PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matt Piletich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and gracie barra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Piletich comes into the arena with Manowar-King of Kings blaring out of the sound system. barra has chosen rock with you as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Piletich
vs
barra

185 cm
24
175 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

183 cm
20
177 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Piletich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, gracie barra!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Daniel Cesar and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
barra is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
barra tries to clinch up but Piletich circles away and keeps his distance.
Piletich fails to land with a series of punches.

barra gets a clinch.
Piletich tries for a takedown but barra manages to get underhooks.

barra breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
barra tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Piletich looks to land a combination but barra avoids it well.
barra tries to clinch but Piletich moves out of range.
Piletich circles away from the clinch attempt.
barra throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Piletich keeps the fight on the outside.
barra wants to clinch.
Piletich throws a right hand that barra ducks under and follows up with a left that barra also avoids with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Piletich misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from barra.
barra tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
barra fails with an attempt to clinch.
barra tries to close the distance and clinch up but Piletich swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Piletich drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Piletich wants to control but barra is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
barra can't do much from the bottom here.
Piletich working the ground and pound.

Piletich is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but barra is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Piletich wants to control but barra is keeping him busy.
Piletich tries to advance to mount but barra denies him.
barra tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Piletich wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
barra wants to control but Piletich postures up.
barra wants to get back to his feet.
barra can't do much from the bottom here.
Piletich tries to move into full mount but can't pass barra's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Piletich moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Piletich swats away the attempt to clinch by barra.
Piletich showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from barra.
A punch combination from Piletich misses.
barra doesn't manage to clinch there - Piletich circles away.
Piletich throws an uppercut from half a mile away. barra sees it coming and avoids it easily.
barra tries to clinch up but Piletich circles away and keeps his distance.
Piletich misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
barra is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Piletich scores with a sloppy right hand. barra should have avoided that one.
barra is looking to clinch.
barra scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Piletich misses with a takedown attempt - barra sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Piletich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
barra tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piletich fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
barra tries to clinch up.
barra fails in his attempt to clinch.
barra displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Piletich throws out the jab.
Piletich moves away from the strike by barra.
barra tries to close the distance and clinch up but Piletich swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Some wild striking there from Piletich.
Piletich showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from barra.

barra clinches up against the cage.
barra tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
barra gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Piletich.
barra lands an elbow inside.
Piletich has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. barra is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Piletich wants a takedown.
barra prevents a takedown attempt there.

barra pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Piletich lands with a hook. barra tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
barra tries to clinch but Piletich moves out of range.
barra stuffs the takedown attempt from Piletich. Piletich gets slowly back to his feet.
Piletich swats away the attempt to clinch by barra.
barra tries to clinch up but Piletich circles away and keeps his distance.
barra tries to clinch but Piletich moves out of range.
barra moves in looking to clinch but Piletich pushes him off.
barra tests Piletich's chin there with a solid looking shot.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
barra clinches.

Piletich has dropped down and is working for a takedown. barra is trying to keep an underhook but Piletich manages to get the takedown into half guard.

barra has one foot on Piletich's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Piletich ducks under a wild hook from barra.
Piletich throws a combination but it was largely blocked by barra.
barra tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
barra ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
barra fails with an attempt to clinch.
barra displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Piletich throws out the jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Piletich dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

barra is looking to clinch.

Piletich scores a takedown into full mount!
barra is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Piletich with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
barra is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Piletich trying to control but he's not successful this time.
barra wants to hold on but Piletich pushes him away.
barra is wriggling around trying to escape.
barra tries to lock up and control but Piletich gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by Piletich.
barra wants to control but Piletich is having none of it.
barra really wants to buck Piletich off and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piletich trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Piletich tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Piletich with the ground and pound from mount.
barra tries to hold on but Piletich postures up.
barra regains half guard.
Piletich throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Piletich trying to control the pace.
barra keeping hold of Piletich's head, controlling as best he can.
Piletich uses his free foot to push down on barra's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for barra.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Piletich jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… barra is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by barra and Piletich has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Piletich is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but barra is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
barra is trying to buck Piletich off.
barra is trying to control Piletich's posture but Piletich avoids it.
barra is looking to reverse the position.
Piletich has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Piletich tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piletich scoring with strikes but barra is staying in there.

Piletich has control of barra's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and barra regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Piletich is going olschool here, as he tries to force barra to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so barra shrugs it off.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
barra is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
barra wants to hold on but Piletich pushes him away.

Piletich looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Piletich lands a nice shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piletich trying to control but he's not successful this time.
barra tries to lock up and control but Piletich gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Piletich looking to control and managing it successfully.

Piletich is working for a guillotine from mount but barra frees his head quite easily.

Piletich looking for a guillotine from mount but barra is having none of it.
Piletich avoids the attempt from barra to control.
barra tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Piletich dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

barra is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

barra rushes Piletich and presses him up against the cage.
Piletich has barra pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. barra manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
barra lands a body punch.

Piletich has picked barra up - he's going for a ride! Piletich dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
barra wants to get back to his feet.
Piletich sitting and controlling from the half guard.
barra trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Piletich manages to pass to mount!
barra is squirming around, avoiding Piletich's attempts to control the action.
A nice elbow there by Piletich.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piletich lands a heavy elbow.
Piletich looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

barra is rocked!
barra reaches up and holds on to Piletich to control the position.
barra is desperately trying to improve his position but Piletich has a good base and remains in mount.
barra is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Piletich won't let barra get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
barra takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Piletich controlling the pace for now.

Piletich looking for a guillotine from mount but barra is having none of it.
Piletich lands with some strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
barra is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Piletich is going olschool here, as he tries to force barra to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so barra shrugs it off.
barra is squirming around, avoiding Piletich's attempts to control the action.
Piletich avoids the attempt from barra to control.
barra is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Piletich unloading with bombs!
Piletich looking to control and managing it successfully.
barra is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
barra tries to hold on but Piletich pushes him away.
gracie barra has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Piletich looking to secure an arm triangle but barra defends it well.
Piletich trying to control but barra is having none of it.

Piletich jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but barra manages to avoid the submission attempt.
barra is trying to improve his position.
Piletich is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt barra will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
barra throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Piletich working away.
Matt Piletich is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Piletich tries to advance to mount but barra denies him.
A lull in the action here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Piletich closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming barra to the mat! barra manages to get full guard.
Piletich stops barra from standing up.
Piletich trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
barra wants to stand but Piletich is controlling the position.
Matt Piletich overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Piletich forces his way into half guard.
Still in half guard, Piletich seems content to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Piletich showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Piletich, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Piletich!