PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Optus Coll (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xaduba Matos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Coll
vs
Matos

180 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

177 cm
22
166 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

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 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Optus Coll!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Xaduba Matos!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Emerson Jorge and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matos keeps the fight on the outside.
Coll stuffs the takedown attempt from Matos. Matos gets slowly back to his feet.
Coll stuffs the takedown attempt from Matos. Matos gets slowly back to his feet.

Coll pushes Matos up against the cage in a clinch.

Matos wants the takedown. Coll is fighting it off but Matos persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Coll's guard against the cage.

Coll working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Matos doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Matos manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Matos wants to control from the top but Coll keeps moving.

Matos stands up and waves to Coll to follow him.

Coll drives through and clinches with Matos against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matos tries for a takedown but Coll manages to get underhooks.
Optus Coll has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xaduba Matos.
Matos drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Coll gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Matos looking for a takedown.
Coll dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Coll pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Coll is looking for a triangle but Matos pushes his legs off easily.
Coll controlling Matos's posture.
Matos trying to control but Coll is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Matos preventing the sweep.
Coll keeping moving, preventing Matos from controlling successfully.
Matos postures up.
Matos scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Coll controlling Matos's posture.
Matos trying to control the position from guard on top but Coll is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matos won't allow Coll to sweep him here.
Coll is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Matos drops back, looking for a kneebar! Coll looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Coll looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Coll!
Matos looks gassed!
Coll tries to advance to mount but can't.

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.
Matos regains half guard.
Coll wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Matos uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Matos working a defensive guard but Coll manages to pass into side control anyway.
Matos tries to buck Coll off but Coll is having none of it.
Coll remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
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 Optus Coll will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Matos scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Matos shoots in for a double leg but Coll sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Optus Coll is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Matos looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Matos shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Coll but Coll pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Optus Coll has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xaduba Matos.
Matos shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Coll as he jumps to the side.
Left hook, right uppercut from Coll.

Coll shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Matos's guard.
Coll stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Matos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Coll wants to control from the top but Matos keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matos is trying to hold Coll in close to prevent damage but Coll has managed to pass into half guard.
Coll prevents Matos from improving his position.
Coll working Matos over with strikes.
Matos is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Coll tries to control but Matos wriggling away.

That's two 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.
Matos can't escape the position.
Coll knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Matos on the ground.
Coll trying to control but Matos is having none of it.

Coll gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

Coll rushes Matos and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Matos is working for takedown but Coll is calmly controlling the position for now.
Coll digs a right hand underneath Matos's ribcage. Matos let out a lung full of air as it connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coll lands an elbow inside.
Matos fails to pull guard.
Coll can't get the takedown.
Coll missing with knees to the body.

Coll breaks from the clinch.
Matos keeps the fight on the outside.
Matos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Coll scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Matos is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Matos desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Coll seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Matos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matos regains full guard. Nicely done.

Matos is looking for a triangle here but Coll uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Coll wants to stand but Matos is controlling his arm.
Matos sneaks back into half guard.
Coll is keen to just control but Matos is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Optus Coll dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Matos fails with the takedown

and Coll counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Coll manages to break the clinch.
Xaduba Matos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Matos circles away from the clinch attempt.
Matos misses with a takedown

and Coll counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Coll.

Matos breaks from the clinch.
Matos shoots and misses
and Coll counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Optus Coll has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xaduba Matos.

Coll closes the distance and clinches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Coll stalls.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Coll looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Matos!
Matos tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Coll trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Coll raining down shots from the mount!
Matos wants to hold on but Coll pushes him away.
Coll tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matos tries to strike from the bottom but he's left himself exposed and Coll has taken his back.
Matos rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Coll seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Matos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Matos gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coll pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Matos is keeping the position for now.

Matos looking for subs off his back but Coll has passed one foot through into half guard.
Coll works his way into side control.
Coll working the head with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Matos is looking for a sweep.
Coll looks up at the clock and then as Matos takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Coll smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Coll tries to advance to mount but Matos denies him.
Coll throws an elbow but Matos slips to the side and avoids it well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Coll trying to control the action but Matos is working from the bottom.
Optus Coll overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Coll tries to score with some ground and pound. Matos controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Optus Coll showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Coll has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Optus Coll!