PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joe Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Urubu Rei (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thompson comes to the cage accompanied by The game. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Thompson
vs
Rei

190 cm
24
199 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

183 cm
23
199 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Heavy handed

[†]FALCON CLOTHING[†]

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 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Urubu Rei!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Chris Downing and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rei shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rei was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rei is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Thompson takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Thompson bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Thompson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thompson throws and elbow that misses. Rei uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Thompson's guard. Nice move by Rei!

Thompson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rei can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rei stays in close to Thompson's body and controls the position.
Rei sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Thompson's guard.
Rei throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rei stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Thompson to get to his feet.
Rei wants to clinch.
Rei doesn't manage to clinch there - Thompson circles away.

Thompson closes the distance and clinches.
Rei tries for a takedown but Thompson manages to get underhooks.
Rei takes a shot to the head.
Thompson throws a punch but it's blocked by Rei.
Still in the clinch, Thompson scores with a nice short uppercut.
Thompson lands an uppercut.
Thompson softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rei jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Thompson walks away with a smile on his face. Rei gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rei takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A slow jab from Rei misses its intended target.
Rei darts in trying to clinch
and Thompson counters with a left and a right that stings Rei.
Rei looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rei looks to land a right hand but Thompson moved out of range.
Rei stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Thompson.
Rei tries for a takedown but Thompson circles away easily
and Thompson counters with a straight right hand.
Joe Thompson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Urubu Rei.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rei closes the distance looking to clinch

and Thompson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Thompson is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Rei!

Thompson is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Rei has managed to escape the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rei wants to control but Thompson is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rei defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Thompson.
Thompson dominating with strikes here.
Rei is squirming around, avoiding Thompson's attempts to control the action.
Rei wants to control but Thompson is having none of it.
A nice elbow there by Thompson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rei tries to hold on but Thompson pushes him away.

Thompson is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Rei has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Rei!
Rei working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Thompson's head.
Rei wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.
Thompson trying to keep a closed guard but Rei is proving a slippery customer.

Thompson looking for a guillotine here but Rei defends easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rei gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Thompson dominated that round.
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.

Rei closes the distance but Thompson moves to the side
and Thompson counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
No joy there for Rei, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Thompson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Rei throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Thompson was covering up waiting for the punch and Rei finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Rei really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Thompson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Rei got a little sloppy there for a moment and Thompson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rei has managed to get both his arms back between Thompson's legs - danger averted.
Thompson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Thompson is working an open guard so Rei takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Thompson.
Rei fails with the takedown

and Thompson counters with a shoot takedown. Rei fights it but they end up in guard.
Rei wants to stand but Thompson is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson wants to pass the guard but Rei is keeping the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rei keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.
Rei controls Thompson momentarily but Thompson frees himself.

Thompson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Thompson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Rei kicks Thompson off and gets to his feet.

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.
Rei throws a right and a left that Thompson avoids nicely.
Joe Thompson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Thompson rushes Rei and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Thompson misses with a knee strike.
Thompson works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Thompson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A knee to the head by Thompson.
Thompson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rei wants to get back to striking at distance but Thompson won't allow it.
Rei's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Thompson lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rei tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Thompson swings wildly with an uppercut but Rei uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thompson is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rei gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rei drops down looking for an ankle pick but Thompson pulls his leg out and moves away.
Joe Thompson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Urubu Rei.
Rei fails with the takedown
and Thompson counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson lands with a shot to the body.
Thompson is looking to clinch.
Rei tries to clinch but Thompson moves away
and Thompson counters with a straight right hand.
Thompson ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rei is trying to break the clinch but Thompson has him pressed against the cage.
Thompson lands a shot to the body.
Rei wants a takedown but no success here.
Thompson pushes Rei back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Thompson works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Rei preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thompson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rei can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rei 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rei's head.
Rei controlling the position.
Rei keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.
Thompson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Thompson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Thompson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Thompson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Thompson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Thompson dominated that second round.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Nice uppercut lands for Rei. That snapped Thompson's head back.
Rei blocks a head kick by Thompson.
A combination from Thompson does no damage.
A slapping leg kick lands for Thompson.
Rei wants to clinch but Thompson slips to the side
and Thompson counters with a one-two to the body.

Thompson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rei's guard.
Thompson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rei is adopting a defensive guard.
Rei bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thompson's guard.
Thompson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thompson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Thompson looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rei passes into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson tries to buck Rei off but Rei is having none of it.
Thompson is working to avoid the ground and pound but Rei connects with a decent elbow.
Thompson taking punishment in the form of punches.
Rei scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Thompson to see if he's OK.
Rei is chipping away with strikes.
Thompson is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Rei's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Rei trying to control from half guard but Thompson is working away.
Thompson missing with punches from the bottom.
Rei looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Thompson tries to get to full guard but Rei has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rei is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Thompson pushes Rei off and gets back to his feet.
Rei throws a good cross that connects.
Rei throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rei with a poor takedown
and Rei takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Thompson throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Rei.
Rei sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Rei doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Thompson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Thompson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rei preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Thompson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rei with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Joe Thompson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thompson is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rei doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Thompson.
Rei looks like he's trying to stand up.
Urubu Rei has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thompson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rei looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four 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.
Thompson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Thompson content to control rather than advance.
Rei is trying to control but can't.

Rei is defending against the submission attempts here by Thompson.
Rei is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Thompson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Thompson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Thompson!