PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Matti Heinonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and MamaDu Bear (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). MamaDu Bear has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Matti Heinonen's chin.

Heinonen
vs
Bear

176 cm
25
144 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
138 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matti Heinonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, MamaDu Bear!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bear ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Heinonen moves away.
Bear is looking to land body kicks.
A head kick misses from Bear.
Bear misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Heinonen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bear circles away quickly and effectively.
Bear takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Bear throws a head kick that misses.

Bear moves into the clinch successfully.
Heinonen can't get the takedown.

Heinonen gets a trip takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Heinonen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bear's head.
Bear tries to roll over but Heinonen keeps him under control.
Heinonen sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Bear wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heinonen sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Heinonen wants to pass the guard but Bear is defending well.
Heinonen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Heinonen keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Bear fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Heinonen sprawls well initially but Bear persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heinonen trying to hold on to Bear's head to control him but Bear postures up.
Bear is taking a breather. Heinonen says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Heinonen is trying to maintain the position but Bear is very close to passing his half guard.
Heinonen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bear.
Still in half guard, Bear seems content to control.
Heinonen is trying to maintain the position but Bear is very close to passing his half guard.
Bear drops an elbow to the side of Heinonen's head.
Bear with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Bear's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Bear might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Heinonen is not content to let Bear control the position.
Bear is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Heinonen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Bear content to stall in guard here.
Heinonen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Heinonen is looking to stand up but Bear isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Heinonen takes the fight into the clinch.
Heinonen wants to get back to striking at distance but Bear won't allow it.
Heinonen is looking to take this one to the mat.
Heinonen taking a breather.
Bear trying to land knees to the body.
Heinonen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Bear smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matti Heinonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Heinonen throws a right and a left that both miss.

Bear looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Heinonen!

Heinonen explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Heinonen avoids the head kick by Bear.
Heinonen tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bear defends well and Heinonen ends up having to push Bear into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
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 Matti Heinonen will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Heinonen takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Bear shoots in but no luck this time.
Heinonen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bear throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Bear clinches with his opponent.
Bear using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Heinonen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Bear using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Heinonen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Bear working aggressively here.
Heinonen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Bear smiles and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bear misses with a double jab

and Heinonen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Heinonen trying to control but Bear is working from the bottom.
Heinonen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heinonen postures up in Bear's guard and throws a big left but Bear blocks it.
Heinonen tries to stand but Bear is controlling from the bottom.

Heinonen gets to his feet - Bear follows without any prompting.
Bear throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
MamaDu Bear seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Heinonen moves out of range of the body kick.
A head kick by Bear misses
and Heinonen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Heinonen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Heinonen wants to control but Bear is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heinonen tries to move into full mount but can't pass Bear's legs.
Sloppy strikes there by Heinonen.

Heinonen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bear is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Heinonen is looking to take a break and control but Bear is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heinonen is putting a hurting on Bear here, landing some big shots from side control.
Bear stops Heinonen from passing to mount.
Bear is trying to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Heinonen postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Bear has one of Heinonen's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.
Bear wants to control but Heinonen postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Heinonen trying to control the position but Bear is working away.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Heinonen dives in for a single leg takedown but Bear sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matti Heinonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bear throws a head kick but Heinonen moves out of range.
Heinonen is looking to clinch but Bear is avoiding it.
A bone on bone clash there as Bear blocks the leg kick.
Bear swings for the body but Heinonen moves out of range.
Heinonen appears to be looking for a big counter.
Heinonen darts in looking for a takedown but Bear gets double underhooks and turns Heinonen into the cage.
Matti Heinonen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Heinonen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Heinonen tries to close the distance and clinch but Bear swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bear tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but MamaDu Bear will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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.

Heinonen avoids the head kick by Bear.
Bear misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bear misses with a head kick.
Heinonen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Heinonen blocks a head kick by Bear.
Heinonen appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Heinonen goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Nice takedown defense from Bear. No joy for Heinonen on that attempt.
Bear swings for the body but Heinonen moves out of range.
Bear throws a push kick but Heinonen slaps the foot to one side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bear throws a leg kick but Heinonen sees it coming and moves out of range.
Heinonen seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Bear attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Heinonen shoots for a takedown but Bear saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matti Heinonen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bear throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Heinonen.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bear fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Bear tries to sprawl but Heinonen drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Bear is pressing down on Heinonen's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Bear controlling Heinonen's posture.
Bear wants to sweep but no luck.
Bear keeping moving, preventing Heinonen from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bear looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Heinonen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bear is keeping the position for now.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Heinonen throws an elbow that misses. Bear uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Heinonen's guard. Nice move by Bear!

Bear wants to control from the top but Heinonen keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Heinonen is on top in guard.

Bear trying to control the position here.
Heinonen lands a couple of elbows.
Bear pulls Heinonen in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Heinonen wants to control from the top but Bear keeps moving.
Bear has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Heinonen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bear keeping moving, preventing Heinonen from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to MamaDu Bear.
I think Bear 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... MamaDu Bear!