PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jeff Hecker Jr (ranked 23867 p4p, 6544 weight class) and Matthew Start (ranked 666 p4p, 599 weight class). Matthew Start has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hecker Jr
vs
Start

177 cm
29
158
2 - 9 - 0

205 cm
22
156
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jeff Hecker Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matthew Start!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, John Kavanagh and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hecker Jr tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Start paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hecker Jr shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Start as he avoids it easily.
Start avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A nice side step and Start releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Jeff Hecker Jr seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hecker Jr will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hecker Jr misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A nice side step and Start releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Hecker Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hecker Jr shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Start sprawls well. Start wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hecker Jr gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Start misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Start looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Start content to control rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Start is trying to control the action in half guard but Hecker Jr is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Start content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Hecker Jr trying to control from the bottom.
Hecker Jr is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hecker Jr wants to control but Start is keeping busy.
Hecker Jr won't allow Start to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Start stalling.
Hecker Jr tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Start has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Start tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Hecker Jr gets back to half guard.
Start throwing shots but Hecker Jr is blocking nicely.
Hecker Jr won't allow Start to pass to mount.
Hecker Jr regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hecker Jr working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Start sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Start trying to control but Hecker Jr is working from the bottom.
Start content to stall in guard here.
Start wants to control from the top but Hecker Jr keeps moving.
Start is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hecker Jr throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hecker Jr might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hecker Jr is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Hecker Jr closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Start tries for a takedown. No joy.
Hecker Jr lands a left hand that snaps the head of Start backwards.
Start wants a takedown.
Start drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Hecker Jr jumps guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Start controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Hecker Jr striking off his back but it's not causing Start any problems.
Start trying to control the position from guard on top but Hecker Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Start stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hecker Jr swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Start dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hecker Jr closes the distance and clinches up with Start, looking for a takedown. Hecker Jr pushes Start against the cage but Start circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hecker Jr is looking to clinch but Start is avoiding it.
Hecker Jr fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Start.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hecker Jr looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hecker Jr misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Start loads up on a big right hand but Hecker Jr slips the punch.
Start has a takedown stuffed.
Hecker Jr moves in looking to clinch but Start pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Start missing with a left hand there. Hecker Jr was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hecker Jr tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Start manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hecker Jr catches Start with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Start gets caught napping as Hecker Jr dives in and scores a takedown. Start manages to retain guard.

Hecker Jr gets to his feet. Start looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Hecker Jr fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Hecker Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hecker Jr throws a nice looking combination but Start bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Start is looking for the big counter here.
Start stuffs the takedown.
Start avoids a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hecker Jr throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Hecker Jr looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Start is fending him off so far but Hecker Jr persists. Nope, Start circles away and we're back to standing.
Hecker Jr fails with an attempt to clinch.
Start drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Hecker Jr defends it well.
A shot to the liver by Start. Beautiful body shot.
Hecker Jr tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Start defends well and Hecker Jr ends up having to push Start into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Start appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hecker Jr tries for a takedown. No joy.
Start changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hecker Jr fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hecker Jr throws a body kick, spinning off balance
enabling Start to counter with a crisp jab.
Hecker Jr misses with a head kick.
Hecker Jr keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Start displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hecker Jr tries to score with a low kick but Start moves his leg out of the way.
Start swats away the attempt to clinch by Hecker Jr.
Start swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Start is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Start looks for a takedown but Hecker Jr sprawls well.
Start throws a right and a left that both miss.
Start throws a hook but Hecker Jr avoids it easily.
Hecker Jr blocks a leg kick.
Start has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Hecker Jr clinches up with Start and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Start pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Start as Hecker Jr shoots in.
Hecker Jr has a takedown stuffed.

Hecker Jr fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Start sprawls well initially but Hecker Jr persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Start trying to hold on to Hecker Jr's head to control him but Hecker Jr postures up.
Start won't allow Hecker Jr to pass to mount.

Hecker Jr postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Start to stand up.
Start fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hecker Jr uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Start.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Matthew Start will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Start throws a hook to the side of Hecker Jr's head but Hecker Jr sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hecker Jr tries to clinch there but Start circles away.
Start ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hecker Jr moves away.
Start circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hecker Jr closes this distance looking for a takedown but Start circles away.
Hecker Jr wants to clinch
and Start counters with an inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hecker Jr is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Start throws a leg kick but Hecker Jr sees it coming and moves out of range.
Hecker Jr lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hecker Jr is looking to clinch but Start is avoiding it.
Hecker Jr shoots for a takedown but Start saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hecker Jr tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Start paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Start leaves Hecker Jr with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Start counters with a body kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Hecker Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hecker Jr lands a jab-cross combination.
Hecker Jr shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Start pinned against the cage. Start gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hecker Jr shoots for a takedown but Start saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hecker Jr tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Start manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hecker Jr misses with a head kick.
Start tries a quick counter leg kick but Hecker Jr is wise to it.
Hecker Jr stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hecker Jr wants it to stay on the feet.
Hecker Jr tries to clinch but Start is having none of it.
Hecker Jr fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Start counters with a body kick.
Hecker Jr shoots in looking for a takedown. Start tries to sprawl out of it but Hecker Jr keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Start manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Start! But no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hecker Jr shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Start sprawls well. Start wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hecker Jr gets slowly back to his feet.
Start tries for a takedown but Hecker Jr sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hecker Jr closes this distance looking for a takedown but Start circles away.
Hecker Jr misses with a takedown attempt - Start sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Start throws a low kick but Hecker Jr avoids it.
Matthew Start seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Hecker Jr tries to keep at a distance but Start has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hecker Jr stops a takedown attempt from Start.
Matthew Start is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hecker Jr is pressed up against the cage. Start has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hecker Jr down to the mat. Hecker Jr avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Jeff Hecker Jr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hecker Jr doesn't manage to clinch there - Start circles away.
Hecker Jr shoots in for a double leg but Start sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hecker Jr fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Start manages to avoid it.
Start with the counter takedown but Hecker Jr avoids it easily.
Hecker Jr darts in looking for a takedown but Start gets double underhooks and turns Hecker Jr into the cage.
Start changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Start taking a breather.
Hecker Jr looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Jeff Hecker Jr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hecker Jr tries a body shot but Start blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matthew Start comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Start winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matthew Start!
Matthew Start decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.