PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Icarus Aphelios (ranked 3973 p4p, 3941 weight class) and Kody Thibodeaux (ranked 493 p4p, 491 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Aphelios
vs
Thibodeaux

191 cm
19
200
2 - 2 - 0

188 cm
19
189
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Icarus Aphelios!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kody Thibodeaux!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Ivan Kurochkin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Aphelios closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Thibodeaux's guard.
Aphelios with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aphelios passes into half guard.
Aphelios content to control rather than advance.
Aphelios missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
We've been hearing good reports from Aphelios's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aphelios performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Aphelios working Thibodeaux over with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aphelios takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Thibodeaux looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Aphelios lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Aphelios passes to side control.
Thibodeaux takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Aphelios staying calm.
Aphelios scores with punches from side control.
Aphelios working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thibodeaux on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Thibodeaux takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Aphelios takes a little break here. Thibodeaux wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Thibodeaux taking a bit of punishment here - Aphelios scoring with strikes.
Thibodeaux on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Aphelios is working Thibodeaux over with some ground and pound from side control.
Aphelios lands an elbow.
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!
Aphelios lands a decent elbow from side control.
Aphelios moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thibodeaux gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Aphelios lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Thibodeaux taking shots to the head.
Aphelios looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aphelios looking to finish Thibodeaux with some ground and pound. This is bad for Thibodeaux!
Thibodeaux is bucking up trying to escape but Aphelios cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Aphelios has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Aphelios landing strikes from the mount and Thibodeaux is in trouble!

Thibodeaux is rocked!
Aphelios breaks from Thibodeaux's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Thibodeaux is still in real trouble! Can Aphelios finish him?
This has been an exciting period of action!
Aphelios postures up and throws a couple of big shots that have Thibodeaux in real trouble here! The ref calls for Thibodeaux to improve his position which he doesn't do, so the referee has no choice but to end the fight due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Icarus Aphelios!