PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ilan Matan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shane Garwin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ilan Matan looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Matan
vs
Garwin

190 cm
23
189 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

200 cm
23
190 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
KO power

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Determined

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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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ilan Matan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shane Garwin!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Robert Douchet and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Garwin looks to land a combination. Matan sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Garwin swats away the attempt to clinch by Matan.

Garwin closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Matan did well to prevent Garwin getting side control.
Matan throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Garwin trying to control the action but Matan is working from the bottom.
Garwin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Matan. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Matan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Matan.
Garwin trying to control but Matan is working from the bottom.
Garwin is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matan keeping full guard, as Garwin tries to pass.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Garwin drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garwin is looking to take a break and control but Matan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Garwin thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Garwin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Garwin tries to stand but Matan is controlling his head.
Matan tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

That's four 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.

Garwin is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Matan knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Garwin lands a few punches from side control.
Garwin scoring with punches and elbows.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Garwin tries to advance to mount but Matan denies him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Garwin dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Garwin moves into range and clinches up with Matan.

Matan has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Garwin uses from the top position.
Garwin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Garwin landing some decent shots from guard.
Garwin looking to sit in guard and control but Matan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Garwin is looking to stand up but Matan isn't so interested in that idea.

Matan drops back looking for a leg! Garwin is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Garwin manages to kick Matan off! Matan jumps back into Garwin's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garwin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Matan working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Matan is looking to work some ground and pound but Garwin has wrist control.
Matan passes Garwin's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Garwin is looking to improve his position.
Garwin is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Garwin is trying to maintain the position but Matan is very close to passing his half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Garwin manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Garwin wants to sweep here but Matan controlling him for the moment.

That's two 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.
Garwin looking to control but Matan passes into half guard.
Garwin wants to control but Matan is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Matan wants to work for an arm triangle but Garwin is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Garwin looks like he's trying to stand up.
Garwin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Matan.
Garwin tries to kick Matan off but Matan keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Matan seems to be looking for submissions.
Garwin wants to control but Matan is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Matan is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Garwin is trying to control but can't.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Matan fails with the takedown

and Garwin counters with a nice double leg into side control. Matan won't be happy with that.
Garwin trying to control the action but Matan is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garwin works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Garwin tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Garwin working the head with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Garwin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Matan wants to clinch but Garwin slips to the side
and Garwin counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Matan tries to keep at a distance but Garwin has taken the fight into the clinch.

Garwin is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Matan can't fight it off and eventually Garwin manages to take the fight to the floor. Matan looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Garwin wants to control from the top but Matan keeps moving.
Garwin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garwin tries to stand but Matan is controlling from the bottom.
Matan trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Matan keeping full guard, as Garwin tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Garwin trying to control the position from guard on top but Matan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Matan shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Matan is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Garwin trying to hold on to Matan's head to control him but Matan postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garwin tries to roll over but Matan keeps him under control.
Garwin wants to get back to his feet.
Shane Garwin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Garwin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Matan is working away from the top position though.

Garwin is defending against the submission attempts here by Matan.
Garwin is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Garwin shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Garwin wants to pass the guard but Matan is defending well.
Matan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Garwin.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Garwin is keen to just control but Matan is a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shane Garwin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Garwin has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shane Garwin!