PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mathew Dew (ranked 2859 p4p, 3375 weight class) and Gael Grappler (ranked 399 p4p, 468 weight class). Gael Grappler has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Mathew Dew's chin.

Dew
vs
Grappler

189 cm
25
195
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
25
188
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mathew Dew!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Gael Grappler!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Dirk Anderson and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grappler fails with an attempt to clinch.
Grappler looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Dew circles away from the clinch attempt

so Dew counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Dew throws a big elbow that misses.
Dew has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Grappler is adopting a defensive guard.
Dew working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Grappler's head.
Dew knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Grappler on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Grappler is on top in guard.

Dew is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Dew can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Grappler controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grappler preventing the sweep.
Grappler 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.
Dew is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Grappler loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Dew avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Dew definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Dew can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Grappler controls the pace.
Grappler lands a couple of elbows.

That's two 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.
Grappler postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Grappler is stalling in the full guard.
Grappler won't allow Dew to sweep him here.
Grappler is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Grappler won't allow Dew to sweep him here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Grappler moves into the clinch.
Dew takes an elbow to the temple.
Dew blocks an elbow strike.
Dew avoids the elbow strike from Grappler, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dew looking to stall.
Dew blocks a punch to the side of the head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Grappler misses with a short punch on the inside.
Dew looking to slow down the pace here.
Grappler pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Dew drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dew has Grappler pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Grappler manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Grappler tries to score a body lock takedown but Dew shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Grappler throws an elbow but it misses.
Dew takes an elbow to the temple.
Grappler lands an elbow just above Dew 's eye.
Grappler misses with a hook to the ribs.
Grappler holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Grappler lands an elbow inside.
Grappler throws an elbow but it misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gael Grappler dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Dew tries to score a power double leg takedown but Grappler sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Dew somewhat.
Grappler wants to counter with a clinch but Dew pushes him away.
Dew fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Grappler rushes Dew and presses him up against the cage.
Grappler swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Grappler throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Grappler tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Grappler can't get the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Grappler tries a body shot but Dew blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grappler digs a right hand underneath Dew's ribcage. Dew let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Grappler creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Gael Grappler seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Grappler taking a breather.
Grappler has Dew pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Dew manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Grappler lands a nice elbow.
Grappler misses with an elbow strike.
Dew stalling in the clinch but Grappler improves position.
Grappler lands an elbow inside that Dew shrugs off.

It looks like Mathew Dew has been cut.
A head punch on the inside from Grappler fails to land.
Grappler wants to take the fight to the mat but Dew manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Mathew Dew has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gael Grappler.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grappler has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Dew avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Dew is pressed up against the cage. Grappler has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Dew down to the mat. Dew avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Grappler darts in and clinches Dew up against the cage.
Grappler misses with a body punch.
Grappler throws an elbow but it misses.
Grappler misses with a punch to the body.
Dew trying to stall but Grappler improves his position.
Grappler misses with a punch on the inside.
Dew takes an elbow to the temple.
Dew tries for a takedown. No joy.
Dew goes for a takedown in the clinch but Grappler prevents it.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Grappler.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grappler throws a head punch that misses.
Grappler throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Grappler misses with an elbow strike.
Grappler pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Grappler misses with an elbow strike.
Grappler misses with a hook to the ribs.
Dew drops down looking for an ankle pick but Grappler pulls his leg out and moves away.
Grappler tries to close the distance and clinch but Dew swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dew changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Grappler forces Dew back against the cage and clinches.
Grappler has Dew pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Dew manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Grappler working aggressively here.
Grappler lands a damaging elbow.
Grappler slows down the pace here.
Dew avoids a wild elbow strike from Grappler.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dew avoids the elbow strike from Grappler, against the cage.
Grappler lands an elbow just above Dew 's eye.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gael Grappler showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mathew Dew's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Grappler tries to clinch

and Dew counters with a nice double leg into side control. Grappler won't be happy with that.
Dew throws an elbow but Grappler slips to the side and avoids it well.
Grappler is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Grappler has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dew throwing shots but Grappler is blocking nicely.
Grappler gets back to full guard.
Grappler bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Dew's guard.

Dew working a defensive guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grappler wants to control from the top but Dew keeps moving.
Grappler is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grappler's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Dew is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Grappler wants to control from the top but Dew keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Grappler accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Grappler postures up.
Grappler working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Dew's head.
Dew keeping moving, preventing Grappler from controlling successfully.
Dew tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Grappler looks to clinch

and Dew counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Dew is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Grappler has control of Dew's left arm, preventing Dew from doing any damage.
Grappler has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Grappler has momentary wrist control but Dew slips an elbow through the middle.

Grappler looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Dew scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Grappler trying to keep a closed guard but Dew is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grappler manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dew manages to get himself to full guard.

Grappler trying to control but Dew is working from the bottom.
Dew wants to sweep but no luck.
Grappler is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Dew on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Dew tries to get out of the position.
Dew keeping moving, preventing Grappler from controlling successfully.
Grappler loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grappler preventing the sweep.
Dew tries to strike from the bottom.
Grappler trying to control but Dew is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Dew bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Grappler taking punishment in the form of punches.
Mathew Dew overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Grappler manages to get back to half guard.
Gael Grappler is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Dew throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Grappler to regain full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Grappler manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dew manages to get himself to full guard.

Mathew Dew has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dew looking to hit a scissor sweep but Grappler is one step ahead there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mathew Dew showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Grappler has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 27:29
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gael Grappler!
A very excited looking Gael Grappler made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.