gets back to half guard.
Tjack wants to pass the guard but Matsunaga is defending well.
Matsunaga is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Matsunaga is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Tjack pulls his head out easily.

Tjack decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Matsunaga moves into the clinch.
Matsunaga tries to pull guard but Tjack won't allow it.
Tjack lands a hook that snaps the head of Matsunaga backwards.
Matsunaga jumps guard but Tjack turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Futoshi Matsunaga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matsunaga tries to pull guard but Tjack forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Matsunaga tries to pull guard but Tjack won't allow it.
Tjack throws a punch but it's blocked by Matsunaga.

Tjack breaks the clinch.
A big left from Tjack misses.
Matsunaga uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Tjack.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Otto Tjack dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Futoshi Matsunaga's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tjack lands a body shot.
Matsunaga slips a jab from Tjack.
Matsunaga keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Matsunaga tries to close the distance and clinch but Tjack swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tjack connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Tjack misses with an uppercut. Matsunaga saw that one coming.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Tjack.
Matsunaga tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tjack swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Matsunaga has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Matsunaga takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Tjack takes a swing at Matsunaga's ribcage but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tjack connects with a body shot.
Matsunaga tries to clinch up.
Otto Tjack seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Matsunaga clinches with his opponent.
Matsunaga fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Tjack throws a punch but it's blocked by Matsunaga.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tjack breaks the clinch.
Tjack lands a jab to Matsunaga's midsection.

Matsunaga fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tjack, pushing him back against the cage.
Tjack tries to work over Matsunaga's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tjack misses with a punch to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tjack.
Matsunaga fails to pull guard.
Matsunaga is trying to pull guard but Tjack has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Futoshi Matsunaga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matsunaga tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Tjack smiles and moves away.
Tjack avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tjack tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Matsunaga was well out of range. Poor timing from Tjack.
Tjack ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Matsunaga moves away.
Tjack looks to score with a jab to the body but Matsunaga is just out of range.

Tjack gets tackled into the cage by Matsunaga. Matsunaga maintains the clinch.
Tjack struggles to land a body shot inside as Matsunaga controls his hands.
Tjack tries to work over Matsunaga's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Matsunaga pulls Tjack into guard.
Tjack wants to get up but he can't break Matsunaga's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Tjack has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsunaga has his hands on Tjack's head, controlling the position.
Matsunaga's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Tjack wanted to stand there but Matsunaga had control of the position.
Matsunaga is controlling Tjack's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsunaga has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tjack misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Matsunaga.
Tjack lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Tjack has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Tjack fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Matsunaga looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Tjack waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Matsunaga.
Tjack dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Matsunaga gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Tjack.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tjack looks to throw the jab but Matsunaga is out of range.

Matsunaga closes the distance and clinches.
Matsunaga jumps guard but Tjack stands there with Matsunaga around his waist. Matsunaga gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Tjack swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tjack lands a right hand that snaps the head of Matsunaga backwards.
Tjack lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Tjack lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Matsunaga.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Matsunaga prevents a body shot from Tjack.
Matsunaga fails to pull guard.
Matsunaga is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Tjack to keep the fight standing.
Tjack lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Matsunaga or not.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tjack struggles to land a body shot inside as Matsunaga controls his hands.
Tjack lands with a right to the head.
Tjack lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Matsunaga is trying to pull guard but Tjack has him pressed against the cage.
Matsunaga jumps guard but Tjack turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Tjack.
Tjack scores with an uppercut up the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Otto Tjack showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Futoshi Matsunaga's cut.
That's time! Matsunaga's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Tjack misses with a head kick.
Tjack lands a really nice looking cross but Matsunaga seems unphased.
Tjack avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tjack misses the jab.
Matsunaga slips a jab from Tjack.

Matsunaga rushes Tjack and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Matsunaga tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Matsunaga is trying to pull guard but Tjack turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Tjack scores with a nice short uppercut.
Matsunaga tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Tjack just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Futoshi Matsunaga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tjack lands with a right to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Matsunaga gets control of Tjack's arms and successfully pulls guard. Matsunaga will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Matsunaga is trying to keep Tjack in close.
Tjack is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matsunaga working a defensive guard here.

Matsunaga working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tjack doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tjack manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Matsunaga is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Futoshi Matsunaga has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Tjack wanted to stand there but Matsunaga had control of the position.

Matsunaga is looking for a triangle here but Tjack uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Matsunaga tries to control but Tjack manages to take his back.
Tjack not allowing Matsunaga to control his hands.
Matsunaga is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Tjack is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
What can Matsunaga do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Otto Tjack has got the better of the ground game so far.
Matsunaga trying to control the action but Tjack just sinks the hooks in.
Tjack really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Matsunaga.

Tjack stands up from back control! Strange decision that!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Matsunaga takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Tjack misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Matsunaga.
Tjack throws a big shot that misses.
Tjack is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Tjack circles away from the clinch attempt.
Matsunaga takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Matsunaga keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Matsunaga ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Matsunaga wants to clinch.
Otto Tjack is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tjack throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

And that's the end of the fight!
Otto Tjack comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tjack 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Otto Tjack!
In his post fight interview, Otto Tjack started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.