PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Landin Durham (ranked 1397 p4p, 952 weight class) and Jin Matsushima (ranked 117 p4p, 78 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Durham
vs
Matsushima

150 cm
27
130
9 - 6 - 0

168 cm
27
138
6 - 4 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite 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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Landin Durham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 1, fighting out of London, Jin Matsushima!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, James Glass and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed right hand from Durham misses the target.
A countering left hand to the body from Matsushima misses.
Matsushima blocks a jab.
Durham misses with a hook to the body
enabling Matsushima to counter with a crisp jab.
Matsushima moves out of range of the strikes.
Matsushima steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Durham.
Matsushima cracks Durham with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Matsushima looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Durham swings widly with a right hand
and Matsushima connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Durham misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Matsushima.
Durham takes a jab right on the kisser.
Durham misses with a body shot.
Matsushima digs a good body shot into Durham's ribs.
Matsushima scores with a jab to the jaw.
Durham looks to score with a jab to the body but Matsushima is just out of range.
Durham tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Matsushima was well out of range. Poor timing from Durham.
Matsushima let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Matsushima feints a jab promting Durham to slip. Matsushima then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Durham slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Durham swings for the body but Matsushima moves out of range.
Durham misses the jab.
A punch lands to the side of Durham 's head but he takes it in his stride.
A big left from Durham misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durham swings widly with a right hand

and Matsushima counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Matsushima working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Matsushima has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Matsushima lands a right hand that snaps the head of Durham backwards.
Durham wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Matsushima has him pressed against the cage.
Matsushima lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Durham wants to break free but Matsushima has control.
Durham is looking to break free of the clinch but Matsushima has double underhooks.
Durham looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Matsushima lands a shot to the body.
Matsushima keeps control of Durham as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Matsushima digs a right hand into Durham's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Durham's gas tank.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Matsushima.
A hook to the body from Matsushima.
Durham misses with a body punch.
Matsushima working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Durham definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Durham tries to break the clinch but Matsushima is controlling the position.
Matsushima prevents Durham from breaking the clinch.
Durham working hard to break the clinch.

Durham escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durham uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Matsushima.
Durham misses with an uppercut
and Matsushima counters with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Matsushima uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Durham.
Matsushima is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Matsushima avoids the body shot from Durham.
Durham misses with a straight right.
Matsushima punishes Durham's body with a nice straight punch.
Matsushima uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Durham.
Matsushima lands with a hook. Durham tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Durham misses with a straight left.
Durham keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Matsushima slips under a jab from Durham.
Durham waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Matsushima.
Durham throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Matsushima to counter with a crisp jab.
Matsushima lands a jab to Durham's midsection.
Durham takes a swing at Matsushima's ribcage but misses.
Durham misses the shot to the body.
Durham throws a poor cross that misses
and Matsushima counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durham takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Matsushima works Durham's body with a nice hook.

Matsushima gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Matsushima.
Matsushima keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Durham's efforts to push away.
Durham is trying to break free.
Durham wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Matsushima has him pressed against the cage.
Durham working hard to break the clinch.
Matsushima lands a shoulder strike.

Durham breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Durham throws a body shot but no joy.
Durham swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Matsushima connects with a jab.
Durham throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Matsushima dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Durham misses the body punch
and Matsushima counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Matsushima is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Durham had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
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!
Matsushima keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matsushima lands a really nice looking cross but Durham seems unphased.
Durham throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Matsushima sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Matsushima keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Matsushima slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A shot to the body from Durham misses
and Matsushima counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Durham throws a hook to the side of Matsushima's head but Matsushima sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Durham swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Matsushima lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Durham looks to score with a jab to the body but Matsushima is just out of range.
Durham throws a right hand that misses
and Matsushima counters with a straight right hand.
Durham waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Matsushima.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Matsushima.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Durham fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Matsushima manages to avoid it.
Durham walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Matsushima getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A swing and a miss from Durham.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Durham is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Sloppy strikes from Matsushima. Those never looked like landing.
Matsushima steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Durham.
Nice body punch from Matsushima.
Matsushima throws out a powerful jab.
Matsushima throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Matsushima slips a straight right by Durham.
Durham throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Matsushima to counter with a crisp jab.
Durham has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Durham misses with a body shot.
Durham avoids the body shot from Matsushima.
Durham misses with a body shot
enabling Matsushima to counter with a crisp jab.
Durham misses with a looping left.

Matsushima has managed to clinch.
Matsushima scores with a shoulder strike.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Matsushima blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Durham misses with the head strike.
Matsushima lands a left hand that snaps the head of Durham backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matsushima lands a right hand that snaps the head of Durham backwards.
Matsushima lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Matsushima lands a body punch.
Durham struggles to land a body shot inside as Matsushima controls his hands.
Matsushima lands a right hand.
Durham looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Matsushima lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Durham or not.
Matsushima has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Matsushima lands with a right to the head.
Matsushima lands with a left to the head.
Durham is trying to push Matsushima away but Matsushima has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Durham tries to break free but Matsushima pushes him back against the cage.
Durham wants to get back to striking at distance but Matsushima won't allow it.
Matsushima prevents Durham from breaking the clinch.

Durham pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Matsushima lands with an overhand left.
Durham misses with a body shot.
Durham on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Durham gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A looping hook to the body misses from Durham. Matsushima does a little dance to reset his feet.
Matsushima let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Landin Durham seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsushima connects with the punch.
Durham takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Durham jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Matsushima uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Durham.
Durham swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Matsushima steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Durham.
Durham just misses with a punch to the body.
Durham takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Matsushima throws a series of punches but Durham avoids them all with ease.
Matsushima keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Matsushima connects with a body shot.
Durham takes a swing at Matsushima's ribcage but misses.
Durham takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Matsushima keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Durham fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Matsushima manages to avoid it.
Nice body punch from Matsushima.
Jin Matsushima seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Durham throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Matsushima sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A left lands for Matsushima.
Nice body punch from Matsushima.
Durham is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Matsushima.
Matsushima fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Durham misses with a straight left.
Durham throws a right hand that misses
and Matsushima counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Durham is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Matsushima's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Durham throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Matsushima counters with a nice uppercut.
Durham looks to land a left hand but Matsushima moved out of range nicely.
Matsushima tries to counter with a clinch but Durham shakes him off and moves away.
A telegraphed right hand from Durham misses the target.
Matsushima scores with a body shot.
Durham lands with a nice body punch.
Matsushima connects with the punch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matsushima tries to clinch up but Durham circles away and keeps his distance.
Matsushima works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Durham misses with an uppercut.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Matsushima! But no joy.
Matsushima lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matsushima keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Matsushima moves away from the strike by Durham.
Durham moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Matsushima uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Durham.
Matsushima fails in his attempt to clinch.
Durham throws a body shot but no joy.
Durham rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Matsushima cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Matsushima dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Matsushima lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Durham at a distance.
Durham closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Matsushima lands a right hook to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Durham ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Matsushima moves away.
Durham takes a jab right on the kisser.
Durham keeps the fight on the outside.
Matsushima avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jin Matsushima showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Matsushima lands a right hook to the body.
Landin Durham has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Durham drops his hands momentarily and Matsushima takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A big left from Durham misses.
Durham throws a predictable looking body shot
and Matsushima counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Matsushima works Durham's body with a nice hook.
Matsushima wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Durham misses with a right hand
and Matsushima counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Durham misses with a right hand
enabling Matsushima to counter with a crisp jab.
Durham misses the shot to the body.
Durham throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Matsushima counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Durham is rocked!
Matsushima lands with a straight right. Durham didn't see that one coming.
Oh Durham is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Durham throws a right hand that misses
and Matsushima counters with a nice uppercut.
Matsushima getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Matsushima throws a monster overhand right that drops Durham! Matsushima follows up with more strikes from mount and the fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jin Matsushima!