PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eric Patrick (ranked 25290 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Matik (ranked 6052 p4p, 0 weight class). Eric Patrick has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Patrick
vs
Matik

175 cm
18
278 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

225 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Eric Patrick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, John Matik!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, James Atkins and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Patrick gets caught flat footed, as Matik shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Patrick wants to stand up but Matik is controlling him.
Matik is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Patrick trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Patrick wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Matik manages to pass to side control.
Matik is trying to control. Patrick wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Patrick avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Matik.
Patrick might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Patrick tries to get to full guard but Matik has control of the leg.
Matik thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Matik stops Patrick from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matik seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Patrick really is a fat lump.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Patrick tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Matik manages to move to mount!
Patrick holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Matik tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Matik throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Matik looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Patrick is looking to improve his position but Matik isn't that keen on the idea.
You get the feeling that Patrick really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Matik looking to finish with strikes here!
Patrick is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Matik throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matik avoids the attempt from Patrick to control.
Patrick sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Matik with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Matik is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Patrick is pressing down on Matik's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Patrick wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Matik manages to pass to side control.
Matik is controlling the pace.
Patrick wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matik throwing shots but Patrick is blocking nicely.
Patrick is trying to stand back up but Matik is controlling him
Patrick is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Matik not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Patrick is looking to get back to full guard here but Matik has managed to pass to side control instead.
Patrick tries to escape but Matik is in control.
Patrick is looking to regain half guard here but Matik keeps moving and retains side control.
Matik misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Patrick is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Matik tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Matik has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Matik wants to control but Patrick is keeping him busy.
Patrick tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Matik wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Patrick is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Patrick bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Patrick chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Matik can pounce on him.
Matik throws a head kick that Patrick semi-blocks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Matik 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.

Matik connects with a leg kick. Patrick looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

It looks like Eric Patrick has been cut.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Matik.

Matik throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Patrick tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Matik is in Patrick's guard.

Matik stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Matik clinches up with Patrick and pushes him back against the cage.

Matik's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Matik forces Patrick back against the cage and clinches.

Patrick is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Matik can't fight it off and eventually Patrick manages to take the fight to the floor. Matik looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Matik is looking to stand up but Patrick isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matik is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Patrick presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Patrick wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Matik has him pressed against the cage.

Matik breaks from the clinch.

Matik pushes Patrick up against the cage in a clinch.

Matik escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Matik with a hook.

Matik takes the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Matik has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Matik pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Matik closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Patrick is trying to escape back to his feet but Matik uses the scramble to pass into side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Check out the look on Matik's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Patrick tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Matik wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Matik decides to stand back up.

Patrick gets caught flat footed, as Matik shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Patrick is working an open guard so Matik takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Patrick shoots in but no luck this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Matik fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Patrick sprawls well initially but Matik persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Patrick is staying active underneath Matik, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Patrick is looking to control Matik's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Patrick avoid being mounted?
Patrick wants to get back to his feet.
John Matik has got the better of the ground game so far.
Matik is taking a breather. Patrick says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Patrick is looking to escape.

Matik postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Patrick to stand up.
Good leg kick by Matik there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Matik scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Patrick wants to get back to his feet.
Matik seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Patrick does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matik missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Matik trying to control the action but Patrick is working from the bottom.
Matik prevents Patrick from standing back up.
Patrick punching from the bottom.
Patrick is trying to stand back up but Matik is controlling him
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Matik gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Eric Patrick is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Matik lands a head kick!
Matik keeps Patrick at a distance using the push kick.

Matik feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Patrick is looking to stand back up but Matik counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Patrick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Matik showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Eric Patrick's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Matik shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Patrick manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Patrick wants to stand up but Matik is controlling him.
Matik passes into half guard.

Matik decides to stand up.
Patrick sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Matik manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Patrick on his heels. He'll look to pass Patrick's guard now, I'm sure.

Patrick has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Matik is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matik lands with a right to the head.
Patrick is looking to control Matik's arms but Matik gets an underhook and turns him. Now Patrick has his back to the cage.

Matik breaks the clinch.

Matik closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Patrick quickly recovers to half guard.
Patrick tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Matik manages to move to mount!
Matik sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Matik working for a submission but Patrick is keeping him at bay.
Matik controlling from the full mount.
Patrick is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Patrick squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Patrick tries to hold on but Matik postures up.
Matik trying to control but Patrick is having none of it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
You get the feeling that Patrick really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Patrick is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Poor strikes thrown by Matik there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Matik sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Patrick is desperately trying to improve his position but Matik has a good base and remains in mount.
Matik tries to control but Patrick wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Matik looking for a guillotine from mount but Patrick is having none of it.
Matik looking to finish with strikes here!
Matik prevents Patrick from getting the reversal.

Matik gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

Matik feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Patrick wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Matik manages to pass to side control.

Matik with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Matik not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matik tries to pass to full mount but Patrick defends it.

Matik decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Matik lands with a slapping head kick.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Patrick enables Matik to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Patrick manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Matik wants to stand but Patrick is controlling his posture from full guard.
Patrick is looking to stand up but Matik isn't so interested in that idea.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Patrick manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Matik manages to get himself to full guard.

Eric Patrick has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Matik is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Matik manages to escape and get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Matik comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Matik 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Matik!