PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Donato Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marshall Mathers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mathers has chosen Superman as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Marshall Mathers has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Russo
vs
Mathers

172 cm
29
157 lbs
23 - 13 - 0

180 cm
29
165 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Malicious Intent Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Donato Russo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marshall Mathers!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Reed Andrews and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mathers lands with a thumping leg kick.
Russo misses with a head kick.
Russo misses with a body punch
and Mathers counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
An inside leg kick from Russo misses.
Russo misses with a leg kick
and Mathers counters with a stiff right hand.
A slapping leg kick lands for Mathers.
The crowd cheers as Mathers lands an impressive looking overhand right. Russo doesn't seem phased though.
Russo fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Mathers checks it well.
Russo takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Mathers cracks a nice hook into Russo's ribs.
Mathers throws a leg kick which misses Russo's front leg but catches the back leg as Russo tries to avoid it.
Russo fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Mathers is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathers lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Russo throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Mathers makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Mathers lands with an uppercut that bounces Russo off the cage and back into range.

Russo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Russo showed some decent athleticism there.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Russo with the ground and pound but Mathers uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Russo passes Mathers's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Mathers is trying to control but can't.
Russo trying to control the action but Mathers is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mathers wants to get back to full guard.
Russo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mathers keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mathers trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Russo manages to pass to mount!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mathers wants to hold on but Russo pushes him away.
Mathers can't escape the position.
Russo thowing shots but they're missing.
Mathers really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Russo with the ground and pound from mount.
Russo lands a nice shot to the head.
Russo with the ground and pound from mount.
Russo is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Mathers can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Mathers can't escape the position.
Russo connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Russo 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.
Russo lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathers tries to reverse the position but Russo maintains control.
Russo raining down shots from the mount!
Mathers keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Mathers is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Russo raining down hammerfists from mount.
Mathers wants to hold on but Russo pushes him away.
Mathers can't escape the position.
Russo lands a nice shot to the head.
Mathers is looking to improve his position but Russo isn't that keen on the idea.
Poor strikes thrown by Russo there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mathers is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo wants to control the pace but Mathers is squirming around nicely.
Mathers is looking to improve his position but Russo isn't that keen on the idea.
Russo cracks Mathers with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Mathers is in a horrible position here. Russo smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Mathers is rocked!
Russo dominating with strikes here.
Mathers is still in real trouble! Can Russo finish him?
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mathers really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Russo working the ground and pound effectively.
Russo scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Russo controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Good leg kick by Russo there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Russo waves his right hand out in front of him, looking to distract Mathers. Oh, he's unloaded a beast of a left hand - it worked! He's dropped Mathers to the canvas! Can he finish him!?
Mathers utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Russo makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Donato Russo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mathers keeping moving, preventing Russo from controlling successfully.
Russo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Mathers working a defensive guard here.
Russo working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mathers's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mathers looking for a sweep. Not yet Mathers, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathers working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Russo.
Mathers seems to have recovered his senses.
Russo lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mathers holds on and takes a little breather.
Mathers utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Russois looking to pass into half guard but Mathers pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Mathers is in guard.
Mathers passes Russo's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Mathers missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mathers is looking to advance position but Russo won't allow it.

Mathers is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The fighters are battling for position here. Russo manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mathers trying to control the position from guard on top but Russo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mathers is looking to work some ground and pound but Russo has wrist control.
Mathers chips away with some ground and pound.
Mathers is working Russo over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Mathers's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Russo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mathers.

Mathers avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathers is looking to work some ground and pound but Russo has wrist control.
Mathers working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Mathers lands a couple of digs.
Russo looking for a sweep. Not yet Russo, not yet.
Mathers scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Russo wants to sweep but no luck.
Mathers passes Russo's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Mathers not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Russo tries to roll over but Mathers keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo is working hard here to advance position.
Mathers not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mathers sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Russo defending well though.
Mathers 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.
Russo trying to control here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mathers throws a strike but Russo avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Mathers postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Marshall Mathers will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

A head kick misses from Russo.
Russo takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Mathers connects with a jab.
Russo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Russo misses with a head kick.
Mathers tried to score with a low kick but Russo checks it.
Russo loads up on a big right hand but Mathers slips the punch.
Mathers throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Russo is looking to score with low kicks.
Mathers takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Marshall Mathers is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo with a poor takedown
and Mathers counters with an inside leg kick.
Mathers lands a head shot.
Mathers getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A left lands for Mathers.
Mathers works Russo's body with a nice hook.
Russo misses with a body kick.
Mathers connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Mathers avoids the head kick by Russo.
Good standup being displayed there by Mathers as he connects with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mathers scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Russo on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Russo throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Mathers lands a leg kick that knocks Russo off balance momentarily.
Russo throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Russo moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Russo shoots in for a double leg but Mathers sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Russo keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Russo lands with a hook. Mathers tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathers dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A chopping leg kick lands by Mathers.
Russo tries a head kick but it misses.
Mathers blocks a leg kick.
Russo fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Donato Russo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mathers connects with a single shot there.

Russo closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Mathers to the mat! Mathers manages to get full guard.

Mathers looking for a guillotine here but Russo defends easily.
Mathers preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathers avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mathers is trying to hold Russo in close to prevent damage but Russo has managed to pass into half guard.
Mathers keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Russo is thwarting Mathers's attempts to control the position.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Russo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mathers does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Russo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Russo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Marshall Mathers.
I think Mathers has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!