PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tyson Iii (ranked 4604 p4p, 4656 weight class) and Max Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Iii
vs
Thompson

193 cm
25
272
0 - 0 - 0

196 cm
18
225
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tyson Iii!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Max Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Stewart Dunkirk and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thompson fails to land the takedown.
As Thompson tries to get set, Iii tries to push him back and clinch up but Thompson manages to avoid the attempt.
Thompson wants to clinch up but Iii keeps it at a distance.

Thompson takes the fight into the clinch.
Iii using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thompson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Iii is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Iii tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Thompson smiles and moves away.
Iii fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thompson closes the distance and pushes Iii back into the cage.
Iii with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Thompson wants a takedown.
Thompson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Iii tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Thompson smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson tries to clinch up but Iii circles away and keeps his distance.
Thompson misses with a takedown
and Iii connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

It looks like Max Thompson has been cut.
Tyson Iii has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Max Thompson.
Iii tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Thompson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Thompson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Thompson as Iii shoots in.
Thompson throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Iii counters with a left and a right that stings Thompson.
Thompson tries a head kick but it misses.
Iii drops down looking for a counter takedown but Thompson sprawls and moves away.

Iii gets a takedown into half guard.
Thompson missing with punches from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Iii keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Thompson punching from the bottom.
Iii prevents Thompson from standing back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thompson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Iii showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Iii has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson throws the left hand but Iii avoids the punch easily.
Thompson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Iii moves into the clinch.
Thompson can't find room to land a body shot as Iii controls the action.
Iii is trying to pull guard but Thompson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Iii misses with a punch to the body.
Iii tries to break the clinch but Thompson is controlling the position.
Iii is breathing heavily.
Iii with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Thompson is looking to take this one to the mat.

Thompson gets control of Iii's arms and successfully pulls guard. Thompson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Iii.
Iii is stalling in the full guard.
Thompson wants to stand and escape but Iii is having none of it.
Thompson trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Iii preventing the sweep.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Thompson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Iii would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tyson Iii dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Max Thompson's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Iii tries to clinch but Thompson is having none of it.

Thompson clinches.
Thompson is trying to break the clinch but Iii has him pressed against the cage.

Thompson manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Iii would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Iii throws a big right hand that misses.
Thompson keeping moving, preventing Iii from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Iii engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Iii knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Thompson on the ground.
Iii preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Thompson has his feet on Iii's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Iii misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Iii feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Thompson manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is trying to break the clinch but Iii is controlling him.
Iii pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Thompson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Iii pulls his leg out and moves away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jab by Thompson.
Iii tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Iii shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Thompson sprawls well. Thompson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Iii gets slowly back to his feet.
Iii shoots in for a takedown but Thompson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tyson Iii. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thompson rushes Iii and presses him up against the cage.
Thompson is trying to push Iii away but Iii has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Thompson has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Iii after a bit of a struggle.

Thompson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Horrible takedown attempt by Thompson or perhaps it was just good defense by Iii, which made it look bad.
Thompson throws a body punch but Iii moves out of range.

Thompson rushes Iii and presses him up against the cage.
Iii keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Thompson's efforts to push away.
Iii is trying to maintain a safe position but Thompson gets an underhook and turns Iii into the cage.
Thompson tries to circle away but Iii has him pinned against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thompson breaks the clinch.

Thompson takes the fight into the clinch.

Thompson pulls guard effortlessly.

Thompson wriggles free and stands up.
Thompson misses with the combination.
Iii feinted with a counter takedown.
Iii displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Thompson.

Thompson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Iii, pushing him back against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Max Thompson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Max Thompson's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Iii wants to clinch.
Iii misses with a takedown attempt
and Thompson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Iii tries to clinch but Thompson moves away
and Thompson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Thompson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Iii counters with a one-two to the body.
Iii fails to land the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thompson throws a combination that misses
and Iii counters with a one-two to the body.
Thompson is looking to clinch.
Iii appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Thompson has managed to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson is looking to break free of the clinch but Iii has double underhooks.
Thompson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Iii avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Iii keeps control of Thompson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Thompson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Iii tries to clinch but Thompson moves out of range.
Thompson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Iii manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Thompson fails with a takedown attempt.
Tyson Iii has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Max Thompson.
The fight stays on the outside here - Iii looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
No joy there for Thompson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Thompson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Thompson misses with a takedown
and Iii counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Thompson stuffs the takedown attempt from Iii. Iii gets slowly back to his feet.
Iii stuffs the takedown.
It appears Iii was looking to counter with a kick there.
Thompson throws a head kick but Iii moves out of range.
Thompson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thompson with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Iii to score with a decent uppercut.
Thompson blocks a head kick by Iii.
Iii shoots in but no luck this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Iii circles away quickly and effectively.
Thompson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Thompson wants to clinch.
Iii throws a big counter combination but Thompson scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Thompson goes for a double leg but Iii avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Iii continues to drive forward.
Iii goes for a double leg but Thompson avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Thompson continues to drive forward.
And Thompson tries to counter it with a takedown but Iii pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Thompson jumps into guard, dragging Iii to the mat.
Iii postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Iii has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Thompson is proving hard to escape from.

Thompson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Max Thompson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Iii not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thompson has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tyson Iii.
I think Iii has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Tyson Iii!