PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Carter Simon (ranked 5051 p4p, 5656 weight class) and Matias H Rees (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matias H Rees has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Simon
vs
Rees

167 cm
22
140
1 - 1 - 0

200 cm
19
135
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Carter Simon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matias H Rees!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Chris Saunders and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rees shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rees showed some decent athleticism there.
Simon trying to control here.
Rees is looking to take a break and control but Simon is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rees seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Rees seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Simon regains full guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Simon is controlling Rees's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rees wants to pass the guard but Simon is keeping the position.
Rees keeps trying to improve his position.
Rees won't allow Simon to get back to his feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Simon closes the distance but Rees moves to the side

and Rees counters with a single leg into guard. Simon didn't expect that.

Simon working for a triangle but Rees defends it easily.
Simon is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rees wants to stand but Simon is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rees postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Simon is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Rees wants to stand but Simon has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rees wants to control from the top but Simon keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Simon looking to control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Simon moves to clinch but Rees breaks away
and Rees counters with a two punch combo.
Rees looks to score with a jab to the body but Simon is just out of range.

Rees gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rees is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Rees stalls.
Simon tries to circle away but Rees has him pinned against the cage.
Simon is looking to break free of the clinch but Rees has double underhooks.
Simon is trying to force a seperation but Rees has the dominant position.
A frustrated look appears on Simon's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rees looking for a takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Simon is trying to break the clinch but Rees has him pressed against the cage.
Simon has had enough of the clinch but Rees keeps him there for the moment.
Simon is trying to push Rees away but Rees has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Simon breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rees misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Simon scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Carter Simon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Simon shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Rees drags the fight down to the ground.
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!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rees controls Simon momentarily but Simon frees himself.
Simon throws a strike but Rees rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Simon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rees circles away from the clinch attempt.
Simon tries to clinch up.
Rees avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rees shoots in for a double leg but Simon sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Simon throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Rees wants to counter with a clinch but Simon pushes him away.
Simon ducks under a wild hook from Rees.
Rees keeps the fight on the outside.
Rees avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Simon gets the takedown into side control.
Rees wants to get back to his feet but Simon is dominant here and he's now got Rees's back!
Rees just trying to survive but Simon is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Rees is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rees can't escape the position.
Simon is looking to control Rees but Rees is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Simon avoiding Rees 's attempts to control his hands.
Simon trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Rees doesn't escape.

Simon is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Rees knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Rees for a finish.
Rees trying to get back to his feet but Simon is in full control for now.

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.
Simon controlling well, preventing Rees from escaping the position.
Rees manages to reverse the position and now he's in Simon's guard. Nice work there by Rees.
Simon looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rees is one step ahead there.
Simon might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Simon trying to keep a closed guard but Rees is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rees won't allow Simon to sweep him here.
Rees postures up.
Rees stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Simon swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rees looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Rees trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Matias H Rees has got the better of the ground game so far.

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.

Rees drops back looking for a leg! Simon is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Simon manages to kick Rees off! Rees jumps back into Simon's guard.

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

Rees feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Simon is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Rees presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

Rees jumps guard.
Simon stops Rees from standing up.

Rees is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rees is breathing heavily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rees has Simon pulled in close to control his posture.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Carter Simon will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Simon closes the distance and clinches up with Rees, looking for a takedown. Simon pushes Rees against the cage but Rees circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rees drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Simon defends it well.
Rees tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Simon goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
No luck for Rees with that takedown attempt.
Rees keeps the fight on the outside.

Rees drives through and clinches with Simon against the cage.

Rees lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Simon trying to control here.
Simon is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rees's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rees's back!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rees tries to escape but Simon has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Rees looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rees showing good submission defense here.

Simon goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Rees escapes and is now in half guard on top.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rees tries to pass to full mount but Simon defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rees is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Rees missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rees tries to stand and escape but Simon is controlling the position.
Simon tries to kick Rees off but Rees keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Simon gets full guard.
Rees is stalling in the full guard.
Simon tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rees gets to his feet - Simon follows without any prompting.
Carter Simon is winning the standup battle so far.
Rees tries a head kick but it misses.
A combination from Simon does no damage.
Rees looks to land a body kick but Simon moved away.
As Rees looks to move away, Simon throws a big counter combo but Rees just gets out of the way.
Simon misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Simon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Simon misses with a double jab.
Rees drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Simon defends it well.

Rees bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Simon's face as Rees controls the position.
Let's hope that Rees has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Carter Simon.
I think Simon has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Carter Simon!