PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Carter Wright (ranked 210 p4p, 183 weight class) and Keisuke Matsuzaka (ranked 30 p4p, 25 weight class). Keisuke Matsuzaka has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Wright
vs
Matsuzaka

180 cm
32
181
25 - 12 - 1

179 cm
34
181
34 - 14 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Northern Zombie
Hoarse Pills

Shadow Realm Apparel
Conviction

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 25 - 12 - 1, fighting out of New York, Carter Wright!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Keisuke Matsuzaka!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Seu Braga and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matsuzaka throws a looping overhand right but Wright ducks down to avoid it.
It looked like Wright wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Matsuzaka steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Wright.
A big left from Wright misses.
Matsuzaka throws a good cross that connects.
Matsuzaka blocks the body kick.
Matsuzaka throws a chopping leg kick but Wright manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
An inside leg kick lands from Matsuzaka.
Wright misses with a jab, cross combination.
Wright looks to throw the jab but Matsuzaka is out of range.
Matsuzaka doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

Matsuzaka instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matsuzaka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Matsuzaka misses with a short punch on the inside.
A right handed body shot lands from Matsuzaka.
With the fighters up against the cage, Matsuzaka throws an elbow but misses.

Wright breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wright jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Wright lunges at Matsuzaka with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Matsuzaka's hand.
Wright throws a series of strikes that have Matsuzaka backpedaling.
Wright takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Wright gets tackled into the cage by Matsuzaka. Matsuzaka maintains the clinch.
Matsuzaka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Matsuzaka throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Matsuzaka working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Matsuzaka tries to work over Wright's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Matsuzaka misses with a punch on the inside.
Matsuzaka misses with a punch on the inside.

Wright breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Matsuzaka tries to clinch up.
Wright throws a quick counter kick to the body but Matsuzaka avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Wright. That's going to slow Matsuzaka down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Wright lands a glancing blow to the side of Matsuzaka's head.

It looks like Keisuke Matsuzaka has been cut.
Jab, jab by Wright - just one landing.
Wright misses the jab.
Matsuzaka tries to counter by closing the distance.
Wright avoids the head kick by Matsuzaka.
Jab by Matsuzaka.

Matsuzaka moves into range and clinches up with Wright.
Matsuzaka tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Matsuzaka lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Carter Wright has been cut.
Matsuzaka misses with an elbow strike.
Wright avoids the elbow strike from Matsuzaka, against the cage.
Matsuzaka misses with an elbow strike.
Matsuzaka swings wildly with an uppercut but Wright uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsuzaka lands a shoulder strike.
Wright tries to break the clinch but Matsuzaka is controlling the position.

Wright manages to break the clinch.
Matsuzaka defending well as Wright loads up on a big left hand.
Wright chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Matsuzaka can pounce on him.
Matsuzaka tries to clinch but Wright moves out of range.
Matsuzaka lands with a good body shot.
Matsuzaka slips under a jab from Wright.
Matsuzaka tries to clinch but Wright moves out of range.
Wright misses with a body shot.
Wright with a nice cross.
Wright misses with a hook.
Matsuzaka uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Wright.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wright throws the left hand but Matsuzaka avoids the punch easily.
Matsuzaka drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Wright throws the left hand but Matsuzaka avoids the punch easily.
Wright misses with a jab, cross combination.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wright misses with a jab, cross combination.
Matsuzaka lands with a cross.
Wright swings widly with a right hand
letting Matsuzaka counter with a right hand.
Wright swats away the attempt to clinch by Matsuzaka.
Wright swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Matsuzaka avoids a kick to the body.
Matsuzaka steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Wright.

Wright gets tackled into the cage by Matsuzaka. Matsuzaka maintains the clinch.
Matsuzaka throws a head punch that misses.
Matsuzaka struggles to land a body shot inside as Wright controls his hands.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Keisuke Matsuzaka will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Matsuzaka avoids a kick to the body.
Matsuzaka scores with a body shot.
Matsuzaka shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Wright eats them both and turns towards Matsuzaka to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Matsuzaka forces Wright back against the cage and clinches.
Wright blocking some punches.
Wright wants to break the clinch but can't.
Matsuzaka is leaning against Wright and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Matsuzaka struggles to land a body shot inside as Wright controls his hands.
Matsuzaka lands a left hand that snaps the head of Wright backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Wright breaks from the clinch.
Wright misses with a body kick.
Matsuzaka scores with a head kick.
Wright's jab looks to have found its range, popping Matsuzaka under the eye.
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!
Matsuzaka connects with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matsuzaka takes the fight into the clinch.
Matsuzaka has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Wright seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Matsuzaka can turn it around.
Wright blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Matsuzaka tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Matsuzaka tries to throw a body punch but Wright avoids it by throwing Matsuzaka back against the cage.
Matsuzaka has Wright pressed against the cage, preventing Wright from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Keisuke Matsuzaka seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Wright blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Matsuzaka tries to throw a body punch but Wright avoids it by throwing Matsuzaka back against the cage.
Matsuzaka pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka digs a right hand into Wright's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Wright's gas tank.
Matsuzaka has Wright pressed against the cage, preventing Wright from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Matsuzaka tries a body shot but Wright blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsuzaka misses with a body punch.

Wright breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Wright's corner calls for a 1-2. Wright obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Wright throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Wright scores with a nice head shot.
Wright scores with a decent looking hook.
Wright looks to land a left hand but Matsuzaka moved out of range nicely.
Wright lands with a kick to the temple. Matsuzaka shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wright throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Wright misses with an attempted mid kick.
Matsuzaka throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Wright on the side of the head.
Wright jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Matsuzaka uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Wright.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wright misses with a looping left.
Matsuzaka slips under a jab.
Matsuzaka moves out of range as Wright strikes.
Matsuzaka throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Wright throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Matsuzaka.
Matsuzaka tries to counter by closing the distance.
Matsuzaka bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Matsuzaka tries a quick counter leg kick but Wright is wise to it.
Wright looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Matsuzaka tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Wright manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Matsuzaka gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Wright's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Matsuzaka.
Wright blocks the elbow strike.
Matsuzaka comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Wright takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matsuzaka scores with a shot to the side of Wright's head.
Matsuzaka pushes off an throws an elbow but Wright leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Matsuzaka swings wildly with an uppercut but Wright uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Wright blocking some punches.
Matsuzaka lands a hook that snaps the head of Wright backwards.
Matsuzaka misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Matsuzaka lands a right hand that snaps the head of Wright backwards.
Matsuzaka swings wildly with an uppercut but Wright uses good head movement to avoid it.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Matsuzaka just misses with a elbow thrown towards Wright's brow.
Wright's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Wright wants to get back to striking at distance but Matsuzaka won't allow it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Keisuke Matsuzaka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Wright doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A low kick lands for Matsuzaka.
Wright misses with a straight left.
Wright motions for Matsuzaka to come forward. Wright throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Decent striking displayed by Matsuzaka there.
Wright throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Matsuzaka works the jab nicely.
Wright misses with a right hand
and Matsuzaka cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Matsuzaka lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matsuzaka thuds a left hand into Wright's body.
Wright will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Carter Wright is winning the standup battle so far.
Wright misses with a lunging right hand
and Matsuzaka counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matsuzaka moves into range and clinches up with Wright.
Matsuzaka misses with a punch to the body.
Matsuzaka misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Matsuzaka lands a right hand.
Wright is trying to force a seperation but Matsuzaka has the dominant position.
Matsuzaka tries to work over Wright's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Matsuzaka misses with a hook from the clinch.
Wright has had enough of the clinch but Matsuzaka keeps him there for the moment.
Matsuzaka stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wright blocks an uppercut.
Matsuzaka lands a nice uppercut.
Wright wants to break the clinch but can't.
Matsuzaka misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wright blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Matsuzaka throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Matsuzaka misses with a hook from the clinch.
Matsuzaka has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Matsuzaka misses with a hook from the clinch.
Matsuzaka can't find room to land a body shot as Wright controls the action.
With the fighters up against the cage, Matsuzaka throws an elbow but misses.
Matsuzaka lands a body shot.
Matsuzaka lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Matsuzaka digs a right hand underneath Wright's ribcage. Wright let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Matsuzaka tries to throw a body punch but Wright avoids it by throwing Matsuzaka back against the cage.
Matsuzaka holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Matsuzaka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Matsuzaka.
Wright wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Matsuzaka has him pressed against the cage.
Matsuzaka misses with a punch to the body.
Matsuzaka throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Wrights head.
Matsuzaka can't find room to land a body shot as Wright controls the action.
Matsuzaka can't find room to land a body shot as Wright controls the action.
Matsuzaka misses with some punches.
Keisuke Matsuzaka is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Wright escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wright misses with the combination.
Wright throws out a loose jab but Matsuzaka uses good head movement to avoid it.
Matsuzaka tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matsuzaka bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Wright's head backwards.
Wright misses with a double jab
and Matsuzaka counters with a nice uppercut.
Matsuzaka lands with a good body shot.
Wright is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Matsuzaka.
Wright sets himself, and Matsuzaka steps forward looking for the clinch! Wright avoids it this time.

Matsuzaka moves into the clinch successfully.
Wright is looking to break free of the clinch but Matsuzaka has double underhooks.
Matsuzaka swings wildly with an uppercut but Wright uses good head movement to avoid it.

Wright breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keisuke Matsuzaka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Matsuzaka 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keisuke Matsuzaka!
A less than humble Keisuke Matsuzaka misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.