PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Steve Robles (ranked 24860 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lester John Mate Jr (ranked 25434 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Robles
vs
John Mate Jr

215 cm
18
151 lbs
1 - 6 - 1

174 cm
18
142 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 - 6 - 1, fighting out of London, Steve Robles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Lester John Mate Jr!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Richard Clark and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mate Jr throws a sloppy head kick and Robles moves out of range easily.
Robles seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Robles moves into the clinch.

Mate Jr breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mate Jr fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mate Jr will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Robles changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Mate Jr throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Robles was covering up waiting for the punch and Mate Jr finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Robles is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Robles slips a nice elbow through Mate Jr's hands, connecting with Mate Jr's forehead.
Mate Jr trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Robles manages to pass to mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Robles with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mate Jr is in all sorts of trouble here.
Robles lands a couple of good shots and Mate Jr has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

Robles is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Mate Jr fending off the submission attempt from Robles.
Robles controlling well, preventing Mate Jr from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mate Jr trying to control the action but Robles just sinks the hooks in.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Robles throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Mate Jr!
Robles really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Robles gets his hands free as Mate Jr looks to control.
Mate Jr looks winded!

Mate Jr fending off the submission attempt from Robles.

Robles looking to break Mate Jr's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Mate Jr remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Robles will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mate Jr is covering up but some of the strikes from Robles are getting through and doing damage.
Mate Jr covers up after that shot from Robles.
Mate Jr wants to control his opponent's hands but Robles gets his hands free.

Robles is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Mate Jr has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Mate Jr trying to control but not successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
I really don't envy Mate Jr right now.

Robles looking for the choke from the back.

Robles is persistently looking for the submission but Mate Jr is defending it well.
Robles lands with a hammerfist to the side of Mate Jr's head.
Robles has Mate Jr flattened out and is raining down punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Robles dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Robles clinches with his opponent.
Mate Jr can't get the takedown.
Robles fails to pull the fight into his guard.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Robles takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Robles tries for a takedown. No joy.
Robles is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mate Jr can do to turn this around?
Mate Jr is trying to stall.
Robles is trying to pull guard but Mate Jr turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Robles. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Robles is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mate Jr to keep the fight standing.

Mate Jr gets control of Robles's arms and successfully pulls guard. Mate Jr will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Robles stands and steps away. Mate Jr gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Robles doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Mate Jr counters with a takedown into side control.
Robles tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Mate Jr is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Robles regains half guard.
Mate Jr keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Robles tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Robles moves into full guard.
Robles will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Mate Jr avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Robles wants to stand up but Mate Jr is controlling him.
Mate Jr connects with a couple of short punches.
Mate Jr must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robles will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Robles can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mate Jr controls the pace.
Mate Jr is looking to stand up but Robles won't let him.

Robles working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mate Jr doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mate Jr manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mate Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Robles is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Robles is looking to stand up but Mate Jr isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Robles is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Mate Jr presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

Mate Jr escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mate Jr throws a lazy head kick
and Robles counters with a low kick, right behind Mate Jr 's knee.

Robles clinches with his opponent.

Robles pulls guard.
Robles is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Robles moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Mate Jr.
Mate Jr tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Robles presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Steve Robles overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Robles with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Robles working for a guillotine from mount but Mate Jr is in no mood to give up.
Mate Jr is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mate Jr is bucking up trying to escape but Robles cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Robles with good strikes from the mount here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Robles dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Robles takes the fight into the clinch.
Mate Jr is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Robles is defending well.

Robles pulls guard successfully.
Robles is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mate Jr is controlling him.
Robles is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Mate Jr trying to control but Robles is working from the bottom.
Robles manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mate Jr manages to get himself to full guard.

Mate Jr takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mate Jr lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Robles pushes Mate Jr off and scrambles back to his feet.
Lester John Mate Jr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice takedown defense from Robles. No joy for Mate Jr on that attempt.
Robles drops down looking for a counter takedown but Mate Jr sprawls and moves away.

Robles pushes Mate Jr up against the cage in a clinch.
Robles jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mate Jr walks away with a smile on his face. Robles gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Robles closes the distance and pushes Mate Jr back into the cage.

Robles successfully pulls guard.
Robles striking from his own guard.
Robles lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Robles content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Mate Jr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Robles stands up and waves to Mate Jr to follow him.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Robles jumps guard and drags Mate Jr to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Robles throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Robles is on top in guard.

Robles stands and steps away. Mate Jr gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Robles clinches up against the cage.

Robles pulls guard.
Robles is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Robles thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Mate Jr trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Robles throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mate Jr really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Robles. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Robles striking off his back.
Robles keeping full guard, as Mate Jr tries to pass.
Robles striking off his back but it's not causing Mate Jr any problems.
Robles lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mate Jr looking to control but Robles passes into half guard.
Robles winds up and cracks Mate Jr with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Robles tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Mate Jr.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Robles connects with a nice short shot to Mate Jr's temple.
Robles lands strikes from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Robles showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Robles has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Robles!