PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Blair Howe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michal Materla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Materla is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Sobota - DO góry łeb!. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Howe
vs
Materla

215 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

182 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Blair Howe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Michal Materla!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Igor Prikhodko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Materla gets a clinch.
Materla throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Howe blocks it with crossed arms.

Materla manages to break the clinch.

Materla throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Howe was covering up waiting for the punch and Materla finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Howe is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Howe is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Materla is looking to work some ground and pound but Howe has wrist control.
Howe is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Materla has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Materla showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Materla scores with a takedown into Howe's guard.

Howe has his feet on Materla's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Materla fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Howe closes the distance and clinches.
Howe gets underhooks to prevent Materla's takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Materla throws a knee to the head but misses.

Howe pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Materla stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Materla wants it to stay on the feet.
Materla fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Blair Howe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michal Materla.

Materla gets a double leg takedown into Howe's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Howe thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Howe is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Howe has his hands on Materla's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howe is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Blair Howe just wasn't active enough.
No joy there for Materla, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Materla closes the distance and clinches up with Howe, looking for a takedown. Materla pushes Howe against the cage but Howe circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Materla defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Howe.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Howe working hard to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Materla.

Materla pulls guard.
Howe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Materla wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Materla is looking to cinch up a triangle. Howe throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Materla's body to avoid the submission. Materla has instead reached around Howe's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Materla arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:42 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Michal Materla!
Michal Materla seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.