PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Keisuke Matsuzaka (ranked 1983 p4p, 258 weight class) and Rudy Giuliani (ranked 2049 p4p, 268 weight class). Keisuke Matsuzaka has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Matsuzaka
vs
Giuliani

179 cm
19
181 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

184 cm
20
177 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary

Brooklyn Apothecary
Urban Fighter

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Keisuke Matsuzaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rudy Giuliani!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Albert Achterberg and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Matsuzaka has Giuliani up against the cage in a clinch.
Giuliani scores with an uppercut up the middle.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Giuliani creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
I was talking to Matsuzaka's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Giuliani swings wildly with an uppercut but Matsuzaka uses good head movement to avoid it.

Giuliani pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Giuliani pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Matsuzaka was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Matsuzaka throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Giuliani sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Giuliani swings for the body but Matsuzaka moves out of range.
Matsuzaka avoids the body shot from Giuliani.
Giuliani waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Giuliani.
Matsuzaka keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Giuliani.
Matsuzaka tries to counter by clinching up but Giuliani breaks away and moves out of range.
Matsuzaka lands with an overhand left.
Giuliani takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Giuliani misses with a straight right.
Giuliani looks to throw the jab but Matsuzaka is out of range.
Giuliani uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Matsuzaka.
It seemed like Giuliani was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
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!
Giuliani lunges at Matsuzaka with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Matsuzaka's hand.
Giuliani swings widly with a right hand
and Matsuzaka counters with a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matsuzaka changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Matsuzaka tries to clinch up.
Giuliani throws a hook but Matsuzaka avoids it easily.
Giuliani listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Giuliani misses the shot to the body.
Matsuzaka defending well as Giuliani loads up on a big left hand.
Matsuzaka appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Giuliani throws a hook but Matsuzaka blocks it.
Giuliani missing with a left hand there. Matsuzaka was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Matsuzaka tries to counter by clinching up but Giuliani breaks away and moves out of range.
Matsuzaka cracks Giuliani with an open hand slap.
Matsuzaka slips under a jab from Giuliani.
Matsuzaka tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Giuliani manages to circle out of the way.
Matsuzaka avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Giuliani throws a lazy uppercut
and Matsuzaka counters with a stiff right hand.

Matsuzaka instigates a clinch.
Matsuzaka pushes off an throws an elbow but Giuliani leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Matsuzaka throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Giuliani blocks an elbow strike.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Matsuzaka creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Giuliani's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A telegraphed right hand from Matsuzaka misses the target.
Giuliani throws a right and a left that Matsuzaka avoids nicely.
Matsuzaka throws a right hand that misses
letting Giuliani counter with a right hand.
Matsuzaka avoids the body shot from Giuliani.
Giuliani misses with a looping right.
Rudy Giuliani seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Matsuzaka avoids a punch combination nicely.
Matsuzaka swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

Matsuzaka moves into the clinch.
Matsuzaka lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Rudy Giuliani has been cut.
Matsuzaka throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Matsuzaka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Giuliani lands a hook that snaps the head of Matsuzaka backwards.
Giuliani working hard to break the clinch.
Giuliani dodges an elbow strike from Matsuzaka.
Giuliani is trying to break the clinch but Matsuzaka is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giuliani wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Matsuzaka keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Giuliani's efforts to push away.
Giuliani misses with a short punch on the inside.
Matsuzaka cracks Giuliani with a nice body shot.
Matsuzaka throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Giuliani wants to break free but Matsuzaka has control.
Matsuzaka lands a right hand that snaps the head of Giuliani backwards.
A short left from Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Giuliani is rocked!
Matsuzaka lands a nice elbow.
Giuliani is still on wobbly legs! Can Matsuzaka finish him?
A nice glancing elbow lands by Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka creates some distance and fires off a vicious elbow that drops Giuliani! He pounces and finishes the fight with more strikes! Nice KO for Matsuzaka.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:42 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Keisuke Matsuzaka!
Keisuke Matsuzaka was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.