PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Raphael Matthews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raylan Givens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Matthews
vs
Givens

184 cm
23
193 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

187 cm
25
195 lbs
10 - 5 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Raphael Matthews!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Raylan Givens!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Frank Dennis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matthews takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Givens throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Matthews pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice straight punches there by Givens. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Givens.

Givens clinches up with Matthews and pushes him back against the ropes.
Matthews misses with a hook to the ribs.
Good body shot from Matthews.
Givens goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Givens wants to take the fight to the mat but Matthews manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Givens working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Givens goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Givens tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Matthews's elbow.
Matthews stalling in the clinch but Givens improves position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Givens lands a nice uppercut.
Matthews wants to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Givens misses with the head strike.
Givens tries to throw a body punch but Matthews avoids it by throwing Givens back against the ropes.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Givens.
A frustrated look appears on Matthews's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Givens fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Matthews is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Givens lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Matthews.
Givens misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Givens leaning his opponent against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Givens lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Matthews wants to stall.
Givens lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Matthews or not.
Givens digs a right hand underneath Matthews's ribcage. Matthews let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Matthews prevents a body shot from Givens.
Givens lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Matthews backwards.
Givens landing some nice looking knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Givens gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Givens looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Givens missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Givens is trying to work for a kimura but Matthews is defending well.
Givens lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Givens working over Matthews with some ground and pound. Matthews looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Matthews is refusing to be controlled, as Givens sits in half guard.
Givens looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Givens looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raylan Givens dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Givens throws a chopping leg kick but Matthews manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Matthews throws a sloppy head kick and Givens moves out of range easily.
Givens scores with a push kick.
Givens tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Matthews misses with a head kick.
Matthews swings for the body but Givens moves out of range.
Matthews tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Givens throws a leg kick which misses Matthews's front leg but catches the back leg as Matthews tries to avoid it.
Matthews tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Matthews blocks a leg kick.
Givens connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Givens uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
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!
Matthews throws the left hand but Givens avoids the punch easily.
Matthews scores with a jab to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Givens lands with a kick to the ribs.
Raphael Matthews is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Matthews gets tackled into the ropes by Givens. Givens maintains the clinch.
Matthews taking a breather.
Givens stalls.
Matthews looking to slow down the pace here.
Givens tries to throw a body punch but Matthews avoids it by throwing Givens back against the ropes.
Givens lands a body shot in the clinch.
Matthews blocks a body shot from Givens.
A short right from Givens.
Givens lands a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Givens will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Matthews up against the ropes.
Givens jumps guard but Matthews turns him against the ropes and keeps the fight standing.
Matthews blocking some punches.
Givens lands a nice uppercut.
A short right from Matthews.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Givens makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Givens drags the fight down to the ground.

Givens is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Matthews is aware though and is defending well.

Givens working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Matthews doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Matthews manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Matthews trying to control the position from guard on top but Givens is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Givens is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Givens is looking for a triangle but Matthews pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Givens is pulling down on Matthews's head to control his posture.

Givens working for a triangle but Matthews defends it easily.

Givens looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Matthews stopping the sweep attempt from Givens.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raylan Givens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Givens fails with an attempt to clinch.
A lazy left from Givens finds it's target.
Givens misses with an uppercut. Matthews saw that one coming.
Givens moves out of range of the strikes.
Matthews misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Matthews takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Givens throws a head kick that misses.
Matthews throws a front kick aimed at Givens's knee but Givens avoids it well.
Matthews on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Givens cracks the inside of Matthews's front leg.
Givens has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Matthews moves away from the strike by Givens.
Givens punishes Matthews's body with a nice straight punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Givens tries to close the distance and clinch but Matthews swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Matthews slaps away a takedown attempt from Givens, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Givens throws a quick inside leg kick.
Givens lands a jab.
Givens shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Matthews but Matthews pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Matthews tries to score with a low kick but Givens moves his leg out of the way.
Givens connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Givens throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Matthews tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Givens is in Matthews's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Givens with a flurry of punches that miss.
Matthews not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Matthews wants to stand up but Givens is controlling him.
Raylan Givens has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Givens loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Matthews keeping moving, preventing Givens from controlling successfully.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Givens lands a jab.
Givens fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Matthews avoids it really well and circles away.
Raphael Matthews has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raphael Matthews has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raylan Givens.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews looks to throw a body kick
and Givens counters with a right hand to the body.
Givens drops Matthews with a huge uppercut! Matthews drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Givens is raining down punches and the ref stops the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Raylan Givens!
A relieved looking Raylan Givens thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.