PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Amir Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tay Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Let It Rock. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Thompson
vs
Smith

195 cm
25
180 lbs
5 - 3 - 1

179 cm
25
180 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

STEEL PENN NUTRITION - STEEL RESERVE 158+ ONLY$89

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Amir Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tay Smith!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thompson shoots in but Smith avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Smith will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Thompson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson works over Smith with some ground and pound from guard.
Thompson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Smith wants to stand and escape but Thompson is having none of it.
Thompson stands up over Smith, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Thompson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thompson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson passes Smith's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Thompson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Thompson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Thompson connects with a nice short shot to Smith's temple.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thompson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Smith does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Thompson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Smith tries to kick Thompson off but Thompson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Thompson wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.
Smith is trying to stand back up but Thompson is controlling him
Thompson lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Thompson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Smith misses with a series of wild punches.
Smith displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Thompson.
Good work by Thompson as he checks the leg kick.
Thompson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Smith throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Thompson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thompson checks a leg kick nicely.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Smith sprawls well. Smith wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Thompson gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Amir Thompson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A right-left combo lands from Smith.
Smith stalks Thompson and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Thompson's face. Thompson staggers backwards, shaken.
Smith tries to bum rush Thompson with a series of wild strikes but Thompson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Smith looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith swings for the body but Thompson moves out of range.
Smith lands with a nice combination. Thompson backs away looking to recover.

Thompson pushes Smith up against the cage in a clinch.
Thompson wants a takedown but no success here.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Smith wants to break the clinch but can't.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Thompson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Thompson showed some decent athleticism there.
Smith is trying to stand.
Thompson working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Thompson working the head and body with strikes.
Smith is staying active underneath Thompson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Smith wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is nestled in close to Smith, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Thompson working Smith over with strikes.
Thompson is nestled in close to Smith, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Thompson lands a nice short elbow.
Thompson slips a nice elbow through Smith's hands, connecting with Smith's forehead.
Thompson landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Thompson lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Thompson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Thompson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.
Smith is trying to stand up here but Thompson is controlling him well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith won't allow Thompson to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Amir 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.

Thompson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Smith to the mat! Smith manages to get full guard.
Thompson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Smith preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thompson works over Smith with some ground and pound from guard.
Thompson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Smith's head.
Thompson landing some decent shots from guard.
Thompson stops Smith from standing up.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Thompson stands up over Smith, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Smith is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Thompson is controlling him.
Thompson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith wants to stand but Thompson is controlling the position.
Thompson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smith is keeping the position for now.
Thompson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Smith's head.
Thompson pushing down on Smith's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Smith is trying to stand back up but Thompson is controlling him
Thompson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Smith does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Thompson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Smith with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Smith is not content to let Thompson control the position.
Thompson lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two 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.
Smith is not content to let Thompson control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Smith scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Thompson defending well as Smith loads up on a big left hand.
Thompson fails with a takedown attempt.
Smith scores with a hook.

Thompson instigates a clinch.
Smith has had enough of the clinch but Thompson keeps him there for the moment.
Thompson has Smith pressed against the cage, preventing Smith from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Thompson breaks the clinch.
Smith swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thompson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Smith avoids it really well and circles away.
Danga de danga de dang - Smith scores with a four punch combination!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Smith, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Smith scores with a one two! Thompson had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Thompson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Smith sprawls well initially but Thompson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Thompson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Smith is trying to stand back up but Thompson is controlling him
Thompson wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.
Smith wants to get back to his feet.
Thompson works his way into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Thompson lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Thompson is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Thompson with the ground and pound from mount.
Smith trying desperately to get to his feet.
Thompson lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Amir Thompson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Smith is squirming around, avoiding Thompson's attempts to control the action.
Thompson looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Smith is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Thompson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Amir 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!

Thompson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Smith as he avoids it easily.
Smith throws a body punch but Thompson moves out of range.
Thompson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Smith avoids it really well and circles away.
Smith throws a series of punches but Thompson avoids them all with ease.
Smith scoring well with a low kick there.
Smith scores with a jab.
Smith takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Smith throws a big shot that misses.
Thompson fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Amir Thompson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No joy there for Smith, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith lands a head shot.
Tay Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throws a right and a left that both miss.
Thompson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Smith pinned against the cage. Smith gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Amir Thompson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thompson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Smith scores with a jab. Thompson acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Thompson dodges the punch combination from Smith.
Smith misses with a wild combination.
Smith misses with an uppercut. Thompson saw that one coming.
Thompson tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Thompson misses with a takedown attempt - Smith sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Thompson shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Amir Thompson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Smith tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thompson shoots for a takedown but Smith saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Smith throws a body kick that misses.
Some wild striking there from Smith.

Thompson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Smith's guard.
Thompson trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Thompson is controlling him.
Thompson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Thompson manages to pass to side control.
Thompson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Smith pushes Thompson off looking to stand but Thompson dives back in and keeps control.
Smith is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

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 perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Thompson seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Smith for as long as he can get away with.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Smith can do anything to dispel that myth.
Smith is trying to stand.
Thompson scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Thompson looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Smith is refusing to be controlled, as Thompson sits in half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thompson prevents Smith from standing back up.

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 Amir Thompson.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Thompson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

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