PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Matt Damon (ranked 4575 p4p, 5578 weight class) and Rock Ninja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Damon
vs
Ninja

171 cm
18
130
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
22
135
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matt Damon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rock Ninja!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Hirohito Nitta and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damon misses with a takedown
and Ninja counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Ninja drives through and clinches with Damon against the cage.
Ninja looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
A frustrated look appears on Damon's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ninja tries to stall but Damon uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Ninja breaks the clinch.
Ninja misses with a body kick.
Ninja throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Damon stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Damon instigates a clinch.
Damon is trying to break the clinch but Ninja is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Come on Ninja - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Damon tries to break the clinch but Ninja is controlling the position.

Ninja breaks the clinch.
Damon shoots in looking for a takedown. Ninja tries to sprawl out of it but Damon keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ninja manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja throws the kick towards the body but Damon avoids it.
Damon tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ninja defends well and Damon ends up having to push Ninja into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Damon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ninja avoiding damage.
Ninja looks winded!
Ninja is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Ninja taking a breather.
Damon tries to circle away but Ninja has him pinned against the cage.
Damon keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ninja's efforts to push away.
Damon is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ninja is trying to force a seperation but Damon has the dominant position.
Ninja is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Damon - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Damon is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Ninja is defending well.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Damon.

Damon manages to pull guard.
Damon looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Damon lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja working a defensive guard here.

Damon decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rock Ninja is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Damon clinches with his opponent.
Damon misses with a hook to the ribs.
Damon goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ninja prevents it.
Ninja misses with an elbow over the top.
Damon misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ninja.
Damon tries to pull guard but Ninja won't allow it.
Damon can't get the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damon is trying to force a seperation but Ninja has the dominant position.
Damon can't break the clinch.
Damon has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Ninja after a bit of a struggle.
Damon is trying to push Ninja away but Ninja has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Damon wants to get back to striking at distance but Ninja won't allow it.
Damon fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Damon wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ninja has him pressed against the cage.
Damon is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ninja pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Ninja's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Damon has Ninja up against the cage in a clinch.
Damon wants to stall.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rock Ninja will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Damon shoots in looking for a takedown. Ninja tries to sprawl out of it but Damon keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ninja manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Damon shoots in and drives through. Ninja sprawls well.
Damon has a takedown stuffed.
A countering left hand to the body from Ninja misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Damon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ninja turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Damon dives in and grabs Ninja's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ninja pushes down on Damon's head and hops out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloppy strikes from Ninja. Those never looked like landing.
Ninja works over Damon's head and body with a nice combination.
Ninja is breathing heavily.
Damon pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ninja only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Damon closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ninja circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
A combination from Ninja does no damage.
Damon throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Damon has a takedown stuffed.
Damon misses with a two punch combination.
Damon digs a good hook to Ninja's body.
Ninja throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Damon's head.
No luck for Damon with that takedown attempt.
Damon shoots in and drives through. Ninja sprawls well.
Ninja is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Ninja has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Damon is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ninja sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damon shoots in but no luck this time.
Ninja appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

Ninja moves into the clinch.
Damon misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Ninja breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Damon closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Damon tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ninja just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ninja gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Damon.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Damon is working for takedown but Ninja is calmly controlling the position for now.
Damon fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Damon avoiding damage as Ninja throws knees to the body.
Damon drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Damon blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ninja is trying to maintain a safe position but Damon gets an underhook and turns Ninja into the cage.
Damon is trying to force a seperation but Ninja has the dominant position.
Damon tries to circle away but Ninja has him pinned against the cage.
Damon is trying to pull guard but Ninja has him pressed against the cage.
Ninja pushes off an throws an elbow but Damon leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Ninja breaks the clinch.

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.
Jab by Damon.

Damon has taken the fight to the clinch.
Damon is trying to pull guard but Ninja has him pressed against the cage.

Ninja pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ninja stuffs the takedown attempt from Damon. Damon gets slowly back to his feet.

Damon darts in and clinches Ninja up against the cage.
Damon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ninja avoids it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ninja has Damon pressed against the cage, preventing Damon from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Ninja manages to break the clinch.
Damon blocks a head kick by Ninja.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rock Ninja showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Damon rushes Ninja and presses him up against the cage.

Ninja breaks from the clinch.
Ninja lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Damon doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ninja makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Damon looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Damon shoots for a takedown but Ninja saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Damon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Damon lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ninja. Damon does a little dance to reset his feet.
Damon avoids a punch combination nicely.
An attempted straight right counter from Damon misses the target.
Ninja takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ninja takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damon shoots in but no luck this time.
Ninja is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Nice takedown defense from Ninja. No joy for Damon on that attempt.
Damon misses with a takedown attempt
and Ninja counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Damon fails with the takedown.
Damon pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Damon has a takedown stuffed.
Damon misses with a right hand
and Ninja counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Ninja rushes Damon and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damon is trying to stall.
Matt Damon has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Damon looking to slow down the pace here.
Damon can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.

Ninja breaks the clinch.
Damon rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ninja moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Damon looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Damon circles away from the clinch attempt.

Damon has managed to clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Damon fails to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Damon fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Damon tries for a takedown but Ninja manages to get underhooks.
Damon has a couple of punches blocked by Ninja.

Ninja's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ninja stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ninja wants it to stay on the feet.
Damon with a poor takedown
and Ninja counters with a stiff right hand.
Ninja tries to bum rush Damon with a series of wild strikes but Damon uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Damon is defended easily by Ninja.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damon shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ninja throws a right hand that Damon ducks under and follows up with a left that Damon also avoids with ease.

Damon closes the distance and clinches.
Ninja is pressed up against the cage. Damon has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ninja down to the mat. Ninja avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Some wild striking there from Damon.

Damon fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ninja, pushing him back against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ninja is pressed up against the cage. Damon has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ninja down to the mat. Ninja avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Matt Damon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rock Ninja is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Damon throws a half hearted mid kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rock Ninja comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ninja 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rock Ninja!