PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Usko Matonen (ranked 1177 p4p, 72 weight class) and Tom Thomas (ranked 1348 p4p, 84 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Matonen
vs
Thomas

165 cm
31
140 lbs
13 - 8 - 1

160 cm
33
140 lbs
22 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Arcticus University: London

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 13 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Usko Matonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 15 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matonen is looking to slow Thomas down with leg kicks.
Good work by Thomas as he checks the leg kick.
Thomas blocks a head kick by Matonen.
Matonen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Thomas.
A thudding body kick lands there by Matonen!
Thomas throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
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.
Thomas stuns Matonen with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Thomas keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Matonen misses with a body kick.
Thomas ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Thomas misses with a body kick.
Thomas lands a right hook to the body.
Matonen throws a predictable looking body shot
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Matonen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Matonen looks to land a body kick but Thomas moved away.
Matonen misses with a hook

and Thomas holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Come on Thomas - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Thomas breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas misses with a straight right.
Matonen moves out of range as Thomas strikes.
A big left from Thomas misses.
Matonen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Thomas.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Matonen lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Thomas has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Thomas and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Thomas misses with a straight left.
A shot to the liver by Matonen. Beautiful body shot.
Matonen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thomas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thomas moves out of range of the body kick from Matonen.
Thomas lands a nice looking body shot.
Matonen pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Matonen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Matonen tries to clinch but Thomas moves out of range.
Matonen throws a body shot but no joy.
Thomas is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Matonen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Thomas.
A little feinted left hand from Matonen on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A nice combination there by Matonen.
Matonen swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Thomas throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Matonen stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Nice jab there from Thomas.
Matonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thomas manages to avoid it.
A punch lands to the side of Thomas 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Matonen misses with a lunging right hand
and Thomas counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Matonen moves out of range of the strikes.
Thomas ducks under a wild hook from Matonen.
Matonen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Thomas. Thomas circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Thomas misses with an uppercut. Matonen saw that one coming.
Thomas throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Matonen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Matonen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Matonen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Thomas manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Matonen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nice straight punches there by Thomas. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Thomas.
Matonen throws a body punch but Thomas moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Thomas. Matonen does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Matonen drives through and clinches with Thomas against the cage.
Matonen misses with the head strike.
A short left from Matonen.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Matonen.
A head punch on the inside from Matonen fails to land.
Thomas is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Matonen is keeping busy.
Matonen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Thomas misses with a hook to the ribs.
Thomas blocks an uppercut.
Matonen digs a right hand into Thomas's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Thomas's gas tank.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Thomas misses with a hook to the ribs.

Matonen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Thomas.
Thomas moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Matonen scores with a shot to the body.
Matonen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thomas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thomas is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Thomas throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Thomas.
Matonen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Matonen lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thomas throws a jab when Matonen was well out of range.
Matonen takes one to the side of the head.
Thomas pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Matonen swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Thomas swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Thomas misses with an uppercut. Matonen saw that one coming.
Thomas connects with a single shot there.
Thomas misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thomas swings for the body but Matonen moves out of range.
Thomas takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Thomas throws an overhand right that lands on Matonen's shoulder, as Matonen tries to avoid the shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jab from Matonen.
Matonen misses with a low kick.
Thomas throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tom Thomas will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Matonen misses with a hook. Thomas ducked under it nicely.
Matonen walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Matonen lands with a thumping leg kick.
A combination from Matonen does no damage.
Thomas was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Matonen slips under a jab.
Matonen scoring well with a low kick there.
Matonen tries to clinch but Thomas moves out of range.
Matonen throws a leg kick but Thomas sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Matonen, as that shot connected.
Thomas throws a sloppy body shot
letting Matonen counter with a right hand.
Matonen misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thomas darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Thomas looks to throw the jab but Matonen is out of range.
Thomas waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Matonen.
Thomas misses with a looping right.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Matonen throws an overhand right that lands on Thomas's shoulder, as Thomas tries to avoid the shot.
A bone on bone clash there as Thomas blocks the leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matonen turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Thomas lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Matonen at a distance.
Thomas misses with a wild body shot.
Matonen throws a quick counter kick to the body but Thomas avoids it.
Thomas misses with a straight right.
Thomas looks to land a combination but Matonen avoids it well.

Matonen has closed the distance and engaged Thomas in a clinch.
Thomas lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A short right from Thomas.
Thomas swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Matonen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fighters circling - Thomas throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Matonen blocks a jab.
Matonen misses with a wild combination.
Matonen misses with a wild body shot.
Thomas misses with an uppercut. Matonen saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas chopping away at his opponent's legs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Matonen misses with a low kick.
Matonen throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Thomas looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Matonen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Thomas checks it well.
A little jabbing left from Thomas on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Thomas has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Matonen.
Matonen misses with a hook. Thomas ducked under it nicely.
Matonen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thomas circles away quickly and effectively.
Thomas looks to land a combination. Matonen sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Thomas throws a big shot that misses.
Thomas tries to score with a low kick but Matonen moves his leg out of the way.
Thomas will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Matonen throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Thomas flicks out a counter leg kick but Matonen steps away.
Matonen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thomas was well out of range. Poor timing from Matonen.
Usko Matonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thomas takes a swing at Matonen's ribcage but misses.
Tom Thomas seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thomas cracks Matonen with an open hand slap.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Matonen moves out of range of the strikes.
Matonen tries to bum rush Thomas with a series of wild strikes but Thomas uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Thomas connects with a body shot.
Matonen tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thomas throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Thomas keeps the fight on the outside.
Thomas looks to throw the jab but Matonen is out of range.
Thomas throws out a loose jab but Matonen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Matonen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Matonen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Thomas throws out the jab.
Thomas 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.
Thomas takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Matonen fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas lands with an overhand left.
Matonen on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Matonen walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Thomas checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Thomas throws out a counter right but Matonen avoids it with no problem.

Matonen moves into the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Thomas.
Thomas lands with a right to the head.
Matonen misses with a punch on the inside.

Matonen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thomas misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Matonen.
An attempted straight right counter from Matonen misses the target.
Matonen lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Thomas backs up against the cage.
Matonen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Thomas has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Matonen.
Thomas just misses with a punch to the body.
Matonen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Matonen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Thomas.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matonen throws a leg kick but Thomas moved away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tom Thomas will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Matonen on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Thomas misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Matonen.
Matonen half committed to a counter leg kick.
Thomas misses with a hook.
Thomas avoids the head kick by Matonen.
Thomas looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Matonen clinches up against the cage.
A short right from Thomas on the inside.
Matonen pressing his opponent against the cage.

Matonen manages to break the clinch.
Matonen staying out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thomas throws a nice outside leg kick.
Thomas throws a jab but it's blocked by Matonen.
Thomas tries to clinch but Matonen moves out of range.
Matonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thomas manages to avoid it.

Thomas tries to keep at a distance but Matonen has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas misses with a punch to the body.
Thomas misses with a body punch.
A short right from Thomas on the inside.
Thomas has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Matonen seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Thomas can turn it around.

Thomas breaks from the clinch.
Matonen scores with a leg kick.
Matonen gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Thomas counters with a straight right hand.
Thomas scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Thomas misses with an uppercut
and Matonen counters with a good low kick that Thomas was not able to check.
Thomas throws an off balance right hand
and Matonen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Matonen throws a leg kick which misses Thomas's front leg but catches the back leg as Thomas tries to avoid it.
Matonen misses with a straight right.
Thomas misses with an uppercut. Matonen saw that one coming.
Thomas with a hook.
A telegraphed right hand from Matonen misses the target.
Thomas lands a nice looking body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thomas keeps the fight on the outside.
Thomas rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
letting Matonen counter with a right hand.
Thomas ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Matonen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Matonen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Thomas throws the left hand but Matonen avoids the punch easily.
Matonen drops his hands momentarily and Thomas takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Thomas comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Thomas ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A combination from Matonen does no damage.
Thomas throws out a loose jab but Matonen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Matonen is looking to clinch.
Thomas misses with an uppercut.
An attempted straight right counter from Matonen misses the target.
Matonen lands a glancing blow to the side of Thomas's head.
Matonen takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Usko Matonen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matonen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Matonen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Thomas to score with a decent uppercut.
Thomas misses with a wild body shot.
Matonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thomas manages to avoid it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Thomas! But no joy.
Matonen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Thomas.
A counter left hand to the body from Matonen misses its target.
Thomas takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Matonen looks to land a right hand but Thomas moved out of range.
Matonen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Matonen looks to land a right hand but Thomas moved out of range.
The fighters circling - Thomas throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Thomas misses with a wild combination.
Matonen throwing a counter right hand but Thomas manages to avoid it.
Thomas jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Matonen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thomas.
Thomas takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Tom Thomas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matonen ducks under a wild hook from Thomas.
A jab from Matonen misses.
Thomas tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Matonen was well out of range. Poor timing from Thomas.
Thomas jabs at Matonen's body.
Matonen ducks right into an uppercut from Thomas.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thomas dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Thomas keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Matonen lands a nice looking body shot.
Matonen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thomas misses with a hook. Matonen ducked under it nicely.
Thomas avoids the body shot from Matonen.
Matonen throws a head kick that misses.
Thomas appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Thomas lands with an overhand left.
Thomas takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Matonen misses with a jab, cross combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tom Thomas.
I've got Thomas 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:28

The fight is ruled a draw!