PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Quniton Blackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Quniton Blackson will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Thomas
vs
Blackson

185 cm
21
205 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

225 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Quniton Blackson!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas keeps the fight on the outside.
Blackson fails to land the takedown.

Blackson pushes Thomas up against the cage in a clinch.
Blackson blocks an elbow strike.
Blackson being controlled against the cage.
Thomas fails to pull guard.

Blackson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Blackson doesn't manage to clinch there - Thomas circles away.

Blackson darts in and clinches Thomas up against the cage.
Blackson goes for a takedown attempt but Thomas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Blackson drives through with a takedown into guard.
Blackson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Thomas is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Blackson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Thomas has his feet on Blackson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Thomas is breathing heavily.

Blackson has managed to clinch.
Blackson tries to stall but Thomas uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Blackson trying to land knees to the body.
Blackson is trying to break the clinch but Thomas has him pressed against the cage.
Blackson tries a knee to the head but Thomas blocks it.
Blackson lands a knee to the body.
Blackson lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Thomas's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Thomas is trying to break the clinch but Blackson has him pressed against the cage.
Thomas is looking to break free of the clinch but Blackson has double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackson trying to stall but Thomas improves his position.
Blackson swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Blackson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Thomas is working for takedown but Blackson is calmly controlling the position for now.
Thomas on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Blackson.
Blackson creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Thomas's defenses.
Thomas wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head punch on the inside from Blackson fails to land.
Blackson pushes Thomas back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Blackson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Blackson looking to throw knees to the head but Thomas is blocking nicely.
Blackson has Thomas pressed against the cage.
Blackson with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Blackson tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Blackson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Thomas tries to break the clinch but Blackson is controlling the position.
Thomas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Blackson trying to land knees to the body.
Thomas wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackson looking to throw knees to the head but Thomas is blocking nicely.
Thomas has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Blackson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Thomas throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Blackson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thomas has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Blackson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thomas has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Thomas has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Blackson uses from the top position.
Thomas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Blackson is one step ahead there.
Blackson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thomas wants to sweep but no luck.
Blackson showing good wrestling skills to control 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.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing Blackson from controlling successfully.
Thomas is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Thomas throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Thomas wants to sweep here but Blackson controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Quniton Blackson dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Blackson clinches up against the cage.
Blackson connects with a knee to the head.
Thomas is working for takedown but Blackson is calmly controlling the position for now.

Blackson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Thomas takes a kick to the side of the head.
Blackson lands a two punch combo.

Thomas gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Thomas is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Blackson distracts Thomas with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Blackson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackson doesn't manage to clinch there - Thomas circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Blackson throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Blackson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Blackson decides to stand back up. Blackson steps back and let's Thomas get back to his feet.
Thomas shoots for a takedown but Blackson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Blackson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thomas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Blackson misses with a takedown

and Thomas counters with a nice double leg into side control. Blackson won't be happy with that.
Blackson prevents Thomas from improving position.
Blackson struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackson tries to bench press Thomas off him but Thomas keeps the position.
Blackson is trying to control Thomas's posture but Thomas avoids it.
Thomas has knee on belly and moves into mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Blackson wants to control but Thomas is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Thomas with a lazy takedown attempt
and Blackson finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Blackson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Thomas is trying to control Blackson's posture but Blackson avoids it.
Thomas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Thomas is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Blackson off and has taken his back!
Thomas throwing strikes and Blackson squirms under the pressure, ending up mounted.

Thomas working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackson throwing hammer fists to the chest of Thomas. What's that going to do exactly?

Thomas jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Blackson manages to avoid the submission attempt.
You can see the frustration on Blackson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Blackson is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Quniton Blackson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Thomas shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Blackson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Blackson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Blackson can't escape the position.
Blackson wants to control but Thomas is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thomas trying to control but Blackson is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thomas working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Blackson tries to hold on but Thomas pushes him away.
Blackson slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's two 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.
Thomas wants to free his trapped foot but Blackson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Blackson wants to get back to his feet.
Blackson trying to control here.

Blackson looking for submissions off his back.
Thomas prevents Blackson from standing back up.
Quniton Blackson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas trying to control the action but Blackson is working from the bottom.
Blackson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Thomas trying to control but Blackson is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Blackson with a lazy takedown attempt

and Thomas counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Thomas pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Blackson is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Blackson wriggles free and stands up.
Quniton Blackson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Some wild striking there from Blackson.
Michael Thomas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Blackson thows a body shot but no joy.
Thomas shoots in for a takedown but Blackson shows good takedown defense.
Blackson looks to clinch

and Thomas holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
A knee to the head by Blackson.
Thomas tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Blackson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thomas is looking to break free of the clinch but Blackson has double underhooks.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Thomas showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Blackson 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 George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Quniton Blackson!