PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mathew Matterson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esa Pablo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matterson's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Dead by April - What can I say. Mathew Matterson could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Esa Pablo's chin.

Matterson
vs
Pablo

180 cm
20
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

182 cm
21
165 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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, Mathew Matterson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Esa Pablo!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matterson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Matterson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Matterson takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Matterson throws a low kick but Pablo avoids it.
Matterson is looking to clinch but Pablo is avoiding it.
Matterson misses with a takedown attempt - Pablo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Pablo stuffs the takedown.
Matterson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Matterson scores with a kick to the midsection.
Matterson closes the distance and clinches up with Pablo, looking for a takedown. Matterson pushes Pablo against the ropes but Pablo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mathew Matterson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pablo fails with an attempt to clinch.

Pablo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Matterson is breathing heavily.
Matterson keeping full guard, as Pablo tries to pass.
Pablo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Let's hope that Pablo has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pablo cracks Matterson with a solid left hand.
Pablo controlling from the top position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Matterson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Matterson keeping moving, preventing Pablo from controlling successfully.

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.

Pablo thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Pablo throws a big right hand that misses.

Matterson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pablo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Pablo works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Matterson trying to control from the bottom.
Pablo moves nicely into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Pablo tries for a kimura but Matterson is defending well.
Pablo working the head with strikes.
Pablo lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Matterson down.
Matterson tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Pablo easily slips into full mount!
Matterson is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Pablo cracks Matterson with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Pablo dominating with strikes here.
Pablo wants to control the pace but Matterson is squirming around nicely.
Matterson is looking to get to half guard.
Pablo wants to control the pace but Matterson is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esa Pablo dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Pablo looks to clinch
and Matterson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Pablo darts in trying to clinch
and Matterson counters with a nice uppercut.
Pablo moves out of range of the body kick from Matterson.
Matterson fails with the takedown

and Pablo holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Pablo can't get the takedown.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Pablo.

Matterson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Pablo closes the distance and pushes Matterson back into the ropes.
Matterson tries to score a body lock takedown but Pablo shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A short right from Pablo.
Pablo lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Matterson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Matterson is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Pablo lands a body punch.
Pablo looking to slow down the pace here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Matterson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Pablo prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mathew Matterson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pablo stalls.
Matterson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Pablo working aggressively here.
Pablo holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
Pablo doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Matterson fails to pull guard.
Pablo looking to slow down the pace here.
Pablo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Pablo prevents Matterson from breaking the clinch.
Pablo misses with a punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pablo.
A left hand lands to the body for Pablo.
Pablo leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Pablo receives a warning from the referee for stalling.

That's two 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.
Pablo stops a takedown attempt from Matterson.
A nice right hand lands inside from Pablo.
Pablo avoiding damage.
Pablo prevents Matterson from breaking the clinch.
Matterson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Pablo effectively controlling the action here.
Pablo takes a shot to the head.

Matterson pulls guard.

Matterson working for a triangle but Pablo defends it easily.
Pablo stands and throws Matterson's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Matterson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Matterson tries to buck Pablo off but Pablo is having none of it.
Pablo trying to control the position but Matterson is working away.
Matterson is being controlled here.
Matterson wants to get back to his feet but Pablo drags him back down.

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.
Pablo is staying tight to Matterson's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Matterson is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Pablo is looking to take a break and control but Matterson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pablo prevents Matterson from escaping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esa Pablo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Pablo moves into range and clinches up with Matterson.
Matterson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Pablo displaying some good clinch control by pressing Matterson up against the ropes.

Pablo successfully pulls guard.

Pablo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Matterson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Matterson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Pablo looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Matterson puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Matterson trying to mount his opponent but Pablo defends it.
Matterson is trying to control. Pablo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matterson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Pablo defending well though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Matterson tries to stand and escape but Pablo is controlling the position.
Matterson thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Pablo to regain full guard.
Pablo looking to control.
Matterson trying to move into half guard but instead Pablo has managed to sweep!
Pablo trying to control but Matterson is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Pablo moves out of range as Matterson throws a body kick.
Matterson's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Matterson duly obliges.
Esa Pablo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Pablo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Matterson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Matterson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pablo swivels and escapes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pablo gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Matterson prevents a takedown attempt there.
Matterson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Matterson blocks an uppercut.
Matterson wants to get back to striking at distance but Pablo won't allow it.
A right hand to the body from Pablo.
Matterson tries to stall but Pablo uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Pablo trying to control the position but instead, Matterson has worked for underhooks and has pushed Pablo into the ropes.

Pablo jumps guard and drags Matterson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Pablo looking for a sweep. Not yet Pablo, not yet.
Matterson wants to control from the top but Pablo keeps moving.
Pablo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pablo takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Pablo thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Pablo trying to control the action but Matterson is working from the bottom.
Mathew Matterson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matterson is looking to control Pablo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Matterson avoid being mounted?
Pablo trying to pass the guard but Matterson defending well.

That's four 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.
Esa Pablo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Matterson gets back to full guard.

Matterson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pablo stands and throws Matterson's legs to the side, diving into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Esa Pablo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pablo winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Esa Pablo!