PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Aryah Thurston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pedro Carbone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Thurston
vs
Carbone

160 cm
24
140 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

189 cm
24
120 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Aryah Thurston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Pedro Carbone!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Ian Loll and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thurston shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Carbone pinned against the cage. Carbone gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Jab, jab by Thurston - just one landing.

It looks like Pedro Carbone has been cut.

Thurston looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Carbone avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Thurston.
Thurston throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Thurston not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Thurston wants to work for an arm triangle but Carbone is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Carbone is staying active underneath Thurston, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Carbone manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Carbone throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Thurston tries to clinch but Carbone moves out of range.
Carbone throws a right and a left that both miss.

Thurston shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thurston preventing the sweep.
Carbone wants to stand but Thurston is controlling the position.
Thurston stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Carbone swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thurston might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Thurston gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Thurston fails with the takedown.
Thurston fails in his attempt to clinch.
Carbone leaves Thurston with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aryah Thurston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thurston is breathing heavily.
Thurston throws a head kick but Carbone moves out of range.
Thurston tries for a takedown but Carbone sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Carbone is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Thurston misses with a two punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Danga de danga de dang - Carbone scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Aryah Thurston has been cut.
Thurston tries for a takedown but Carbone sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Good leg kick by Carbone there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Carbone fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Carbone misses with a double jab.
Thurston on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Carbone. Carbone obviously looking to wear him down.
Thurston tries to clinch up.
Thurston closes the distance and clinches up with Carbone, looking for a takedown. Thurston pushes Carbone against the cage but Carbone circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Thurston shoots in but Carbone avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Thurston moves in looking to clinch but Carbone pushes him off.
Carbone misses with a few strikes there.

Thurston clinches.
Thurston drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thurston takes an elbow to the temple.
Carbone is pressed up against the cage. Thurston has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Carbone down to the mat. Carbone avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Thurston gets the takedown into side control.

Thurston goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Carbone rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Thurston's guard! Nice work there by Carbone!
Carbone trying to control but Thurston is working from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Thurston is on top in guard.
Carbone pulls Thurston in to control the position.
Carbone looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thurston is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carbone wants to stand up but Thurston is controlling him.

Thurston stands up and waves to Carbone to follow him.
Carbone slaps away a takedown attempt from Thurston, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Pedro Carbone is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Thurston tries to close the distance and clinch but Carbone swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A jab from Carbone misses.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Thurston!
Thurston slips a jab from Carbone.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aryah Thurston dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Horrible takedown by Thurston or perhaps it was just good defense by Carbone which made him look bad.
Carbone tries to clinch but Thurston moves out of range.
Carbone stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Carbone wants it to stay on the feet.
Aryah Thurston is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thurston misses with a combination
and Carbone counters with a one-two to the body.
Thurston throws a left and a right that both miss
and Carbone counters with a body kick.
Thurston falls off balance throwing a combination

and Carbone moves into the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Carbone as the two fighters clinch.
Carbone trying to land knees to the body.
Carbone lands a body shot.
Carbone gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Thurston.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aryah Thurston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thurston drops down looking for an ankle pick but Carbone pulls his leg out and moves away.
Thurston takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Carbone.
Thurston shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Carbone but Carbone pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Thurston shoots for a double leg takedown but Carbone sprawls well. He's pushed Thurston's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Carbone throws a sloppy head kick and Thurston moves out of range easily.
Carbone moves in looking to clinch but Thurston pushes him off.
Thurston swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Carbone counters with a series of strikes. Thurston will be more careful next time no doubt.
Thurston fails with a takedown attempt.
Thurston tries to score a power double leg takedown but Carbone sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Thurston somewhat.
Thurston connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

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.
Thurston misses with a takedown attempt - Carbone sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Thurston is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Thurston throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Thurston scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Thurston throws a head kick that half lands.
Thurston swats away the attempt to clinch by Carbone.
Nice takedown defense from Carbone. No joy for Thurston on that attempt.
Carbone misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thurston looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Thurston forces Carbone back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thurston has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Carbone avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Carbone tries to land knees in the clinch but Thurston avoids the damage to the body.
Carbone is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Thurston is defending well for now.
Thurston avoids the elbow strike from Carbone, against the cage.
Carbone scores with a shoulder strike.

Thurston jumps guard and drags Carbone to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Thurston had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Carbone defends it easily.

Thurston looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Thurston is on top in guard.
Carbone utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thurston working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thurston wants to control from the top but Carbone keeps moving.

Carbone wriggles free and stands up.
Thurston shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Carbone pinned against the cage. Carbone gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Carbone throws a head kick but Thurston moves out of range.
Carbone keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Thurston misses with a double jab
and Carbone makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Thurston swats away the attempt to clinch by Carbone.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Carbone showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Thurston fails to land the takedown.
Horrible takedown by Thurston or perhaps it was just good defense by Carbone which made him look bad.
Thurston fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aryah Thurston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carbone misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Carbone lands a two punch combo.
Thurston fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Carbone throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nice takedown defense from Carbone. No joy for Thurston on that attempt.
Thurston looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice sprawl there from Carbone as Thurston shoots in.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thurston wants to clinch.
Thurston works over Carbone's head and body with a nice combination.
Carbone swats away the attempt to clinch by Thurston.
Carbone on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Thurston pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thurston falls off balance throwing a combination

and Carbone counters by clinching up.
Carbone wants to get back to striking at distance but Thurston won't allow it.
Thurston drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Carbone gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Carbone gets underhooks to prevent Thurston's takedown attempt.
Carbone tries to land knees in the clinch but Thurston avoids the damage to the body.

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.
A head punch on the inside from Carbone fails to land.
Thurston tries for a takedown. No joy.

Thurston gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Thurston wants to stand up but Carbone is controlling the position.
Thurston wants to take a breather but Carbone is having none of it.

Thurston is trying to work for a kimura but Carbone is defending well.
Carbone trying to control from the bottom.

Thurston is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Carbone doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Thurston.
Carbone is staying active underneath Thurston, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thurston missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Carbone avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Thurston.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Carbone can do anything to dispel that myth.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Thurston tries a head kick but it misses.
Carbone stuffs the takedown attempt from Thurston. Thurston gets slowly back to his feet.
Carbone misses with the combination.
Thurston swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Carbone counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Thurston gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Carbone manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Aryah Thurston overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thurston works over Carbone with some ground and pound from guard.
Thurston 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.
Thurston missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Thurston stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Carbone swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thurston in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Thurston postures up in Carbone's guard and throws a big left but Carbone blocks it.
Thurston works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Carbone blocking the ground and pound attempt from Thurston.
Thurston is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Pedro Carbone.
I think Carbone has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Pedro Carbone!