PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jon Jacobs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Rash Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rash Jr comes into a darkened arena with his song building. damn it feels good to be a gangsta - Geto Boys kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Matt Rash Jr was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Jacobs
vs
Rash Jr

185 cm
24
185 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

180 cm
21
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jon Jacobs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matt Rash Jr!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jacobs lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rash Jr backs up against the cage.
Jacobs takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Jacobs misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Rash Jr gets a takedown into half guard.
Rash Jr seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Jacobs does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Jacobs wants to get back to full guard.
Jacobs trying to control but Rash Jr postures up.
Rash Jr slips a nice elbow through Jacobs's hands, connecting with Jacobs's forehead.
Jacobs is looking to escape.
Jacobs is looking for a sweep. Rash Jr is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rash Jr looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Jacobs with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rash Jr trying to control the action but Jacobs is working from the bottom.
Rash Jr throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Jacobs avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rash Jr.
Jacobs tries to kick Rash Jr off but Rash Jr keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rash Jr really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Jacobs. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rash Jr is controlling the pace.
Jacobs blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rash Jr.
Rash Jr sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Jacobs gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jr content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rash Jr is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rash Jr preventing the sweep.
Rash Jr stands up over Jacobs, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rash Jr postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rash Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Jacobs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rash Jr slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Rash Jr must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Rash Jr throws and elbow that misses. Jacobs uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rash Jr's guard. Nice move by Jacobs!
Rash Jr managing to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jacobs trying to control the position from guard on top but Rash Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rash Jr wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Rash Jr wants to sweep here but Jacobs controlling him for the moment.
Rash Jr has control of Jacobs's left arm, preventing Jacobs from doing any damage.

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

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Matt Rash Jr.

Rash Jr shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Jacobs's guard.
Jacobs is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Jacobs prevents Rash Jr from improving his position.
Rash Jr trying to get back to full guard but Jacobs takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Rash Jr tries to hold on but Jacobs pushes him away.
Rash Jr is trying to escape the mount.
Rash Jr is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rash Jr looks gassed!
Rash Jr is just holding on here. Jacobs manages to take his back.
Jacobs really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Rash Jr.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Rash Jr dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rash Jr connects with a good right hand that stumbles Jacobs. Jacobs circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Rash Jr stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rash Jr wants it to stay on the feet.

Rash Jr closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rash Jr lands in his opponent's guard.
Rash Jr trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Jacobs preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Jacobs looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rash Jr is one step ahead there.

Jacobs is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rash Jr wants to control from the top but Jacobs keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rash Jr with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jacobs utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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

Rash Jr looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Jacobs on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Rash Jr winds up and cracks Jacobs with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jacobs avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rash Jr.
Jacobs makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Jacobs.
Rash Jr with a nice head shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jacobs working a defensive guard here.
Rash Jr works over Jacobs with some ground and pound from guard.
Rash Jr working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Jacobs keeping moving, preventing Rash Jr from controlling successfully.
Rash Jr with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rash Jr's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Rash Jr postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rash Jr is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Jacobs being controlled here, momentarily.
Jacobs is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jr 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.
Rash Jr working some strikes from top position.
Rash Jr is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rash Jr is in close to Jacobs's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Jacobs tries to strike from the bottom.
Rash Jr is in close to Jacobs's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rash Jr sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rash Jr is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jr with a nice head shot there.
Rash Jr is in close to Jacobs's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rash Jr looking to sit in guard and control but Jacobs gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rash Jr can do anything to dispel that myth.
Jacobs is in close to Rash Jr's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rash Jr pulls Jacobs in close to prevent any damage.
Matt Rash Jr has got the better of the ground game so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Matt Rash Jr.

Rash Jr scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Jacobs wants to control but Rash Jr is keeping busy.
Rash Jr trying to control from half guard but Jacobs is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Rash Jr showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rash Jr changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Jacobs looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rash Jr landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Jacobs tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rash Jr wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Check out the look on Rash Jr's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Rash Jr throws a strike aimed at the side of Jacobs's head but Jacobs avoids it well.
Rash Jr working away.
Rash Jr working the head with strikes.
Rash Jr lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Jacobs can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jacobs regains half guard there - taking advantage of Rash Jr's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Rash Jr keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Rash Jr is trying to control the action in half guard but Jacobs is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Jacobs trying to control but Rash Jr postures up.
Rash Jr is looking to take a break and control but Jacobs is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rash Jr is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rash Jr lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Jacobs trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jr thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Jacobs's head.
Rash Jr working the head and body with strikes.
Rash Jr is thwarting Jacobs's attempts to control the position.
Jacobs wants to get back to full guard.
Rash Jr winds up and cracks Jacobs with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Rash Jr is pressing down on Jacobs's thigh, looking to free his foot. Jacobs is holding on for now.
Jacobs taking some punishment here, with Rash Jr in his half guard.
Still in half guard, Rash Jr seems content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jr scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Rash Jr slips a nice elbow through Jacobs's hands, connecting with Jacobs's forehead.
Rash Jr perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rash Jr lands a nice short elbow.
Matt Rash Jr is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rash Jr is nestled in close to Jacobs, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Rash Jr is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rash Jr looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Jacobs is looking to improve his position.
Rash Jr is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rash Jr is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Jacobs wants to control but Rash Jr is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jr takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Rash Jr drops an elbow to the side of Jacobs's head.
Rash Jr stalling.
Rash Jr is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rash Jr content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Rash Jr has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Rash Jr comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rash Jr winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 26:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 26:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

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