PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Usko Matonen (ranked 1634 p4p, 80 weight class) and Tom Thomas (ranked 1839 p4p, 97 weight class). Tom Thomas is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Matonen
vs
Thomas

165 cm
32
140 lbs
13 - 9 - 2

160 cm
34
140 lbs
22 - 16 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Arcticus University: London

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 13 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Usko Matonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 16 - 1, fighting out of London, Tom Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Ren Mimura and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matonen throws a hook but Thomas avoids it easily.
Matonen ducks under a wild hook from Thomas.
Matonen is looking to counter with a body kick.
Matonen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Thomas scores with a jab.
Matonen swinging wildly here.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Thomas! But no joy.
Thomas tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Matonen counters with a two punch combo.

Matonen gets tackled into the cage by Thomas. Thomas maintains the clinch.
Thomas softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Thomas blocks an uppercut.
Thomas scores with a nice hook to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thomas blocks an uppercut.
A right handed body shot lands from Thomas.
Thomas tries to work over Matonen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
I was talking to Matonen's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Matonen lands a hook to the side of the head.
Thomas tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Thomas stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Thomas.
Matonen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Matonen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Matonen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Thomas fails to land.
Thomas lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Matonen struggles to land a body shot inside as Thomas controls his hands.
Matonen trying to control the position but instead, Thomas has worked for underhooks and has pushed Matonen into the cage.
Thomas lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Thomas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Thomas prevents a body shot from Matonen.
Matonen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Matonen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Thomas swings wildly with an uppercut but Matonen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thomas misses with the head strike.
Matonen misses with a punch on the inside.
Matonen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thomas's elbow.
Thomas trying to control the position but instead, Matonen has worked for underhooks and has pushed Thomas into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Matonen.
Thomas tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Thomas tries a body shot but Matonen blocks it.
Thomas blocks an uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Matonen.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Good body shot from Thomas.
Matonen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Thomas backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Thomas.
Thomas has a couple of punches blocked by Matonen.
Thomas lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Matonen backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Thomas.
Matonen lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Thomas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Thomas.
Thomas blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Thomas scores with a shot to the side of Matonen's head.
Thomas has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Matonen seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Thomas can turn it around.
Thomas tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Thomas misses with a body punch.
Matonen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thomas's elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas misses with a hook to the ribs.
Thomas lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Matonen or not.
Thomas misses with a punch on the inside.
Matonen looking to stall.
Thomas stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Thomas.
Matonen blocking some punches.
Thomas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Matonen working aggressively here.
Come on Thomas - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Matonen breaks the clinch.
Matonen goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Matonen lands a jab to Thomas's midsection.
Matonen stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Thomas.
Matonen lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matonen misses with a low kick.

Matonen closes the distance and clinches.
Matonen prevents a body shot from Thomas.
Thomas is looking to control Matonen's arms but Matonen gets an underhook and turns him. Now Thomas has his back to the cage.
Thomas blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Matonen breaks the clinch.
Thomas thuds a left hand into Matonen's body.
Thomas scores with a shot to the body.
Thomas throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thomas punishes Matonen's body with a nice straight punch.
Tom Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thomas connects with a looping right hand.
Matonen slips under a jab from Thomas.
Thomas tries to clinch up but Matonen circles away and keeps his distance.
Thomas loads up on a big right hand but Matonen slips the punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tom Thomas will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Matonen looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Thomas thuds his right hand into Matonen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Nice defenses there by Thomas.
Thomas cracks Matonen with a right hand to the side of the head.
Matonen blocks a jab.
Matonen lands a leg kick that knocks Thomas off balance momentarily.
A swing and a miss from Thomas.
Matonen thinks about countering with a body kick.
Matonen defending well as Thomas loads up on a big left hand.
Thomas is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Matonen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matonen swings for the body but Thomas moves out of range.
Thomas swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Matonen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Matonen takes a kick to the side of the head.
Thomas digs a good hook to Matonen's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thomas closes the distance and clinches.
Matonen stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Matonen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The referee calls for Matonen to work.
Matonen is pushing Thomas up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A nice left hand lands by Matonen.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Matonen lands with a left to the head.

Thomas breaks the clinch.
A jab from Thomas does it's job there.
Matonen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Thomas.
Matonen lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Matonen slips a jab from Thomas.
Matonen throws a hook but Thomas avoids it easily.
Thomas feints a counter leg kick.
Thomas moves out of range of the body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matonen ducks under a wild hook from Thomas.
Matonen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thomas.
Thomas throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Matonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thomas manages to avoid it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matonen throws a push kick but Thomas slaps the foot to one side.
Thomas connects with a body shot that sends Matonen's belly button to the back.
Matonen digs a good body shot into Thomas's ribs.
Thomas lands a glancing blow to the side of Matonen's head.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Thomas.
Thomas tries to clinch but Matonen moves out of range.
It looked like Matonen was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Thomas.
Matonen throws a body shot but no joy.
Thomas looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Thomas misses with a low kick as Matonen jumps back.
An attempted straight right counter from Matonen misses the target.
Thomas misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas lands with a cross.
Matonen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Thomas throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Matonen on the side of the head.
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt.

Thomas moves into range and clinches up with Matonen.
Thomas wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Thomas misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Matonen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Thomas swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Matonen misses with a punch on the inside.

Matonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Matonen slips a straight right by Thomas.
Thomas throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Matonen misses with a double jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Thomas there as he acknowledges the shot.
Tom Thomas seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Matonen keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Matonen lands with a right hand.
Thomas connects with a jab.
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!
A big right from Thomas misses.
Nice uppercut there from Thomas.
Thomas ducks right into an uppercut from Matonen.
Matonen slips a jab from Thomas.
Matonen ducks under a wild hook from Thomas.
It looked like Matonen wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Matonen misses with a hook. Thomas ducked under it nicely.
Thomas throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thomas swings for the body but Matonen moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Thomas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Thomas throws the left hand but Matonen avoids the punch easily.
Thomas digs a good hook to Matonen's body.
The fighters circling - Thomas throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Thomas dips to his left and cracks Matonen with an uppercut!
Thomas rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Matonen makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Thomas lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Thomas takes a kick to the side of the head.
Matonen throws an overhand right that lands on Thomas's shoulder, as Thomas tries to avoid the shot.
Thomas closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Thomas lands a jab to the head.
Thomas comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thomas scores with a shot to the body.
Thomas misses with a looping left.
Matonen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Thomas looks to throw the jab but Matonen is out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Matonen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Matonen gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Thomas.
A slow jab from Thomas misses its intended target.
Thomas dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Matonen. That did some damage!
Thomas throws a jab but it's blocked by Matonen.
Thomas wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Matonen connects with a looping right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matonen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thomas changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Matonen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Thomas.
Thomas misses with a wild body shot.
The fighters circling - Thomas throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Thomas lands a nice shot to the body.
Usko Matonen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matonen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thomas was well out of range. Poor timing from Matonen.
Matonen throws a jab but it's blocked by Thomas.
Matonen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Matonen lands a head shot.
Thomas lands with a straight right. Matonen didn't see that one coming.
Matonen blocks a jab.
Matonen is looking to counter with a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas avoids a kick to the body.
A big right from Matonen misses.
Matonen lands a jab.
Sloppy strikes from Matonen. Those never looked like landing.
Thomas throws a left and a right that both miss
and Matonen counters with a huge head kick that drops Thomas! The ref dives in to stop the fight and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Usko Matonen!
Usko Matonen bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.