PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jonny De Jong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mahti Masa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). De Jong kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genuis that is Dropkick Murphy's - Shipping Up To Boston. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

De Jong
vs
Masa

188 cm
21
182 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

173 cm
21
170 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jonny De Jong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mahti Masa!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
De Jong throws a head kick that misses.
De Jong missing with a left hand there. Masa was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
De Jong tries to clinch up but Masa circles away and keeps his distance.
De Jong tries to clinch up.
De Jong tries to clinch but Masa is having none of it.
De Jong tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Masa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
De Jong tries to close the distance and clinch but Masa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
De Jong throws a right and a left that Masa avoids nicely.
De Jong doesn't manage to clinch there - Masa circles away.
De Jong tries to clinch but Masa is having none of it.
The fight stays on the outside here - De Jong looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
De Jong is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masa blocks a head kick by De Jong.
De Jong is looking to clinch but Masa is avoiding it.
De Jong looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

De Jong closes the distance and clinches.
Knees to the body from De Jong.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masa can't get the takedown.
Masa content to slow the pace in the clinch.
De Jong throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Masa blocks it with crossed arms.
Masa tries to pull guard but De Jong holds him up against the cage and eventually Masa drops back down to his feet.
De Jong throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Masa blocks it with crossed arms.
De Jong taking a breather.
Masa creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Masa is trying to trip De Jong. He has hold of a leg but De Jong is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Masa persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Masa slips nicely into half guard.
De Jong wants to control but Masa is keeping busy and won't allow it.
De Jong avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Masa.
Masa throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Masa missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Masa working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Masa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Masa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but De Jong does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
De Jong has hold of Masa's hands but Masa slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Masa lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
De Jong tries to roll over but Masa keeps him under control.
De Jong is breathing heavily.
De Jong on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Masa passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for De Jong!
Masa scores with a couple of good head shots there.
De Jong in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
De Jong regains half guard.
De Jong is looking to improve his position.
De Jong wants to get back to his feet.
De Jong tries to get to full guard but Masa has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masa wants to control but De Jong is keeping him busy.
Masa scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Masa is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Masa prevents De Jong from improving his position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
De Jong lands a slapping body shot.
Masa keeps the fight on the outside.
Jonny De Jong is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Masa bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
De Jong on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Masa scoring with punches and elbows.
De Jong takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Masa advances to full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masa cracks De Jong with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Masa working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Masa can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as De Jong is looking to escape.
Masa dominating with strikes here.
Masa landing punches.
Masa is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. De Jong can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Masa wants to control the pace but De Jong is squirming around nicely.
Masa punishing his opponent with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mahti Masa dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

De Jong is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Masa circles away from the clinch attempt.
De Jong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
De Jong tries to close the distance and clinch but Masa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Masa checks a leg kick nicely.
De Jong tries a head kick but it misses.
De Jong wants to clinch.
De Jong misses with a head kick.
De Jong fails in his attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masa throws a chopping leg kick but De Jong manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
De Jong wants to clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
De Jong tries to clinch there but Masa circles away.

Masa drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masa postures up.
Masa scoring with punches to the head and body.
Masa working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of De Jong's head.
Masa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Masa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Masa throwing strikes from guard but De Jong blocks nicely.
Masa postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Masa won't allow De Jong to sweep him here.
Masa slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Masa lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Masa is looking to take a break and control but De Jong is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
De Jong tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Masa wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
De Jong stops Masa from passing to mount.
De Jong gets back to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. De Jong manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Masa slips nicely into half guard.
Masa lands strikes from half guard.
De Jong wants to get back to full guard.
De Jong trying to hold on to Masa's head to control him but Masa postures up.

Masa is trying to work for a kimura but De Jong is defending well.
Masa scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Masa seems to be looking for submissions.
Masa has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
De Jong keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Masa punishing his opponent with strikes.
Masa landing strikes from the mount.
De Jong is looking to improve his position but Masa isn't that keen on the idea.

Masa jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… De Jong is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by De Jong and Masa has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
De Jong tries to improve position but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masa throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
De Jong tries to improve position but can't.
De Jong sneaks back into half guard.
Masa wants to take a breather but De Jong is having none of it.
De Jong wants to improve his position but Masa is controlling well.
Mahti Masa has got the better of the ground game so far.
De Jong trying to control here.
De Jong gets back to full guard.
De Jong has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mahti Masa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

De Jong lunges at Masa with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Masa's hand.
De Jong tries to close the distance and clinch but Masa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
De Jong connects with a high kick.
A head kick misses from De Jong.
Jonny De Jong is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
De Jong tries a head kick but it misses.
De Jong is looking to clinch but Masa is avoiding it.

Masa gets a takedown into half guard.
Masa is pressing down on De Jong's thigh, looking to free his foot. De Jong is holding on for now.
De Jong taking some punishment here, with Masa in his half guard.
De Jong moves into full guard.
Masa throwing strikes from guard but De Jong blocks nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masa working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

De Jong has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Masa can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Masa trying to control the position from guard on top but De Jong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Masa keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of De Jong's head.
Masa trying to control the position from guard on top but De Jong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Masa is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! De Jong is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! De Jong has escaped and now he's on top!
Masa manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masa tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
De Jong is looking to improve his position but Masa isn't that keen on the idea.
Masa landing strikes from the mount and De Jong is in trouble!
Masa trying to control but De Jong is having none of it.
De Jong can't escape the position.
Masa landing strikes, looking to finish!
Jonny De Jong has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Jong can't escape the position.
The referee warns De Jong that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Masa goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now De Jong is on top in guard.

Masa looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Masa is looking for a triangle but De Jong pushes his legs off easily.
Masa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Masa throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
De Jong stopping the sweep attempt from Masa.

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.
Masa looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but De Jong puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Masa misses with some strikes from the bottom.
De Jong will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Masa makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Masa.
De Jong trying to control the position from guard on top but Masa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Masa working for a triangle but De Jong defends it easily.
Masa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. De Jong manages to get himself to full guard.
Masa postures up and lands a big shot to De Jong's brow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mahti Masa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Masa 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mahti Masa!