PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Manningham Snapple (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Serra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Snapple might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Young Money-YM Salute. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Snapple
vs
Serra

182 cm
26
181 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

177 cm
20
180 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Manningham Snapple!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matt Serra!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Serra rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Snapple moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Serra lands with a straight right. Snapple didn't see that one coming.
Manningham Snapple seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Serra thows a body shot but no joy.
Serra fails to land the takedown.
Snapple avoids the body shot from Serra.
A head kick misses from Snapple.
Serra digs a good hook to Snapple's body.
Snapple misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Serra throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Snapple.
Snapple needs to keep his hands up - Serra had a free shot at his head there.
Serra throws a body punch but Snapple moves out of range.
A combination from Serra does no damage.
Serra throws a good cross that connects.
Snapple is looking to land body kicks.
Serra ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Serra throws a right and a left that Snapple avoids nicely.
Snapple misses the shot to the body.
Snapple with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Serra to score with a decent uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Serra drives through with a takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Serra chips away with some ground and pound.
Serra working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Snapple's head.
Serra throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Snapple works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Serra with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Serra controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Serra wants to control from the top but Snapple keeps moving.
Serra wants to pass the guard but Snapple is keeping the position.

Snapple is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Serra breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Serra looks to score with a jab to the body but Snapple is just out of range.
Serra lands with a good body shot.
Serra avoids the body shot from Snapple.
Snapple has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Manningham Snapple has been cut.
Snapple is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Serra shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Serra showed some decent athleticism there.
Snapple blocking the ground and pound attempt from Serra.
Serra thows a huge punch but Snapple dodges it nicely.

Snapple looking for submissions off his back.
Serra lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Serra is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Serra is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Snapple defends it well.
Serra working the head and body with strikes.
Serra lands with a punch from half guard.
Serra has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Serra jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Snapple is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Snapple and Serra has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Serra working the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Serra lands a few punches from side control.
A lull in the action here as Serra stalls from top position.
Serra cracks Snapple with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Serra wants to control but Snapple is keeping him busy.
Serra scoring with punches and elbows.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Serra working the ground and pound from side control.
Serra looks up at the clock and then as Snapple takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Serra smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Serra scores with a couple of short elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Serra dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Manningham Snapple's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Snapple will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Serra avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Serra bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Snapple's head.
Serra misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Serra misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Serra scores with a punch to the head.
Serra scores with a hook to the body. Snapple takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Serra misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Snapple.
Snapple showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Serra.
Snapple misses with a few strikes there.
Snapple throws a looping overhand right but Serra ducks down to avoid it.
Snapple lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Serra ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Snapple moves away.

Serra shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Serra showed some decent athleticism there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Serra throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Serra is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Nice strikes from Serra there.
Serra is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Serra winds up and cracks Snapple with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Snapple is pressing down on Serra's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Serra advances position into side control!
Serra lands some shots froms side control.
Serra lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Serra scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Snapple to see if he's OK.
Serra advances nicely into full mount.
Serra is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Snapple can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Serra lands a nice shot to the head.
Serra fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Serra wants to control the pace but Snapple is squirming around nicely.
Serra lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Snapple hang on?
Serra breaks from Snapple's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Serra looking to control but Snapple is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Snapple is desperately trying to improve his position but Serra has a good base and remains in mount.
Snapple in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Snapple takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Snapple taking shots to the head.
Serra looking to control but Snapple is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Serra looking to control and managing it successfully.
Serra with good strikes from the mount here!
The referee warns Snapple that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Serra wants to control the pace but Snapple is squirming around nicely.
Serra landing strikes from the mount and Snapple is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Serra fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Serra looking to control but Snapple is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Serra working for a guillotine from mount but Snapple is in no mood to give up.
Serra is landing with some decent strikes but Snapple is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Serra looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Serra working Snapple over with strikes here.
Serra putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Snapple takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Snapple is bucking up trying to escape but Serra cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Serra has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Serra avoids the attempt from Snapple to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Serra showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Manningham Snapple's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Snapple throws a right hand that Serra ducks under and follows up with a left that Serra also avoids with ease.
Serra fails with a takedown attempt.
Serra is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Snapple.
Serra throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Snapple misses with a body shot.
Serra lands a two punch combo.

Serra changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Snapple looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Serra has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Serra moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Snapple is working to avoid the ground and pound but Serra connects with a decent elbow.
Serra landing strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Serra connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Snapple some visible discomfort.
Serra working the head and body with strikes.
Snapple taking punishment in the form of punches.
Serra in side control lands a decent elbow.
You can see the frustration on Snapple's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Snapple is not content to let Serra control the position.
Serra scores with a couple of short elbows.
Snapple wants to control but Serra postures up.
Serra controlling the position from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Serra scores with punches from side control.
Serra is looking to take a break and control but Snapple is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Snapple taking punishment in the form of punches.
Manningham Snapple has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matt Serra is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Snapple tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Serra wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Serra advances to mount.
Snapple is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Serra lands a big shot there that rocks Snapple but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Serra controlling the position easily from mount.
Serra working Snapple over with strikes here.
Serra controlling from the full mount.
Serra's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Snapple is trying to escape the mount.
Serra fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Serra controlling from the full mount.
Snapple flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Serra comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Serra 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Serra!