PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gordon Masten (ranked 2669 p4p, 3960 weight class) and Nicky Cejudo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Masten
vs
Cejudo

171 cm
18
183
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
173
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 Hilo, Gordon Masten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Nicky Cejudo!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Roger Salmon and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Masten lands with a straight right. Cejudo didn't see that one coming.
Masten misses with an uppercut.
Cejudo misses with an uppercut. Masten saw that one coming.
Cejudo moves away from the strike by Masten.
Cejudo looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Masten throws a lazy right hand but Cejudo sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cejudo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Masten scores with a decent looking hook.
Masten lands an overhand right.
Gordon Masten seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cejudo just misses with a punch to the body.
Cejudo attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Cejudo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Masten is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cejudo.
Masten misses with a looping right.
Masten could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Masten connects with a jab.
Masten avoids the head kick by Cejudo.
Masten cracks Cejudo with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cejudo takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Masten misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cejudo.

Cejudo takes the fight into the clinch.
Masten working aggressively here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masten swings wildly with an uppercut but Cejudo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cejudo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Masten lands with a short shot to the head.

Cejudo manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Cejudo keeping full guard, as Masten tries to pass.
Masten connects with a couple of short punches.
Masten won't allow Cejudo to sweep him here.
Cejudo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Masten slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Masten stopping the sweep attempt from Cejudo.
Masten with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Masten postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cejudo trying to control the position.
Masten pushes down on Cejudo's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masten is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Masten throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Masten is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Masten works his way into full mount!
Cejudo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Masten. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
BOOM! Masten connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Masten scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cejudo?
Masten lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Cejudo hang on?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Masten scoring with strikes but Cejudo is staying in there.
Masten controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masten with shots to the head and body - Cejudo looks very uncomfortable down there.
Masten dominating with strikes here.
Masten content just to control the position here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Masten cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Masten takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Masten lands a nice shot to the head.
Masten controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masten landing shots from mount.
Masten sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Masten cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Masten lands a heavy elbow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Masten controlling his opponent.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cejudo can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cejudo tries to hold on but Masten postures up.
Masten punishing his opponent with strikes.
Masten looking to finish Cejudo with some ground and pound. This is bad for Cejudo!
Masten tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gordon Masten dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Masten moves into range and clinches up with Cejudo.
Masten misses with some punches.
Masten tries to throw a body punch but Cejudo avoids it by throwing Masten back against the cage.
Cejudo tries to circle away but Masten has him pinned against the cage.
Masten doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Masten scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Cejudo breaks the clinch.
Cejudo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Masten misses with a body shot.
Masten sizes up Cejudo with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Masten throws a looping overhand right but Cejudo ducks down to avoid it.
Cejudo ducks right into an uppercut from Masten.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masten swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cejudo moves away from the strike by Masten.
Cejudo avoids the body shot from Masten.
Cejudo throws a looping overhand right but Masten ducks down to avoid it.
Cejudo walks into a straight right hand from Masten.
Cejudo moves out of range as Masten strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masten swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cejudo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Masten.
Cejudo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nicky Cejudo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Masten with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Masten throws a shot from downtown. Cejudo moves away and avoids it.
Masten throws out a loose jab but Cejudo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Masten misses the jab.
A head kick misses from Cejudo.
Masten throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Masten lands with a straight right. Cejudo didn't see that one coming.
Gordon Masten is winning the standup battle so far.
Masten throws a big shot that misses.
Cejudo takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Cejudo walks into a stiff left hand from Masten.
Cejudo ducks under a wild hook from Masten.
Cejudo throws a sloppy head kick and Masten moves out of range easily.
Masten thuds a left hand into Cejudo's body.

Cejudo has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Masten keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cejudo's efforts to push away.

Cejudo decides to pull guard.
Masten is stalling in the full guard.
Masten stands and throws Cejudo's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Masten looks up at the clock and then as Cejudo takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Masten smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Masten lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Cejudo down.
Masten is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Cejudo's shoulder. That is not cool.
Cejudo is trying to get back to half guard.
Masten looking to control but instead Cejudo has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Gordon Masten overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Masten works his way into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Masten landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee asks Masten politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Masten prefers to stall for the moment though.
Masten scoring with punches from side control.
A lull in the action here.
Masten in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Masten looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Masten controlling from side mount.
Cejudo misses with a strike from the bottom.
Masten working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Cejudo being controlled for a moment.
Sloppy strikes there by Masten.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masten throws an elbow but Cejudo slips to the side and avoids it well.
Masten connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Cejudo some visible discomfort.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Cejudo struggling a bit here.
Masten landing strikes.
Masten landing a few strikes.
Masten working the ground and pound but Cejudo is defending the strikes.
Masten in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Cejudo defending against the ground and pound.
A lull in the action here.
Masten continues to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Masten punishes Cejudo's body with a nice straight punch.
Cejudo throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Cejudo misses with the combination.
Masten is looking to counter the offense by Cejudo and move into the clinch.
Masten avoids the head kick by Cejudo.
Cejudo blocks a jab.
A big right from Masten misses.
Cejudo is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Masten wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cejudo ducks right into an uppercut from Masten.
Masten throws a lazy uppercut
and Cejudo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A big left from Masten misses.
Masten is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cejudo can do to turn this around?
Masten misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masten lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Cejudo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cejudo throws a fast counter high kick but Masten manages to duck under it in time.
Masten is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cejudo.
Masten digs a good hook to Cejudo's body.
Masten scores with a decent looking hook.
Masten connects with a single shot there.

Masten rushes Cejudo and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Cejudo jumps guard and drags Masten to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Masten controls from within his opponent's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Masten accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Masten with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Masten is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
More hug and hope from Masten.
Masten trying to control but Cejudo is working from the bottom.
Masten is pushing down on Cejudo's leg trying to pass to half guard. Cejudo is fighting to maintain full guard but Masten has managed to sneak the leg through.
Masten keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Masten throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Cejudo is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Masten scores with a couple of nice shots.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Masten slows the pace down in half guard.
Masten prevents Cejudo from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masten sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cejudo defending well though.
Masten working the head and body with strikes.
Cejudo wants to control but Masten is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Masten in particular looking to stall.
Cejudo tries to roll over but Masten keeps him under control.
Masten throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Masten throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Still in half guard, Masten seems content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Masten works his way into side control.
Cejudo takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Masten wants to control but Cejudo is keeping him busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Masten just content to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gordon Masten showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Masten 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gordon Masten!
Gordon Masten 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.