PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Richard Laithwaite (ranked 2569 p4p, 25313 weight class) and Ieuan Thomas (ranked 270 p4p, 484 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Laithwaite
vs
Thomas

173 cm
25
151
2 - 0 - 0

168 cm
25
151
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Richard Laithwaite!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Ieuan Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Columbo Gatti and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Laithwaite drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Laithwaite moves into the clinch.
Thomas is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Laithwaite to keep the fight standing.
Thomas throws an elbow but it misses.
Thomas is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Laithwaite looking for a takedown.

Laithwaite pulls Thomas into guard.
Thomas sitting in guard here, content to control.
Thomas sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Laithwaite's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thomas is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Thomas is looking for a kimura but Laithwaite is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Thomas to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laithwaite has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Thomas is working away from the top position though.
Thomas trying to control the pace.

Thomas wants to work for an arm triangle but Laithwaite is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Laithwaite 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 not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Thomas is looking to pass Laithwaite's guard but actually Laithwaite recovers to full guard.
Thomas wants to control from the top but Laithwaite keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Laithwaite looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Laithwaite working a defensive guard here.
Thomas trying to move into half guard but instead Laithwaite has managed to sweep!

Laithwaite pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thomas is keeping the position for now.

Thomas is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Laithwaite is aware though and is defending well.

Thomas has his foot on Laithwaite's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Laithwaite works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas trying to strike off his back.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thomas is pulling down on Laithwaite's head. It's preventing any offense from Laithwaite, at least for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Laithwaite sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Thomas's guard.
Thomas is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Thomas keeps trying to improve his position.

Laithwaite is looking for a kimura but Thomas is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Laithwaite to get the leverage.
We've been informed that Thomas has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Thomas moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

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.
Laithwaite scoring with punches to the head and body.
Laithwaite scoring with some ground and pound.
Thomas is trying to keep Laithwaite in close.

Thomas is looking for a triangle but Laithwaite pushes his legs off easily.
Laithwaite pushes down on Thomas's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Thomas is trying to control but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thomas is staying active underneath Laithwaite, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Thomas is trying to get back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Richard Laithwaite will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Laithwaite with a poor takedown
and Laithwaite takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Laithwaite wants to clinch but Thomas slips to the side

and Thomas counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Thomas is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Laithwaite is looking for a sweep. Thomas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Thomas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Laithwaite trying to control from the bottom.

Thomas is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Laithwaite keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laithwaite wants to get back to full guard.
Laithwaite wants to control the action here but instead Thomas manages to pass to full mount!
Laithwaite holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Thomas tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas controlling the position easily from mount.
Thomas is trying to take his opponent's back.

Thomas jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Laithwaite manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Ieuan Thomas has got the better of the ground game so far.
Thomas is looking to take a break and control but Laithwaite is keeping him honest, looking to work 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.
Laithwaite struggling a bit here.
Thomas wants to lay and pray for a moment but Laithwaite keeps working.
Laithwaite is trying to escape the position but Thomas is controlling the position.
Laithwaite is looking for a sweep.
Laithwaite can't do much from the bottom here.
Thomas tries to advance position but instead Laithwaite slips a leg back in to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas tries to pass to full mount but Laithwaite defends it.
Laithwaite is trying to maintain the position but Thomas is very close to passing his half guard.
Laithwaite works his way to full guard. Good work.
Thomas trying to control but Laithwaite is working from the bottom.

Thomas drops back, looking for a kneebar! Laithwaite looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Laithwaite looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Laithwaite!

Laithwaite trying to control the action but Thomas is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Laithwaite tries for a kimura but Thomas is defending well.
Laithwaite has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Thomas!
Laithwaite pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Laithwaite takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Laithwaite trying to control but Thomas is having none of it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ieuan Thomas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Laithwaite 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 looks for a takedown but Laithwaite sprawls well.
Laithwaite fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thomas misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A bone on bone clash there as Thomas blocks the leg kick.

Laithwaite clinches up with Thomas and pushes him back against the cage.
Laithwaite avoiding damage as Thomas throws knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thomas has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Laithwaite after a bit of a struggle.
Richard Laithwaite has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ieuan Thomas.

Laithwaite jumps into guard, dragging Thomas to the mat.
Laithwaite is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Thomas controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laithwaite looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Laithwaite being controlled here, momentarily.
Thomas looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Laithwaite tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Laithwaite keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Laithwaite lands a jab followed by a vicious hook that sends Thomas sprawling to the canvas. Laithwaite follows him down, looking for the kill. Can Thomas hang on?

Thomas is rocked!

It looks like Ieuan Thomas has been cut.

Laithwaite is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Thomas trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Laithwaite.
Laithwaite prevents Thomas from improving his position.
Laithwaite trying to pass the guard but Thomas defending well.
Thomas regains full guard. Nicely done.
Laithwaite is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Thomas had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Laithwaite defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laithwaite trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Laithwaite stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thomas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thomas wants to sweep here but Laithwaite controlling him for the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Thomas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Laithwaite can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Richard Laithwaite showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Laithwaite 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Richard Laithwaite!