PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Carlos Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tj Thai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Nelson
vs
Thai

185 cm
20
185 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

178 cm
20
190 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Carlos Nelson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tj Thai!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thai throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

It looks like Carlos Nelson has been cut.
Nelson misses with a takedown attempt - Thai sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Thai tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nelson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thai looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nelson blocks a head kick by Thai.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thai looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nelson has a takedown stuffed.
Nelson shoots in for a takedown but Thai shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carlos Nelson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nelson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Thai tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nelson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thai tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thai throws a right and a left that Nelson avoids nicely.
Thai will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nelson misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai wants to clinch up but Nelson keeps it at a distance.
Thai misses with a head kick.
Thai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thai moves in looking to clinch but Nelson pushes him off.
Tj Thai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nelson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Thai.
Thai looks gassed!
A combination from Nelson does no damage.

Thai instigates a clinch.

Thai breaks from the clinch.
Thai tries to clinch but Nelson moves out of range.
Nelson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nice uppercut lands for Thai. That snapped Nelson's head back.

Nelson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Thai gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Nelson trying to control but Thai is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thai is looking to improve his position but Nelson isn't that keen on the idea.

Nelson has control of Thai's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Thai regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Nelson connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Nelson trying to control but Thai is having none of it.
Thai tries to buck Nelson off but he can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Thai is wriggling around trying to escape.
Nelson tries to control but Thai wriggling away.
Thai slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Thai is trying to stand.

Nelson is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Thai doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nelson.
Nelson lands with a punch from half guard.
Thai is trying to get back to full guard.
Thai pushes Nelson off looking to stand but Nelson dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Thai moves into full guard.
Nelson content to stall in guard here.
Thai is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nelson is controlling him.
Nelson trying to control the position from guard on top but Thai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nelson scoring with punches to the head and body.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thai looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nelson advances position into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tj Thai dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Carlos Nelson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Thai is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Thai throws a sloppy head kick and Nelson moves out of range easily.

Nelson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Nelson advances to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Nelson stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Thai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thai throws a half hearted mid kick.
Thai tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thai tries to clinch but Nelson is having none of it.
Tj Thai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Nelson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Nelson prevents Thai from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai is refusing to be controlled, as Nelson sits in half guard.

Thai is defending against the submission attempts here by Nelson.
Nelson trying to mount his opponent but Thai defends it.

Thai pushes Nelson off and gets back to his feet.
Thai is looking to clinch.
Thai looks to land a body kick but Nelson moved away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thai looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nelson moves out of range of the strikes.

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.
Nelson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thai moves away.
Nelson has a takedown stuffed.
Nelson takes one to the side of the head.
Nelson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thai swivels and escapes.
Nelson avoids the head kick by Thai.
Nelson fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carlos Nelson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nelson takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Nelson checks a leg kick.

Nelson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Nelson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nelson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nelson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Thai wants to get back to his feet but Nelson drags him back down.

Nelson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Thai has escaped the position, nice work there.

Nelson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Thai sneaks out the side door and pushes Nelson away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

That's four 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.
Nelson shoots in for a takedown but Thai shows good takedown defense.
Thai keeps Nelson at a distance using the push kick.
Thai throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Thai.
Thai tries to clinch up but Nelson circles away and keeps his distance.
Nelson shoots in for a takedown but Thai shows good takedown defense.
Thai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thai tries to clinch but Nelson is having none of it.
Thai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nice takedown defense from Thai. No joy for Nelson on that attempt.
Nelson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thai plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Nelson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carlos Nelson dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Carlos Nelson's cut.
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!

Thai tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thai lands with a nice body kick.
Nelson shoots for a double leg takedown but Thai sprawls well. He's pushed Nelson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thai throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Thai tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nelson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thai moves in looking to clinch but Nelson pushes him off.

Thai instigates a clinch.
Nelson looking for a takedown.
Nelson scores with a shot to the side of Thai's head.
Thai lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Thai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nelson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nelson walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Thai keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carlos Nelson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nelson tries for a takedown but Thai sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai tries to clinch up.
Thai scores with a head kick.
Nelson blocks a head kick by Thai.
Nelson tries for a takedown but Thai sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Thai takes the fight into the clinch.
Nelson can't get the takedown.
Nelson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Nelson jumps guard.

Nelson is working an open guard so Thai takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Nelson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Thai tries to clinch but Nelson is having none of it.
Thai throws a sloppy head kick and Nelson moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nelson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nelson on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Thai scores with a leg kick.
Thai has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Nelson blocks a head kick by Thai.
Nelson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Thai tries to avoid it but Nelson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Thai to the ground. Thai escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nelson blocks the body kick.
A head kick misses from Thai.

Nelson feints and as Thai raises his hands in defense, Nelson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Thai can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Nelson controls the pace.
Thai is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nelson is controlling him.
Thai tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Nelson manages to pass to side control.
Nelson trying to control the action but Thai is working from the bottom.
Thai gets full guard.
Thai keeping moving, preventing Nelson from controlling successfully.
Carlos Nelson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Nelson is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Thai is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Thai wants to stand and escape but Nelson is having none of it.
Nelson wants to pass the guard but Thai is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Thai is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nelson is controlling him.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Thai fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nelson walks forward, straight into a front kick from Thai.
Thai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thai throws an overhand right that lands on Nelson's shoulder, as Nelson tries to avoid the shot.
Nelson fails to land the takedown.
Nelson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Thai rushes Nelson and presses him up against the cage.
Thai scores with a knee to the head.
Thai is trying to break free.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tj Thai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thai has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tj Thai!