PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matt Cole (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Balboa Mesquita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cole comes to the cage accompanied by I Just Had Sex - Lonely Island. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cole
vs
Mesquita

190 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
20
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matt Cole!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Balboa Mesquita!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Alec Ball and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mesquita defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cole.
Mesquita fails with an attempt to clinch.

Mesquita clinches up with Cole and pushes him back against the cage.
Mesquita tries to pull guard but Cole forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cole is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Mesquita gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mesquita fails to pull guard.
Mesquita drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Cole gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Matt Cole has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Balboa Mesquita.
Cole is trying to drag Mesquita to the mat but Mesquita just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Cole tries to pull guard but Mesquita won't allow it.

Cole breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mesquita takes a swing at Cole's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole tries to clinch up.
Cole shoots for a takedown but Mesquita saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mesquita looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cole is fending him off so far but Mesquita persists. Nope, Cole circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice sprawl there from Cole as Mesquita shoots in.
Mesquita fails with a takedown attempt.
Cole throws a nice looking combination but Mesquita bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Mesquita pushes Cole up against the cage in a clinch.
Cole really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mesquita is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Cole is defending well.

Cole breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Mesquita forces Cole back against the cage and clinches.
Mesquita is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Cole to keep the fight standing.

Mesquita jumps into guard, dragging Cole to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Mesquita working a defensive guard here.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mesquita holds on and takes a little breather.
Mesquita working a defensive guard but Cole manages to pass into side control anyway.
Mesquita is not content to let Cole control the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mesquita tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Mesquita tries to escape but Cole is in control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mesquita tries to improve position but can't.
Cole in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Cole will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Cole creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Mesquita sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Cole working the head and body with strikes.
Mesquita tries to bench press Cole off him but Cole keeps the position.
Cole has control of an arm but Mesquita manages to advance to Cole's back!
Cole tries to roll but Mesquita sticks to his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mesquita avoiding Cole 's attempts to control his hands.
Cole holding both Mesquita 's hands and preventing any damage.
Cole tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Cole is squirming around, avoiding Mesquita's attempts to control the action.
Mesquita prevents Cole from getting the reversal.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cole wants to control but Mesquita is having none of it.
Cole tries to reverse the position but Mesquita maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Balboa Mesquita will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Mesquita shoots in for a takedown but Cole shows good takedown defense.
Mesquita lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Mesquita.
Nice takedown defense from Cole. No joy for Mesquita on that attempt.
Mesquita tries to work over Cole's front leg with a kick but Cole checks it.
Horrible takedown by Mesquita or perhaps it was just good defense by Cole which made him look bad.
Matt Cole has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Balboa Mesquita.
Cole closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mesquita circles away.
Mesquita takes one to the chin there.
Mesquita is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mesquita shoots in but no luck this time.
Mesquita is breathing heavily.
A head kick misses from Cole.
Cole will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mesquita shoots in and drives through. Cole sprawls well.
Mesquita tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Cole counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mesquita thinking.

Cole rushes Mesquita and presses him up against the cage.
Cole is trying to pull guard but Mesquita turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Cole escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mesquita dives in and grabs Cole's left leg, looking for a takedown. Cole pushes down on Mesquita's head and hops out.
Cole shoots in for a takedown but Mesquita shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cole is looking to clinch but Mesquita is avoiding it.
Mesquita slaps away a takedown attempt from Cole, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Mesquita misses with an attempted mid kick.
Mesquita throws a sloppy head kick and Cole moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cole fails with a takedown attempt.
Mesquita shoots in for a double leg but Cole sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cole is looking to chop away at Mesquita's legs.
Cole stuffs the takedown attempt from Mesquita. Mesquita gets slowly back to his feet.
Mesquita moves out of range of the body kick from Cole.
Cole avoids a kick to the body.
Mesquita tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cole manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mesquita fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mesquita slaps away a takedown attempt from Cole, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Cole looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mesquita is fending him off so far but Cole persists. Nope, Mesquita circles away and we're back to standing.
Mesquita changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cole tries to avoid it but Mesquita manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cole to the ground. Cole escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Cole shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Mesquita pinned against the cage. Mesquita gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cole misses with a takedown attempt - Mesquita sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mesquita misses with a two punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cole misses the shot to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Mesquita. No joy for Cole on that attempt.
Cole swats away the attempt to clinch by Mesquita.
Mesquita shoots in looking for a takedown but Cole manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Mesquita's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mesquita goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Matt Cole is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cole closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mesquita circles away.
Cole swats away the attempt to clinch by Mesquita.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mesquita throws a head kick that misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cole.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Balboa Mesquita will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Mesquita dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Mesquita looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cole is fending him off so far but Mesquita persists. Nope, Cole circles away and we're back to standing.
Mesquita circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mesquita tries to close the distance and clinch but Cole swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mesquita misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mesquita doesn't manage to clinch there - Cole circles away.
Cole throws a head kick that misses.
Nice sprawl there from Mesquita as Cole shoots in.
Mesquita keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Cole fails in his attempt to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole stuffs the takedown attempt from Mesquita. Mesquita gets slowly back to his feet.
Matt Cole has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Balboa Mesquita.
Mesquita shoots in for a takedown but Cole shows good takedown defense.
Cole misses with a few strikes there.
Mesquita tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cole sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mesquita somewhat.
Cole lands a two punch combo.
Cole tries for a takedown but Mesquita sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Mesquita takes the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cole pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mesquita content to stall in guard here.
Mesquita trying to control but Cole is working from the bottom.
Mesquita forces his way into half guard.

Mesquita is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cole is just riding it out for now. Mesquita eventually gives up the hold.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cole wants to control but Mesquita is keeping busy.
Cole tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Mesquita is thwarting Cole's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mesquita is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Cole manages to get to full guard.
Mesquita sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Cole keeping moving, preventing Mesquita from controlling successfully.
Mesquita postures up in Cole's guard and throws a big left but Cole blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Balboa Mesquita.
I've got Mesquita 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 Steve Smith scores the fight for Balboa Mesquita!
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight for Matt Cole!
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight for Matt Cole!

Matt Cole wins by split decision!
Matt Cole decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.