PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matteus Saarinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sonny Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sonny Lopez is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Saarinen
vs
Lopez

173 cm
25
147 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
21
155 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Malicious Intent Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matteus Saarinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sonny Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Alan Glass and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saarinen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Saarinen looks for a takedown but Lopez sprawls well.
Saarinen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lopez sprawls well. Lopez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Saarinen gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matteus Saarinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lopez throws a left and a right that both miss

and Saarinen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Saarinen.
Lopez throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Lopez trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Lopez keeping moving, preventing Saarinen from controlling successfully.
Saarinen wants to stand but Lopez is controlling his posture from full guard.
Saarinen looking to pass the guard.
Saarinen stopping the sweep attempt from Lopez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarinen trying to control but Lopez is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Matteus Saarinen wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A head kick by Saarinen misses

and Lopez counters with a single leg into guard. Saarinen didn't expect that.
Lopez trying to control the position from guard on top but Saarinen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Saarinen is looking to sweep but instead, Lopez has passed into half guard.

Lopez is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Lopez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Saarinen sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Saarinen wants to control but Lopez is keeping busy.
Lopez is figuring out what he wants to do next.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lopez wants to free his trapped foot but Saarinen is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen tries to get to full guard but Lopez has control of the leg.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Saarinen connects with a body shot.

Lopez manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Saarinen on his heels. He'll look to pass Saarinen's guard now, I'm sure.
Saarinen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Saarinen trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saarinen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Lopez is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen raining down hammerfists from mount.
Saarinen trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Saarinen working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Saarinen trying to control but Lopez is having none of it.
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.
Lopez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Matteus Saarinen will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Saarinen closes the distance but Lopez moves to the side
and Lopez counters with a big head kick but Saarinen shrugs it off.
Saarinen closes the distance and clinches up with Lopez, looking for a takedown. Saarinen pushes Lopez against the cage but Lopez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Lopez shoots in looking for a takedown but Saarinen manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lopez's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Lopez closes the distance and pushes Saarinen back into the cage.
Lopez is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Saarinen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lopez smiles and moves away.
Lopez takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Saarinen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Lopez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lopez.
Lopez tries for a takedown but Saarinen circles away easily

and Saarinen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Matteus Saarinen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sonny Lopez.
Saarinen wants to free his trapped foot but Lopez is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Lopez wants to get back to full guard but Saarinen has passed into side control.
Saarinen controlling the position from side mount.
Lopez tries to bench press Saarinen off him but Saarinen keeps the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lopez sneaks out the side door and pushes Saarinen away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Lopez is breathing heavily.
Lopez tries for a takedown but Saarinen circles away easily

and Saarinen counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Saarinen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Lopez uses from the top position.

Saarinen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lopez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Saarinen is looking to stand up but Lopez isn't so interested in that idea.

Saarinen looking for a guillotine here but Lopez defends easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Saarinen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Lopez stands and steps away. Saarinen gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Donk. Lopez catches Saarinen right on the button with a cross.
Lopez looks for a takedown but Saarinen sprawls well.
Lopez with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Saarinen to score with a decent uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen tries to clinch up.
Saarinen closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Saarinen is looking to clinch.
Lopez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Lopez closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Lopez lands in his opponent's guard.
Lopez preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Saarinen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lopez postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matteus Saarinen dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Lopez tries to clinch but Saarinen moves away
and Saarinen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lopez throws a wild body kick that Saarinen sees coming a mile off.

Lopez moves into range and clinches up with Saarinen.
Lopez fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Saarinen fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Lopez stalling in the clinch.
Saarinen tries to pull guard but Lopez won't allow it.
Lopez lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Saarinen breaks the clinch.
Saarinen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matteus Saarinen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saarinen sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lopez fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saarinen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lopez's waist but Lopez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Saarinen off to one side.

Lopez drives through and clinches with Saarinen against the cage.
Lopez is trying to break the clinch but Saarinen has him pressed against the cage.
Lopez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Saarinen wants to break the clinch but can't.
Lopez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Saarinen gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Lopez works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Lopez trying to control but Saarinen is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez tries to stand but Saarinen is controlling from the bottom.
Saarinen lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Lopez!
Saarinen landing strikes, looking to finish!
Saarinen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lopez is looking to escape.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saarinen landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saarinen landing strikes from the mount.
Lopez is wriggling around trying to escape.

Saarinen jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Lopez manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Saarinen is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Saarinen wants to control but Lopez is keeping him busy.
Matteus Saarinen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Saarinen wants to work for an arm triangle but Lopez is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Lopez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Saarinen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Saarinen's back!
Saarinen tries to escape but Lopez has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Good control from Lopez.
Sonny Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matteus Saarinen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lopez scores with punches from the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sonny Lopez.
I think Saarinen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Matteus Saarinen!