PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mat Luna (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Legate Lanius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luna comes to the cage accompanied by Them Bones. Legate Lanius told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Luna
vs
Lanius

167 cm
23
139 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

200 cm
19
144 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mat Luna!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Legate Lanius!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Anthony Taglia and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Luna throws a nice looking combination but Lanius bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lanius throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Luna's waist but Luna gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lanius off to one side.
Lanius tries for a takedown but Luna sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Lanius has a takedown stuffed.
Mat Luna has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Legate Lanius.
Luna throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lanius.
Luna tries a head kick but it misses.
Luna fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Luna bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Lanius tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Luna presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Luna tries to control but Lanius wriggling away.
Lanius is looking to improve his position but Luna isn't that keen on the idea.
Lanius avoids a series of strikes thrown by Luna.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luna throwing strikes here but Lanius is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Luna with good strikes from the mount here!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Luna cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
A nice elbow there by Luna.
Lanius is working to get back to half guard.
Lanius tries to lock up and control but Luna gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Luna lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Lanius is trying to escape the mount.
Luna throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luna with a couple of short strikes.
Luna fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Luna connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Lanius is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Luna tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Luna scoring with strikes but Lanius is staying in there.
Lanius is wriggling around trying to escape.
Lanius is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Luna content just to control the position here.
Luna is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Lanius tries to lock up and control but Luna gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Lanius is wriggling around trying to escape.
Lanius tries to lock up and control but Luna gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Lanius is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Lanius tries to hold on but Luna pushes him away.
Lanius really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Luna. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Lanius is trying desperately to improve position.
Luna has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

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.
Lanius flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Lanius is trying to stand.
Luna misses with a head shot.
Luna throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Lanius because Luna loaded up on that one.
Lanius is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mat Luna dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lanius takes a swing at Luna's ribcage but misses.
Luna swats away the attempt to clinch by Lanius.
Lanius fails in his attempt to clinch.
Luna tries to clinch up.
Lanius keeps the fight on the outside.
Lanius shoots in for a takedown but Luna shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Luna misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Luna wants to clinch up but Lanius keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luna throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lanius.
Luna fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Luna blocks a low kick nicely.

Luna gets a takedown into half guard.
Lanius trying to control but Luna postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lanius tries to kick Luna off but Luna keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Luna prevents Lanius from improving his position.
Lanius moves into full guard.
Lanius wants to stand and escape but Luna is having none of it.
Lanius wants to sweep but no luck.
Luna with a flurry of punches that miss.

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.
Lanius working a defensive guard here.
Lanius manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Lanius is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Luna throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Lanius wants to control the pace but Luna is squirming around nicely.
Lanius is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Lanius takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lanius fails to take his opponent's back.
Lanius misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

Lanius is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Luna is surviving well by controlling Lanius's body position as best he can.
Lanius controlling from mount.
Luna wants to get back to his feet.

That's four 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.
Lanius tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Luna is trying to escape the mount.
Lanius trying to control but Luna is having none of it.
Luna might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Lanius throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Luna because Lanius loaded up on that one.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lanius trying to control but Luna is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Legate Lanius will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Lanius fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lanius has his takedown stuffed

and Luna counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Luna.
Luna stops Lanius from standing up.
Luna with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Lanius avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lanius manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Luna can't escape the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lanius can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Luna is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee warns Luna that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Lanius controlling from the full mount.
Luna can't escape the position.
Lanius sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Lanius trying to control but Luna is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lanius lands a heavy elbow.
Lanius looking to control but Luna is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Luna is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Mat Luna overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Luna tries to hold on but Lanius pushes him away.
Lanius can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Luna is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lanius looking for a guillotine from mount but Luna is having none of it.
Luna wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Lanius.
Lanius sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Lanius throws some wild stikes that Luna manages to avoid easily.

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.
Lanius unloads with some shots from mount but Luna bucks and avoids them well.
Lanius trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Luna is in all sorts of trouble here.
Lanius avoids the attempt from Luna to control.
Lanius sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Lanius punishing his opponent with strikes.
Lanius unloads with some shots from mount but Luna bucks and avoids them well.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mat Luna.
Well Luna has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Mat Luna!