PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kane Thoupos (ranked 339 p4p, 810 weight class) and Sauvage Thibodeaux (ranked 45 p4p, 109 weight class). Thoupos comes into the arena with 151 Rum - JID blaring out of the sound system. Sauvage Thibodeaux has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Thoupos
vs
Thibodeaux

177 cm
25
196
15 - 4 - 0

180 cm
25
195
12 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Uncle Rufus Clothing .Co
Conviction

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 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kane Thoupos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sauvage Thibodeaux!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
We've got one fighter who appears to only be looking to counter and the other not looking particularly aggressive either, so we could be in for a dull fight.
Thoupos fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Thibodeaux is out of range.
Thoupos connects with a body shot that sends Thibodeaux's belly button to the back.
A nice leg kick lands there from Thoupos.

Thoupos rushes Thibodeaux and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thoupos misses with some punches.
Thibodeaux blocks a body shot from Thoupos.
Thoupos lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short body shot lands from Thoupos as the two fighters clinch.

Thibodeaux pulls guard effortlessly.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thoupos not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thibodeaux bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thoupos's guard.

Thoupos keeping full guard, as Thibodeaux tries to pass.

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.
Thibodeaux postures up in Thoupos's guard and throws a big left but Thoupos blocks it.
Thoupos wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Thoupos 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.
Thibodeaux postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Thoupos knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Thibodeaux on the ground.
Thibodeaux throwing strikes from guard but Thoupos blocks nicely.
Thibodeaux pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thoupos is keeping the position for now.
Thoupos bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thibodeaux's guard.

Thoupos stands up and waves to Thibodeaux to follow him.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thoupos moves into range and clinches up with Thibodeaux.
Thoupos has a couple of punches blocked by Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Thoupos goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A shot in the inside from Thoupos.
Thoupos throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Thoupos lands a body punch.
Thoupos stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Thoupos.
Thibodeaux wants a takedown but no success here.
Thibodeaux looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thoupos lands a left hand.
Thoupos works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A right hand to the body from Thoupos.
Thoupos lands with a right to the head.
Thibodeaux takes a shot to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Thoupos.
Thoupos lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Thoupos makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Thoupos pushes Thibodeaux back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A hook to the body from Thoupos.
A body shot lands from Thoupos.
A nice left hand lands by Thoupos.
A nice right hand lands inside from Thoupos.
Thoupos lands with a right to the head.
Thoupos softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A hook to the body from Thoupos.
Good body shot from Thoupos.
Thoupos lands a left hand.
Thoupos lands a hook that snaps the head of Thibodeaux backwards.
Thoupos lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Thibodeaux or not.
Thoupos lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kane Thoupos dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Thoupos cracks Thibodeaux with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Thibodeaux looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Thoupos finish him?
A head kick misses from Thoupos.
Thibodeaux with the counter takedown but Thoupos avoids it easily.
Thoupos throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Thibodeaux with the counter takedown but Thoupos avoids it easily.
Thibodeaux chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Thoupos can pounce on him.
Thoupos lands a jab.
Thoupos swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thoupos gets a clinch.
Thoupos is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Thibodeaux can do to turn this around?
Thoupos scores with a hook to the body.
Thoupos tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Thoupos scores with a shoulder strike.
Thibodeaux is breathing heavily.
Thoupos lands a right hand.
Thibodeaux blocks a body shot from Thoupos.
Thoupos tries to throw a body punch but Thibodeaux avoids it by throwing Thoupos back against the cage.
Thoupos lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Thoupos lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Thibodeaux or not.
Thibodeaux tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Thoupos smiles and moves away.
Thoupos lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thoupos lands a jab to the head.
Thibodeaux slips a jab from Thoupos.
Thoupos looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thibodeaux takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thoupos connects with a leg kick.
Thoupos misses with a body shot.
Thoupos sets himself, and Thibodeaux steps forward looking for the clinch! Thoupos avoids it this time.
A solid body kick from Thoupos.
Thoupos lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
An inside leg kick lands from Thoupos.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thoupos drops Thibodeaux with a beautiful combination! Thibodeaux stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Thoupos is looking for the KO!

Thibodeaux is rocked!

It looks like Sauvage Thibodeaux has been cut.
Thibodeaux has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thibodeaux slips under a jab.

Thoupos forces Thibodeaux back against the cage and clinches.
Thibodeaux tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Thoupos just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thibodeaux blocks a body shot from Thoupos.
Thoupos throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Thibodeauxs head.
Good body shot from Thoupos.

Thibodeaux manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Thoupos's corner is telling him to maintain position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kane Thoupos dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sauvage Thibodeaux's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Thoupos digs a good hook to Thibodeaux's body.

Thoupos closes the distance and clinches.
Thoupos tries to work over Thibodeaux's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Thibodeaux's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Thoupos tries to work over Thibodeaux's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Thoupos lands a nice uppercut.
Thoupos lands a nice uppercut.
Thoupos lands a right hand that snaps the head of Thibodeaux backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thoupos cracks Thibodeaux with a nice body shot.
Thibodeaux jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Thoupos walks away with a smile on his face. Thibodeaux gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Thoupos looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Thoupos lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Thibodeaux takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thoupos throws a powerful right kick. Thibodeaux tried to block low but the kick was high! Thibodeaux was taken right off of his feet! Thoupos jumps in to finish the job and the ref tackles him! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:16 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Kane Thoupos!
Kane Thoupos seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.