PBP Commentary

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

Thomas
vs
King

180 cm
21
185 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

187 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 4 - 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, DJ King!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Chris Downing and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

King shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Thomas is trying to defend but King finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
King thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Thomas's head.
King is trying to control. Thomas wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Thomas moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Thomas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thomas can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as King controls the pace.
Thomas keeping full guard, as King tries to pass.
King trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
King is looking to stand up but Thomas won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
King stands and throws Thomas's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Thomas is not content to let King control the position.

King decides to take the fight back to the feet.

King gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King keeps control of Thomas as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
King has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Thomas avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Thomas can't break the clinch.

King has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Thomas uses from the top position.
King is controlling Thomas's posture.
King looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if King can do anything to dispel that myth.

King is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
King looks gassed!
Thomas postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King is pulling down on Thomas's head. It's preventing any offense from Thomas, at least for the moment.

Thomas stands up from guard. Let's bang!
King lands with a kick to the temple. Thomas shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
King shoots in and drives through. Thomas sprawls well.
Thomas fails with a takedown attempt.
Thomas with a lazy takedown attempt
and King counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A nice inside leg kick there by King. That's going to slow Thomas down.
King looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thomas is fending him off so far but King persists. Nope, Thomas circles away and we're back to standing.
Ieuan Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of DJ King.
King misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

King feints and as Thomas raises his hands in defense, King changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing King from controlling successfully.
Thomas is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
King sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Thomas's guard.
King controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

DJ King dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Thomas lands a head kick. King smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
King wants to clinch.
King with a lazy takedown attempt

and Thomas counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Thomas with a flurry of punches that miss.

King pushes Thomas off and gets back to his feet.

King clinches.
A bit of stalling here from King.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

King is trying to trip Thomas. He has hold of a leg but Thomas is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. King persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
King must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

King stands up and waves to Thomas to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas lands a high kick!
Thomas tries for a takedown but King circles away easily

and King counters with a single leg into guard. Thomas didn't expect that.
King looking to sit in guard and control but Thomas gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now King is on top in guard.
King controlling from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.

King decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Thomas, up you get!
Thomas walks into a straight right hand from King.
Thomas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

King changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Thomas looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

King tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Thomas manages to work his way to half guard, despite King's best efforts.
The fighters are battling for position here. Thomas manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
DJ King has got the better of the ground game so far.
Thomas working a defensive guard here.
King wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.

That's four 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.
King throwing strikes but missing.
Thomas being controlled here, momentarily.

King stands up and waves to Thomas to follow him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
King shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thomas as he avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

DJ King showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

King has his takedown stuffed

and Thomas counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
King wants to get back to full guard but Thomas has passed into side control.
King is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Thomas controlling from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thomas lands a big elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A nice elbow there by Thomas.
King tries to lock up and control but Thomas gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Thomas wants to control the pace but King is squirming around nicely.
King is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Thomas stands up from mount. Strange move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Thomas closes the distance looking to clinch

and King counters with a takedown into side control.
King taking a break here but Thomas is having none of it and regains half guard.
Thomas is looking to escape.
King seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas avoiding damage under a succession of punches from King.
King takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Thomas is trying is best to control the position here.
Thomas trying to control but King postures up.
King is trying to control. Thomas wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
King scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

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.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
King tries to stand but can't do so whilst Thomas controls his leg.

Thomas is defending against the submission attempts here by King.
King looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ieuan Thomas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
DJ King is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
King wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Thomas uses the opportunity to regain full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ieuan Thomas.
Well King has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... DJ King!