PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Craig Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marquise Mambosa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Thomas might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Judas Priest - Painkiller. The crowd seem to be enjoying Mambosa's choice of entrance music: O Fortuna. Craig Thomas could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Marquise Mambosa's chin.

Thomas
vs
Mambosa

183 cm
23
195 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

185 cm
23
195 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Determined

DRAGON MMA Gear
Crashforce Voodoo Labs

Silver Dragon Pharmacies

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Craig Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marquise Mambosa!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Cecil Peabody and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mambosa takes the fight into the clinch.
Mambosa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Thomas walks away with a smile on his face. Mambosa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mambosa rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Thomas moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mambosa defending well as Thomas loads up on a big left hand.
Thomas throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mambosa.
Marquise Mambosa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thomas swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Thomas avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Thomas fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mambosa manages to avoid it.

Mambosa shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Thomas is trying to defend but Mambosa finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Mambosa seems to be looking for submissions.

Mambosa looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Thomas trying to control but Mambosa postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas looks like he's trying to stand up.
Thomas is looking for a sweep. Mambosa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mambosa works his way into full mount!
Thomas tries to lock up and control but Mambosa gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Mambosa goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Thomas turns into him and now he's in Mambosa's guard.
Mambosa keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.

That's two 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.
Mambosa looking to control but Thomas passes into half guard.
Mambosa tries to roll over but Thomas keeps him under control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thomas trying to control the pace.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Thomas stands up and beckons Mambosa to join him on the feet.
Thomas swats away the attempt to clinch by Mambosa.
Mambosa dives in and grabs Thomas's left leg, looking for a takedown. Thomas pushes down on Mambosa's head and hops out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas lands a nice shot to the body.
Thomas changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Mambosa looks gassed!
Thomas throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mambosa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Mambosa shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Mambosa is just content to waste time from the top position. Thomas takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Mambosa wants to pass the guard but Thomas is keeping the position.
Thomas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mambosa wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.
Mambosa scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Thomas keeping full guard, as Mambosa tries to pass.
Mambosa is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Thomas wants to stand and escape but Mambosa is having none of it.
Mambosa throws and elbow that misses. Thomas uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mambosa's guard. Nice move by Thomas!
Thomas wanted to stand there but Mambosa had control of the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mambosa is on top in guard.
Thomas wants to sweep here but Mambosa controlling him for the moment.
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 Craig Thomas will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Thomas will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mambosa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thomas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thomas connects with a looping right hand.
Mambosa misses with a low kick.

Mambosa moves into the clinch.

Mambosa jumps into guard, dragging Thomas to the mat.
Mambosa controls Thomas momentarily but Thomas frees himself.

Mambosa working for a triangle but Thomas defends it easily.
Mambosa keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.
Mambosa has a closed guard, preventing Thomas from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas won't allow Mambosa to sweep him here.
Thomas wants to control from the top but Mambosa keeps moving.
Mambosa 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

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

Thomas pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mambosa tries to clinch there but Thomas circles away.
Mambosa tries to close the distance and clinch but Thomas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thomas lunges at Mambosa with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Mambosa's hand.
Thomas closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Thomas thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mambosa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Thomas's waist but Thomas gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mambosa off to one side.
Mambosa takes one on the button.

Thomas drops Mambosa with a beautiful combination! Mambosa stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Thomas is looking for the KO!

Mambosa is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thomas throws a body punch but Mambosa moves out of range.
Mambosa is still on wobbly legs! Can Thomas finish him?
Mambosa takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Mambosa is breathing heavily.
Mambosa tries to clinch but Thomas moves out of range.
Mambosa seems to have recovered his senses.
Mambosa gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Thomas.
Craig Thomas is winning the standup battle so far.
Mambosa shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thomas but Thomas pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Thomas throws an overhand right from the outside, which connects and sends Mambosa stumbling backwards into the cage! Mambosa bounces back off the cage towards Thomas, who cracks him with a two punch combination that drops him to his knees! Thomas lands two more shots before the referee has chance to intervene - what a finish! Thomas celebrates with his corner as the crowd cheer loudly.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Craig Thomas!