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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Usko Matonen (ranked 744 p4p, 40 weight class) and Tony Bunker (ranked 369 p4p, 22 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!
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| 165 cm
29
140 lbs
12 - 6 - 1 |
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173 cm
32
144 lbs
28 - 14 - 3 |
Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Olympic wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank |
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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
12 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Usko Matonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
28 - 14 - 3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tony Bunker!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Chris Downing and Gwen Towbar.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bunker misses with a left hand
and Matonen counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Bunker misses with a hook.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Bunker, as that shot connected.
Matonen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bunker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tony Bunker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Matonen wants to clinch up but Bunker keeps it at a distance.
Bunker throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bunker throws a head kick that misses
and Bunker takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Matonen throws the kick towards the body but Bunker avoids it.
Bunker looks to score with a jab to the body but Matonen is just out of range.
A quick step to the side and Matonen tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matonen clinches with his opponent.
A shot in the inside from Bunker.
Matonen pressing his opponent against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Matonen has a couple of punches blocked by Bunker.
Bunker lands an uppercut.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Bunker has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Bunker creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Matonen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Matonen misses with some punches.
Bunker throws a punch but it's blocked by Matonen.
Matonen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Matonen throws a punch but it's blocked by Bunker.
Matonen is pressed up against the cage. Bunker has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Matonen down to the mat. Matonen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bunker moves out of range of the leg kick from Matonen.
Bunker throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Matonen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bunker cracks Matonen with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bunker bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Bunker throws a leg kick that misses.
Matonen looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Matonen has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Bunker dips to his left and cracks Matonen with an uppercut!
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bunker bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Bunker swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bunker scores with a decent looking hook.
Matonen takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Bunker fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Matonen manages to avoid it.
Matonen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bunker.
Matonen lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Matonen loads up on a big right hand but Bunker slips the punch.
Matonen moves away from the strike by Bunker.
An attempted straight right counter from Matonen misses the target.
Matonen looks for the body kick but Bunker saw that one coming.
Bunker shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Bunker showed some decent athleticism there.
Matonen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bunker.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bunker seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Matonen regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Bunker.
Matonen is adopting a defensive guard.
Bunker loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Bunker working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Matonen trying to keep a closed guard but Bunker is proving a slippery customer.
Bunker wants to control from the top but Matonen keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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.
Matonen is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Matonen misses with a body shot.
Bunker takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Bunker ducks right into an uppercut from Matonen.
Matonen stuffs the takedown attempt from Bunker. Bunker gets slowly back to his feet.
Matonen throws a sloppy head kick
enabling Bunker to counter with a crisp jab.
Bunker shoots in and drives through. Matonen sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Tony Bunker dominated that round.
That's time! Matonen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.
Bunker scores with a leg kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Bunker checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Bunker with a hook.
Matonen tries to clinch up but Bunker circles away and keeps his distance.
Bunker shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Matonen tries a low kick but Bunker avoids it.
Matonen jabs Bunker to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Bunker throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Matonen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
As Bunker backs away, Matonen returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matonen connects with a single shot there.
Bunker fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Matonen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
It seemed like Bunker was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Matonen misses with a looping right.
Matonen backing away here, and Bunker unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Bunker throws a head kick that Matonen semi-blocks.
Tony Bunker seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Matonen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Bunker has time to react.
Bunker throws out a loose jab but Matonen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Matonen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Usko Matonen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bunker lands a body shot.
Bunker keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Matonen is looking to clinch but Bunker is avoiding it.
Bunker was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Good shot there by Matonen.
Bunker shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Matonen throws a jab but it's blocked by Bunker.
Bunker feints a counter leg kick.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matonen takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Matonen cracks Bunker with a good jab.
Bunker has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Bunker ducks under a wild hook from Matonen.
Bunker misses with a low kick.
Bunker swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Matonen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bunker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bunker lands a jab to Matonen's midsection.
Matonen slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Horrible takedown attempt by Bunker or perhaps it was just good defense by Matonen, which made it look bad.
Matonen thinks about countering with a head kick.
Usko Matonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Bunker.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Bunker misses its intended target.
Bunker moves away from the strike by Matonen.
Bunker let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Bunker connects with a nice looking jab.
Matonen tries to sprawl but Bunker drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Matonen wants to improve his position but Bunker is controlling well.
Matonen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bunker.
Matonen manages to get to full guard.
Bunker distracts Matonen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bunker cracks Matonen with a solid left hand.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matonen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Bunker trying to control from the bottom.
Bunker keeping hold of Matonen's head, controlling as best he can.
Matonen trying to control the pace.
Bunker tries to get to full guard but Matonen has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Tony Bunker will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!
Matonen slips under a jab.
The fighters circle momentarily. Bunker darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Bunker throws a leg kick
and Matonen counters with a nice uppercut.
Matonen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bunker.
Matonen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Bunker.
Bunker blocks a head kick by Matonen.
Matonen misses with a straight right.
Matonen tries to clinch but Bunker moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bunker throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Matonen.
Bunker looks to score with a jab to the body but Matonen is just out of range.
Bunker tries for a takedown but Matonen circles away easily
and Matonen counters with a straight right hand.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Bunker throws a quick inside leg kick.
Matonen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Matonen wants it to stay on the feet.
Matonen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Matonen connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Bunker cracks Matonen with a good jab.
Matonen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bunker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Matonen throws a leg kick
and Bunker counters with a nice uppercut.
Bunker buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Matonen.
Bunker changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Matonen tries to avoid it but Bunker manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Matonen to the ground. Matonen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Usko Matonen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Bunker.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Matonen misses.
Matonen throws a head kick but Bunker moves out of range.
Matonen fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Bunker looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Matonen throws a head kick but Bunker moves out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice shot lands for Matonen.
Bunker works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Bunker lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Tony Bunker is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bunker thumps Matonen with a low kick.
Matonen throws a head kick that half lands.
A combination from Matonen does no damage.
Usko Matonen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bunker smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Bunker misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Matonen.
Bunker misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Matonen misses with an uppercut. Bunker saw that one coming.
Bunker on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Matonen throws a leg kick that misses.
Bunker misses with a hook to the body
and Matonen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Matonen 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.
Bunker scores with a jab to the body.
Matonen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Matonen thows a leg kick but Bunker checks it
and Matonen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matonen connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Bunker's hands.
A telegraphed right hand from Matonen misses the target.
Bunker punishes Matonen's body with a nice straight punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Matonen looks to land a left hand but Bunker moved out of range nicely.
Bunker fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Matonen is out of range.
Bunker punishes Matonen's body with a nice straight punch.
Matonen dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bunker. That did some damage!
Matonen on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Matonen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Matonen throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tony Bunker.
I've got Bunker 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:29
In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Tony Bunker!
A relieved looking Tony Bunker thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
53% |
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