PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jake Matthews (ranked 4203 p4p, 4211 weight class) and Brian Shultz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Matthews
vs
Shultz

182 cm
24
187
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
23
193
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Inexperienced

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jake Matthews!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Brian Shultz!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Paul Gruel and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Matthews drives through and clinches with Shultz against the cage.

Shultz breaks the clinch.
Shultz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Matthews swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Matthews shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Shultz as he avoids it easily.
Shultz swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Shultz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Matthews manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Shultz throws a combination that misses

and Matthews holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Matthews - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Shultz wants to break the clinch but can't.
Shultz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Matthews prevents it.
Shultz wants to get back to striking at distance but Matthews won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Matthews jumps guard and drags Shultz to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Shultz wants to control from the top but Matthews keeps moving.
Shultz is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews working a defensive guard here.
Shultz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Matthews is keeping the position for now.
Matthews trying to keep a closed guard but Shultz is proving a slippery customer.
Shultz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Matthews is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Shultz is aware though and is defending well.

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

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.
Shultz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Matthews.
Shultz let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Shultz is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Shultz wants to clinch up but Matthews keeps it at a distance.
Matthews is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Shultz throws an off balance right hand
and Matthews counters with a straight right hand.
Matthews avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Matthews tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Shultz manages to circle out of the way.
Matthews tries to clinch but Shultz moves out of range.
Shultz is looking for the big counter here.
Shultz wants to clinch.
Shultz throws a leg kick
and Matthews counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Matthews drives through and clinches with Shultz against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shultz is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Matthews. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matthews is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Shultz is looking to break free of the clinch but Matthews has double underhooks.

Matthews's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shultz is looking to clinch.
Matthews shoots in looking for a takedown but Shultz manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Matthews's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Matthews shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Shultz as he jumps to the side.
Shultz lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Matthews circles away from the clinch attempt.
Matthews wants to clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Matthews is defended easily by Shultz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shultz moves in looking to clinch but Matthews pushes him off.
Matthews tries to clinch up.
Matthews misses with a takedown attempt - Shultz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Matthews fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Shultz avoids it really well and circles away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Shultz wants to clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Matthews dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Shultz.
Matthews tries to score a power double leg takedown but Shultz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Matthews somewhat.
And Shultz responds with a good body kick, but Matthews manages to step out the way in time.
Matthews lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Shultz scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Matthews throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shultz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Matthews.
Matthews darts in looking for a takedown but Shultz gets double underhooks and turns Matthews into the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Matthews. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shultz is looking to break free of the clinch but Matthews has double underhooks.
Shultz has had enough of the clinch but Matthews keeps him there for the moment.
Shultz jumps guard but Matthews stands there with Shultz around his waist. Shultz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shultz is trying to drag Matthews to the mat but Matthews just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Shultz misses with a hook to the ribs.
Matthews is looking for a takedown.
Matthews tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Shultz smiles and moves away.
Shultz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shultz misses with a leg kick
and Matthews counters with a two punch combo.
Matthews shoots in looking for a takedown. Shultz tries to sprawl out of it but Matthews keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Shultz manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shultz looking to land some kicks to the body here.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shultz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shultz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Shultz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Matthews moves away.
It looked like Matthews was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
A head kick by Shultz misses
and Matthews counters with a left and a right that stings Shultz.
Shultz misses with a head kick.
Matthews tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Shultz manages to circle out of the way.
Shultz gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Matthews counters with a nice uppercut.
Shultz stuffs the takedown attempt from Matthews. Matthews gets slowly back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shultz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Matthews fails with the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shultz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jake Matthews is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shultz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Matthews.

Shultz darts in and clinches Matthews up against the cage.
Matthews blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Shultz tries for a takedown but Matthews manages to get underhooks.
Matthews has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Shultz trying to land knees to the body.
Shultz wants a takedown.
Matthews lands a nice shot to the body.
Shultz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Shultz jumps guard but Matthews stands there with Shultz around his waist. Shultz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shultz drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Matthews gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Matthews is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shultz can do to turn this around?

Matthews escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Matthews shoots in but no luck this time.
Shultz tries to clinch up.
Shultz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Matthews manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Matthews has taken the fight to the clinch.

Matthews manages to pull guard.
Shultz 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.
Shultz trying to control but Matthews is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Matthews dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Shultz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Matthews wants to clinch up but Shultz keeps it at a distance.
Matthews looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Shultz looks to clinch
and Matthews counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Matthews closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Shultz jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Matthews walks away with a smile on his face. Shultz gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Shultz throws a body kick, spinning off balance
enabling Matthews to counter with a crisp jab.
Matthews closes the distance and clinches up with Shultz, looking for a takedown. Matthews pushes Shultz against the cage but Shultz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Shultz moves to clinch but Matthews breaks away
and Matthews counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matthews fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Shultz is looking for the big counter here.
Matthews shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Shultz defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Matthews. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shultz misses with a looping right.
Matthews is looking to counter the offense by Shultz and move into the clinch.
Matthews shoots in but Shultz avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Shultz throws a lazy right hand but Matthews sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Matthews is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Shultz.
Matthews shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Shultz as he jumps to the side.
Jake Matthews is winning the standup battle so far.
Shultz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Matthews clinches.
Shultz trying to land knees to the body.
Shultz changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Matthews fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shultz swats away the attempt to clinch by Matthews.

Shultz moves into range and clinches up with Matthews.
Shultz will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Matthews up against the cage.
Shultz is looking to break free of the clinch but Matthews has double underhooks.
Matthews looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Shultz is trying to break free.

Matthews pulls guard.
Matthews keeping moving, preventing Shultz from controlling successfully.
Matthews not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews wants to sweep but no luck.
Shultz advances to half guard.
Shultz wants to control but Matthews is keeping him busy.
Shultz content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Brian Shultz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Shultz connects with a nice short shot to Matthews's temple.

Shultz is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Matthews defends it well.

Shultz is working for a kimura but Matthews is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Shultz working the head and body with strikes.

Shultz is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Shultz is thwarting Matthews's attempts to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Brian Shultz.
Well Matthews has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jake Matthews!