PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gary Bellamy (ranked 5313 p4p, 5002 weight class) and Mario Thomas (ranked 546 p4p, 527 weight class). Mario Thomas has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bellamy
vs
Thomas

181 cm
22
157
3 - 1 - 0

172 cm
24
160
4 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gary Bellamy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mario Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bellamy wants to clinch up but Thomas keeps it at a distance.
Gary Bellamy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bellamy avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Bellamy lands the left hand.
Thomas scores with a crisp jab that stopped Bellamy in his tracks.
Bellamy connects with a nice looking jab.
Thomas looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Bellamy throws a right hand that misses
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bellamy throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bellamy fails to land with a series of punches.
Thomas throws a shot from downtown. Bellamy moves away and avoids it.
Thomas throws a jab but it's blocked by Bellamy.
Bellamy connects with a good right hand that stumbles Thomas. Thomas circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Bellamy forces Thomas back against the cage and clinches.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Bellamy creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Bellamy pressing his opponent against the cage.

Bellamy breaks the clinch.
Thomas fails to land with a series of punches.
Bellamy looks to score with a jab to the body but Thomas is just out of range.
Bellamy swinging wildly here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bellamy is looking to clinch.
Thomas lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bellamy. Thomas does a little dance to reset his feet.
Thomas misses with a few strikes there.
Mario Thomas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The fighters circling - Thomas throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Thomas smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Thomas lands with a shot to the body.
Thomas with a nice cross.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thomas throws a series of punches but Bellamy moves out of range.
Bellamy misses with an uppercut
and Thomas cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bellamy shoots in looking for a takedown. Thomas tries to sprawl out of it but Bellamy keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Thomas manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bellamy throws a sloppy body shot
and Thomas connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bellamy fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Thomas.
Thomas moves away from the strike by Bellamy.
Thomas is looking for the big counter here.
Bellamy swinging wildly here.
Bellamy misses with a lunging right hand
and Thomas counters with a two punch combo.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bellamy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thomas feints a jab promting Bellamy to slip. Thomas then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Bellamy slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bellamy throws out a loose jab but Thomas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bellamy shoots for a takedown but Thomas saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Bellamy shoots and misses
and Thomas counters with a right hand to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gary Bellamy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bellamy throws the left hand but Thomas avoids the punch easily.
Bellamy lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Bellamy dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Thomas. That did some damage!
Bellamy falls off balance throwing a combination
and Thomas counters with a right hand to the body.
Bellamy keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Thomas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Thomas dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Bellamy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thomas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bellamy throws a right hand that Thomas ducks under and follows up with a left that Thomas also avoids with ease.
Bellamy connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Thomas misses with a straight right.
Bellamy is looking to counter the offense by Thomas and move into the clinch.
Bellamy takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Bellamy staying out of range there.
Thomas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bellamy lunges at Thomas with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Thomas's hand.
Bellamy connects with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bellamy is looking to chop away at Thomas's legs.
Thomas misses with a wild combination.
Bellamy appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Bellamy goes for a double leg but Thomas avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Thomas continues to drive forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas misses with a wild body shot.
Bellamy scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Bellamy looks to score with a jab to the body but Thomas is just out of range.
Thomas looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Mario Thomas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bellamy misses with a jab to the body
and Thomas counters with a straight right hand.
Bellamy throws a series of punches but Thomas avoids them all with ease.
Thomas now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
A punch combination from Thomas misses.
Bellamy throws a sloppy body shot
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thomas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bellamy bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Bellamy throws a leg kick but Thomas moved away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas lands with an uppercut that bounces Bellamy off the cage and back into range.
Mario Thomas seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bellamy moves in looking to clinch but Thomas pushes him off.
Thomas looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A slow jab from Bellamy misses its intended target.
Thomas is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Bellamy with a body shot.
Thomas throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
The fighters circling - Bellamy throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bellamy fails with the takedown
and Thomas counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thomas throws a hook to the side of Bellamy's head but Bellamy sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Bellamy fires out a quick counter leg kick but Thomas just manages to avoid it.
Bellamy shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thomas as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gary Bellamy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thomas takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Bellamy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bellamy looks to land a combination but Thomas avoids it well.
Thomas might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Thomas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A little feinted left hand from Bellamy on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Thomas misses with a double jab
and Bellamy counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Thomas jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bellamy throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Thomas connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A swing and a miss from Bellamy.
Thomas misses with a looping left.
Bellamy with a nice cross.
Bellamy lands a jab to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Bellamy backs up against the cage.
Bellamy moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Thomas swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thomas throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bellamy moves out of range as Thomas strikes.
Bellamy misses with a takedown attempt - Thomas sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Thomas looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Bellamy drives through and clinches with Thomas against the cage.
Thomas is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Thomas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Bellamy connects with an inside leg kick.
Thomas has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Bellamy takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Bellamy throws out a powerful jab.
Bellamy closes the distance but Thomas moves to the side
and Bellamy takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nice body punch from Thomas.
Thomas keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bellamy.
Bellamy needs to keep his hands up - Thomas had a free shot at his head there.
Bellamy misses with a body shot.
Bellamy throws a left and a right that both miss

and Thomas counters with a crisp one two that drops Bellamy! Thomas thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Bellamy to his feet! Bellamy is in big trouble!

Bellamy is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Bellamy misses
letting Thomas counter with a right hand.
Oh Bellamy is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Bellamy tries to land a leg kick but Thomas saw it coming and moves away.
Thomas let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Bellamy is looking to clinch.
Thomas swings for the body but Bellamy moves out of range.
Bellamy finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Thomas unleashes a big counter combination but Bellamy bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Bellamy throws a poor cross that misses
and Thomas counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Bellamy seems to have got his legs back now.
Bellamy swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Thomas counters with a left to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bellamy tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thomas swivels and escapes.
Thomas looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Bellamy throws a right hand that misses
and Thomas counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thomas uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bellamy.
Bellamy has his takedown stuffed
and Thomas counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas thuds a left hand into Bellamy's body.
Bellamy walks into a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A punch combination from Thomas misses.
A right-left combo lands from Thomas.
Bellamy wants to slow Thomas down by chopping away at his legs.
Bellamy tries to clinch but Thomas moves away
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thomas scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Thomas uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bellamy.
Bellamy misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bellamy with a poor takedown
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gary Bellamy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bellamy fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thomas manages to avoid it.
Thomas doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Bellamy looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Bellamy misses with a looping left.
Bellamy throws a leg kick
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bellamy is looking to clinch.
Bellamy works the jab nicely.
Bellamy misses with a jab to the body
and Thomas counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Thomas, as that shot connected.
Bellamy wants to clinch but Thomas slips to the side
and Thomas counters with a straight right hand.
Thomas misses with a two punch combination.
Gary Bellamy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bellamy 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.
Thomas throws a series of punches but Bellamy moves out of range.
Bellamy fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thomas manages to avoid it.
Thomas scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Bellamy moves into the clinch.
Bellamy is struggling to control the position.
Bellamy content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Bellamy misses with a hook to the ribs.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bellamy can't find room to land a body shot as Thomas controls the action.

Bellamy manages to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mario Thomas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mario Thomas!
During a confident post fight interview, Mario Thomas thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.