PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Goran Matic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sthawy Sthowp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sthowp has chosen Blind Guardian - Into the Storn as his entrance music. Sthawy Sthowp has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Matic
vs
Sthowp

178 cm
26
178 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

180 cm
21
169 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Great low kicks
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Basic striking
Solid chin

Behold The Beast
Behold The Beast

Hell's Balls Recovery

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 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Goran Matic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sthawy Sthowp!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Franklyn Lucas and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sthowp blocks a head kick by Matic.
Matic showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sthowp.
Matic feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Sthowp's calf.
Sthowp avoids the head kick by Matic.
Sthowp goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Sthowp shoots in and drives through. Matic sprawls well.
Matic misses with a head kick.
Matic pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sthawy Sthowp seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Sthowp looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Matic!
Sthowp with the ground and pound from mount.
Sthowp prevents Matic from getting the reversal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sthowp looking to finish with strikes here!
Sthowp misses with a head shot.
Matic is looking to get to half guard.
Matic tries to lock up and control but Sthowp gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Matic is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sthowp misses with a head shot.
Matic tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sthowp thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's two 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.
Matic is wriggling around trying to escape.
Poor strikes thrown by Sthowp there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Sthowp landing punches.
Matic holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Sthowp tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Sthowp lands with some strikes.
Matic is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Sthowp scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Matic?
Matic is looking to improve his position but Sthowp isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sthowp throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Sthowp connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Matic is desperately trying to improve his position but Sthowp has a good base and remains in mount.
Poor strikes thrown by Sthowp there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Sthowp misses with a head shot.
Sthowp punching from mount but Matic doing a good job of avoiding damage.

Sthowp is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Matic has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Matic blocking the ground and pound.
Matic wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Sthowp.
Sthowp throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sthowp thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Sthowp punching from mount but Matic doing a good job of avoiding damage.

Sthowp jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Matic is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Matic and Sthowp has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Sthowp working the strikes but Matic uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Matic regains full guard. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sthowp trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sthowp throws and elbow that misses. Matic uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sthowp's guard. Nice move by Matic!
Matic trying to control the position from guard on top but Sthowp is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sthawy Sthowp dominated that round.
That's time! Matic's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sthowp is defended easily by Matic.
Matic takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Sthowp throws out a loose jab but Matic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sthowp looks to throw the jab but Matic is out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Matic as Sthowp shoots in.
Matic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sthowp throws a nice looking combination but Matic bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sthowp thuds his right hand into Matic's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Matic tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sthowp was well out of range. Poor timing from Matic.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sthowp avoids the head kick by Matic.
Goran Matic is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sthowp shoots in looking for a takedown. Matic tries to sprawl out of it but Sthowp keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Matic manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Goran Matic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sthawy Sthowp.
A combination from Sthowp does no damage.
Sthowp throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sthowp looks to throw the jab but Matic is out of range.
Goran Matic is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Matic throws a sloppy head kick and Sthowp moves out of range easily.
Matic moves out of range as Sthowp strikes.
Matic leaves Sthowp with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Matic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sthowp avoids the head kick by Matic.
Matic uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sthowp.
A swing and a miss from Sthowp.
Matic throws a head kick that misses.
Sthowp misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Matic throws a nice head kick!
Matic tries a head kick but it misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Sthowp misses the target.
Matic steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sthowp.
Matic lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Sthowp has a takedown stuffed.
Matic lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sthowp is defended easily by Matic.
Matic misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sthowp looks to land a left hand but Matic moved out of range nicely.
Sthowp throws a big shot that misses.
Sthowp thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sthowp throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Matic sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Matic scoring well with a low kick there.
Sthowp shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Matic but Matic pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Matic misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Matic keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Matic throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Matic leaves Sthowp with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Sthowp blocks a head kick by Matic.
Sthowp checks the leg kick.
Matic misses with a leg kick.
Matic tries a head kick but it misses.
Sthowp misses with a jab, cross combination.
Matic throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Goran Matic dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Matic throws a leg kick which misses Sthowp's front leg but catches the back leg as Sthowp tries to avoid it.
Sthowp tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Matic was well out of range. Poor timing from Sthowp.
Sthowp throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A head kick misses from Matic.
Sthowp tries to bum rush Matic with a series of wild strikes but Matic uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sthowp scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Sthowp fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sthowp fails with a takedown attempt.
Sthowp thows a body shot but no joy.
Matic pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sthowp is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Matic.
Sthowp fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Goran Matic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sthawy Sthowp.
A head kick misses from Matic.
Matic stuffs the takedown.
Matic throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Matic dodges the punch combination from Sthowp.
Matic misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sthowp is defended easily by Matic.
Sthowp shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Matic sprawls well. Matic wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sthowp gets slowly back to his feet.
Sthowp takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sthowp blocks a head kick by Matic.
Sthowp fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Matic manages to avoid it.

Sthowp shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Sthowp was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sthowp in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Matic can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sthowp throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Sthowp throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Matic is looking to get to half guard.
BOOM! Sthowp connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sthowp lands a big elbow.

Sthowp has control of Matic's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Matic regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Matic is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sthowp goes for an armbar but Matic turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Matic.
Matic is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Matic has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sthawy Sthowp comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sthowp has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sthawy Sthowp!