PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Thoupos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mac Day (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thoupos
vs
Day

188 cm
22
192 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
194 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Choke Out Gear

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alexander Thoupos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mac Day!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Daniel Blasius and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Thoupos.
Thoupos sets himself and throws a head kick that knocks Day to the ground! Thoupos dives into full mount looking to finish!

Day is rocked!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Day tries to reverse the position but Thoupos maintains control.
Day is still in real trouble! Can Thoupos finish him?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Day is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Day seems to have recovered his senses.
Day bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Day stands and throws Thoupos's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Thoupos can't do much from the bottom here.
Day tries to score with some ground and pound. Thoupos controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Day trying to control the action but Thoupos is working from the bottom.
Sloppy strikes there by Day.
Day has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Thoupos is looking to regain half guard here but Day keeps moving and retains side control.
Thoupos can't do much from the bottom here.

Day is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Thoupos is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Thoupos throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Day closes the distance and clinches up with Thoupos, looking for a takedown. Day pushes Thoupos against the cage but Thoupos circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

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.
Day shoots in for a takedown but Thoupos shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Thoupos fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Day manages to avoid it.
Thoupos misses with a wild body shot.
Thoupos loads up on a big right hand but Day slips the punch.
Thoupos has his takedown stuffed

and Day counters with a nice double leg into side control. Thoupos won't be happy with that.
Thoupos is not content to let Day control the position.
Thoupos can't do much from the bottom here.
Day is looking to take a break and control but Thoupos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Day working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Thoupos pushes Day away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Day gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Day has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Thoupos!
Day wants to control the pace but Thoupos is squirming around nicely.
Day avoids the attempt from Thoupos to control.
Day wants to control the pace but Thoupos is squirming around nicely.

Day goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Thoupos turns into him and now he's in Day's guard.
Day is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Thoupos trying to control the position from guard on top but Day is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Day looking for a sweep. Not yet Day, not yet.
Thoupos wants to control from the top but Day keeps moving.
Day bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thoupos's guard.
Day controls from within his opponent's guard.
Day passes easily into side control. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Alexander Thoupos will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Day swats away the attempt to clinch by Thoupos.
Thoupos misses the jab.
Day blocks a head kick by Thoupos.
A left and a right from Thoupos both land. Nice combination.
Thoupos fails with the takedown

so Day counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Day trying to control the position from guard on top but Thoupos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Day wants to pass the guard but Thoupos is keeping the position.

Day is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Day wants to control from the top but Thoupos keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Day looking to pass the guard.
Day trying to control but Thoupos is working from the bottom.
Day is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Day drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thoupos working a defensive guard here.
Day passes Thoupos's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Day is looking for a kimura here.
Day is looking to advance position but Thoupos won't allow it.

Day is trying to work for a kimura but Thoupos is defending well.
Thoupos wants to improve his position but Day is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Day works his way into full mount!
Day looking to control but Thoupos is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Thoupos bucks up and throws Day to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Alexander Thoupos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Day looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Day throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Day looking to pass the guard.
Day trying to control the position from guard on top but Thoupos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Day is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Day has gone for a leg lock! Thoupos slips out almost immediately though and dives into Day's guard.
Day wants to sweep here but Thoupos controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mac Day showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Thoupos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Day swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thoupos scores with a one two! Day had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Thoupos throws out a loose jab but Day uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thoupos misses with an attempted mid kick.
Day is trying hard to land a takedown here. Thoupos sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Thoupos looks to land a combination but Day avoids it well.
Day shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Thoupos pinned against the cage. Thoupos gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Thoupos throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Thoupos swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Day counters with a single leg into guard. Thoupos didn't expect that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Day trying to control the position from guard on top but Thoupos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Day looking to sit in guard and control but Thoupos gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Day looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thoupos has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Day lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Thoupos!

Day looking for a guillotine from mount but Thoupos is having none of it.
Thoupos blocking the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thoupos is working to get back to half guard.
Thoupos taking shots to the head.
Thoupos wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Day tries to control but Thoupos wriggling away.
Thoupos is in a horrible position here. Day smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Day trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Day content just to control the position here.

Day jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Thoupos manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Thoupos prevents Day from improving position.
Thoupos is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Day wants to control but Thoupos is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Day advances nicely into full mount.
Day with shots to the head and body - Thoupos looks very uncomfortable down there.
Thoupos is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Thoupos knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Day on the ground.
Day tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Thoupos is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Thoupos is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Day working the ground and pound effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mac Day comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Day 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:30
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mac Day!