PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ieuan Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Earl Vespa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thomas comes to the cage accompanied by Momma said Knock you Out. Earl Vespa has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Thomas
vs
Vespa

180 cm
21
185 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

185 cm
24
185 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ieuan Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Earl Vespa!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Cecil Peabody and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thomas instigates a clinch.
Vespa looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Thomas jumps into guard, dragging Vespa to the mat.
Vespa tries to stand but Thomas is controlling from the bottom.

Thomas escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Vespa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Thomas managing to control the position.

Vespa stands and steps away. Thomas gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Thomas drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Thomas gets to mount! Vespa was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Vespa working to try and regain half guard.
Thomas takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vespa is looking to improve his position but Thomas isn't that keen on the idea.
Thomas scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Thomas mounts Vespa! Really nice guard pass there!

Thomas stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Thomas's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Thomas clinches with his opponent.
Thomas misses with a knee strike.

Thomas wants the takedown. Vespa is fighting it off but Thomas persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Vespa's guard against the cage.
Thomas trying to control but Vespa is working from the bottom.
Vespa can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Thomas controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas stands and throws Vespa's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Thomas lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Vespa wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Thomas creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Thomas stands up and beckons Vespa to his feet.
Thomas goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
A head kick by Vespa misses

and Thomas counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Vespa!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vespa is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas lands a nice shot to the head.
Vespa is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Thomas controlling from the full mount.
Thomas won't let Vespa get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Thomas can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Vespa is looking to escape.
Vespa tries to improve his position but instead Thomas has taken his back!

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.
Vespa rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Vespa is pressing down on Thomas's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Thomas won't allow Vespa to get back to his feet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Vespa is on top in guard.
Vespa would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ieuan Thomas dominated that round.
That's time! Thomas's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Vespa tries to clinch up

so Thomas counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Vespa being controlled here, momentarily.
Thomas trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Vespa striking off his back but it's not causing Thomas any problems.
Thomas content to stall in guard here.
Thomas wants to control from the top but Vespa keeps moving.
Vespa is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas passes Vespa's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Thomas stands up from half guard.
Ieuan Thomas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thomas looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Vespa fails with the takedown

and Thomas counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Vespa's guard now.
Vespa tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Thomas stands up from Vespa's guard - Thomas perhaps looking for a knockout.
Vespa scores with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vespa throws a lazy body kick

and Thomas counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Vespa!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Vespa wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Vespa is trying to escape the mount.
Thomas is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Vespa can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Vespa is trying to escape the mount.
Vespa gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vespa wants to improve his position but Thomas is controlling well.

Vespa pushes Thomas off and gets back to his feet.
Vespa tries a head kick but it misses.
Thomas moves out of range of the strikes.
Thomas fails in his attempt to clinch.
Earl Vespa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vespa fails with the takedown
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt
and Thomas counters with a stiff right hand.
Thomas shoots in for a takedown but Vespa shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Vespa throws a head kick that misses

and Thomas counters with a single leg into guard. Vespa didn't expect that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vespa manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Thomas shoots in and bounces Vespa off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Vespa is trying to keep Thomas in close.
Thomas works over Vespa with some ground and pound from guard.
Thomas throwing strikes but missing.
Thomas won't allow Vespa to sweep him here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vespa is looking to stand up but Thomas isn't so interested in that idea.
Vespa bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thomas's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ieuan Thomas dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Vespa throws a sloppy head kick

and Thomas counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Vespa's guard now.

Thomas thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Vespa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Vespa wants to stand up but Thomas is controlling him.
Thomas won't allow Vespa to sweep him here.
Vespa wants to stand up but Thomas is controlling him.
Ieuan Thomas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Thomas preventing the sweep.
Vespa wants to get back to his feet but Thomas is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Thomas's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Vespa has his takedown stuffed

and Thomas counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Vespa wants to get back to full guard.
Vespa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Thomas trying to mount his opponent but Vespa defends it.
Thomas prevents Vespa from standing back up.
Vespa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Vespa tries to kick Thomas off but Thomas keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vespa tries to get to full guard but Thomas has control of the leg.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Vespa tries a head kick but it misses.
Vespa throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

Vespa closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Vespa prevents a takedown attempt there.
Thomas tries to pull guard but Vespa holds him up against the cage and eventually Thomas drops back down to his feet.
Vespa lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Vespa lands an elbow just above Thomas 's eye.
Vespa works on Thomas's body with a couple of short punches.

Thomas pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vespa throws a head kick that Thomas semi-blocks.
Thomas steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Vespa. That one must have hurt.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Vespa.
Vespa has his takedown stuffed

and Thomas counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vespa is looking to stand up but Thomas isn't so interested in that idea.
Thomas stopping the sweep attempt from Vespa.
Thomas wants to control from the top but Vespa keeps moving.
Vespa wants to stand but Thomas is controlling the position.
Thomas trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thomas is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vespa can do to turn this around?
Vespa is looking to stand up but Thomas isn't so interested in that idea.

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.
Vespa is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Vespa tries a head kick but it misses.
Vespa defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Thomas.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ieuan Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vespa throws a sloppy head kick

and Thomas counters by moving into the clinch.
Thomas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Vespa lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Thomas letting Vespa take a breather here.
Thomas is trying to drag Vespa to the mat but Vespa just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
With the fighters up against the cage, Vespa throws an elbow but misses.
Thomas drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Earl Vespa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ieuan Thomas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
With the fighters up against the cage, Vespa throws an elbow but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ieuan Thomas showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Thomas, 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ieuan Thomas!