PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Craig Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rza Reckta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thomas comes to the cage accompanied by Judas Priest - Painkiller. Reckta has chosen Bring The Pain as his entrance music. The key to victory for Craig Thomas has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Thomas
vs
Reckta

183 cm
24
195 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

195 cm
25
194 lbs
10 - 3 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

Machina 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 7 - 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 10 - 3 - 1, fighting out of New York, Rza Reckta!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The crowd cheers as Thomas lands an impressive looking overhand right. Reckta doesn't seem phased though.

Reckta scores a takedown into full mount!
Thomas is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Thomas is trying to escape the mount.
Thomas is controlling an arm, preventing Reckta from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Reckta postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Thomas looks a forlorn figure.
Thomas is trying desperately to improve position.
Thomas tries to hold on but Reckta pushes him away.
Reckta lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

Reckta is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Thomas can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Thomas avoids a series of strikes thrown by Reckta.
Thomas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas is in a horrible position here. Reckta smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Reckta thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Reckta is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Thomas can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Thomas tries to lock up and control but Reckta gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Thomas is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Reckta is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Thomas can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Reckta misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Thomas taking shots to the head.
Reckta is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reckta looking to ground and pound but Thomas is blocking nicely.
Thomas tries to reverse the position but Reckta maintains control.
Reckta throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Reckta is working for a guillotine from mount but Thomas frees his head quite easily.
Reckta has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Thomas is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Reckta can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thomas is looking to escape.
Reckta unloads with some shots from mount but Thomas bucks and avoids them well.
Thomas wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Reckta.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is working to get back to half guard.
Reckta throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Reckta landing strikes from the mount.
Thomas trying desperately to get to his feet.
Thomas is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Reckta wants to control the pace but Thomas is squirming around nicely.
Reckta has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Thomas's face.
Reckta landing strikes, looking to finish!
The referee warns Thomas that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Thomas keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reckta with a couple of short strikes.
Thomas holds on to Reckta as tight as he can, avoiding damage.
Reckta prevents Thomas from getting the reversal.
Reckta thowing shots but they're missing.
Reckta lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Thomas hang on?

Thomas is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Reckta looking for a guillotine from mount but Thomas is having none of it.
Oh Thomas is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Reckta drops a big elbow. That's hurt Thomas! More shots from Reckta and the ref steps in! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rza Reckta!