PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Stephen Thompson (ranked 25352 p4p, 4125 weight class) and Josh Lewis (ranked 0 p4p, 409 weight class). Thompson's entrance music is TRIPLE V - КЛАСА. A fine choice. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Thompson
vs
Lewis

183 cm
20
171
1 - 0 - 0

189 cm
21
180
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stephen Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Josh Lewis!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Sergei Dronov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lewis on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Lewis blocks a head kick by Thompson.
Lewis tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Lewis has taken the fight to the clinch.
Thompson lands a body punch.
Lewis drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lewis tries to pull guard but Thompson holds him up against the cage and eventually Lewis drops back down to his feet.

Thompson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lewis changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Thompson tries to avoid it but Lewis manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Thompson to the ground. Thompson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Stephen Thompson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Lewis.
Thompson throws a head kick that Lewis semi-blocks.
Thompson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thompson has Lewis up against the cage in a clinch.
Lewis trying to land knees to the body.
Thompson jumps guard but Lewis turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Thompson breaks from the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thompson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thompson fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Lewis has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Lewis closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Lewis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A lazy body kick from Lewis
and Thompson counters with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson tries to clinch but Lewis is having none of it.
Lewis throws a body kick that misses.
It looked like Thompson wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Lewis shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Thompson sprawls well. Thompson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Lewis gets slowly back to his feet.
Thompson tries to counter by clinching up but Lewis breaks away and moves out of range.
Lewis swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Lewis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Thompson moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lewis tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Lewis fails with a takedown attempt.
Thompson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lewis blocks a head kick by Thompson.
Lewis unleashes a big counter combination but Thompson bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lewis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lewis fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
As Lewis looks to move away, Thompson throws a big counter combo but Lewis just gets out of the way.

Thompson rushes Lewis and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Thompson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Josh Lewis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lewis rushes Thompson and presses him up against the cage.

Thompson breaks the clinch.

Lewis gets a clinch.
Lewis is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Thompson is defending well.

Thompson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lewis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lewis has a takedown stuffed.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lewis looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Thompson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Lewis avoids the head kick by Thompson.
Lewis tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thompson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lewis closes the distance and clinches up with Thompson, looking for a takedown. Lewis pushes Thompson against the cage but Thompson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Thompson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thompson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Lewis gets a clinch.
Lewis wants to take the fight to the mat but Thompson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Thompson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thompson is looking to break free of the clinch but Lewis has double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Lewis.
Lewis missing with knees to the body.
Thompson is trying to break the clinch but Lewis has him pressed against the cage.
Lewis is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Stephen Thompson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Lewis.

Thompson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lewis shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Thompson pinned against the cage. Thompson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Thompson attempts a counter takedown but Lewis avoids it well and moves away.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lewis shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lewis is breathing heavily.
Lewis tries to clinch up.
Thompson throwing a counter right hand but Lewis manages to avoid it.
Stephen Thompson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson misses with a kick to the body.
Thompson sets himself, and Lewis steps forward looking for the clinch! Thompson avoids it this time.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lewis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thompson scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Thompson pulls out of a head kick attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Lewis escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thompson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lewis can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson doesn't manage to clinch there - Lewis circles away.
Lewis is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Lewis dives in for a single leg takedown but Thompson sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Thompson swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Stephen Thompson is winning the standup battle so far.
Lewis is looking to clinch.
Thompson seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Lewis lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thompson circles away quickly and effectively.

Lewis gets a clinch.
Thompson working hard to break the clinch.
Thompson wants to break free but Lewis has control.
Lewis jumps guard but Thompson stands there with Lewis around his waist. Lewis gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Thompson breaks the clinch.

Lewis rushes Thompson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Thompson's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Thompson breaks the clinch.
Thompson with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Thompson leaves Lewis with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Thompson thinks about countering with a head kick.
Thompson throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thompson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Thompson tries to clinch up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Stephen Thompson will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Thompson pivots, looking for a leg kick but Lewis is out of range and Thompson settles back down.
Lewis shoots in and drives through. Thompson sprawls well.
Thompson throws a counter high kick but Lewis was just alert enough to avoid it.
Thompson connects with a leg kick.
Lewis shoots in for a takedown but Thompson shows good takedown defense.
Thompson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thompson tries a head kick but it misses.
Lewis throws a right and a left that both miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lewis throws a combination that misses
and Thompson counters with a three punch combo that has Lewis backing up. Lewis nods at Thompson to acknowledge the strikes.
Lewis fails with the takedown.
Stephen Thompson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Lewis.
Lewis throws a head kick but Thompson moves out of range.
Lewis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson lands a front kick.
Good leg kick by Thompson.
Thompson tries a head kick but it misses.
Thompson throws a head kick but Lewis moves out of range.
Lewis drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Thompson defends it well.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lewis. Thompson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Thompson plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Lewis misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Thompson goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Thompson throws the kick towards the body but Lewis avoids it.
Lewis throws a big counter head kick but Thompson avoids it with no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson throws a sloppy head kick and Lewis moves out of range easily.
Lewis throws a counter combo.
Lewis tries to bum rush Thompson with a series of wild strikes but Thompson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Thompson tries a head kick but it misses.

Lewis gets tackled into the cage by Thompson. Thompson maintains the clinch.

Lewis manages to break the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lewis.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thompson misses with a head kick.
Lewis slips under a jab from Thompson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lewis will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Thompson sizes up Lewis with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Thompson clinches with his opponent.

Thompson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Thompson wants to clinch.
Lewis throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thompson throws a head kick that misses.
Thompson throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lewis shoots in and drives through. Thompson sprawls well.
Lewis stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lewis wants it to stay on the feet.

Thompson moves into the clinch.

Thompson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A punch combination from Lewis misses.
Thompson looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Thompson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lewis is defended easily by Thompson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Thompson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Thompson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Thompson!
After winning the bout, Stephen Thompson thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.