PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Abe Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddy Taksin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thomas
vs
Taksin

170 cm
23
165 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

193 cm
21
160 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Abe Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Eddy Taksin!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Sosuke Kotani and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thomas is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Taksin's half guard.
Thomas seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Taksin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Thomas is trying to control the action in half guard but Taksin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taksin is looking to escape.
Thomas passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Taksin!

Thomas goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Taksin is on top in guard.
Thomas wants to sweep but no luck.

Taksin stands and steps away. Thomas gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Thomas jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thomas drives through with a takedown into guard.
Taksin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thomas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Thomas throwing strikes from guard but Taksin blocks nicely.
Thomas postures up in Taksin's guard and throws a big left but Taksin blocks it.
Thomas is looking to advance position but Taksin has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Thomas can't escape the position.
Taksin is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Taksin tries to control but Thomas wriggling away.
Thomas is looking to improve his position but Taksin isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taksin trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Thomas is working to get back to half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Taksin trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Thomas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Thomas keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Taksin tries to stand up but Thomas had a hold of his arm and he's managed to perform a nice reversal, into half guard.
Taksin wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thomas throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Thomas fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Taksin, pushing him back against the cage.
Thomas lands a shoulder strike.

Thomas has picked Taksin up - he's going for a ride! Thomas dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Thomas thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Thomas thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Taksin's head.
Taksin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Thomas thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Thomas with the ground and pound but Taksin uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Taksin wants to get back to his feet but Thomas is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Thomas postures up in Taksin's guard and throws a big left but Taksin blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throwing strikes but missing.
Thomas stands up over Taksin, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Thomas content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Thomas prevents Taksin from getting back to his feet.
Thomas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Taksin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thomas.
Taksin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thomas is looking to work some ground and pound but Taksin has wrist control.
Taksin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thomas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abe Thomas dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Taksin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Thomas.
Thomas throws a jab when Taksin was well out of range.
Eddy Taksin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thomas tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Thomas gets the takedown into side control.
Taksin prevents Thomas from improving position.
The strikes coming from Thomas are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Thomas in side control, throwing shots but Taksin defends.
Thomas tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Taksin dodges the ground and pound from Thomas.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taksin is pushing Thomas's head away, looking to escape. Thomas manages to hold on to the position though.
Thomas lands a few punches from side control.
Thomas throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Thomas avoids the head kick by Taksin.
Thomas misses with an uppercut.
Thomas throws a right hand that Taksin ducks under and follows up with a left that Taksin also avoids with ease.
Taksin throws a series of punches but Thomas avoids them all with ease.
Taksin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Abe Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taksin avoids a kick to the body.
Thomas thuds his right hand into Taksin's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A combination from Taksin does no damage.

Thomas moves into the clinch.
Taksin tries to land knees in the clinch but Thomas avoids the damage to the body.
Taksin blocks an uppercut.
Knees in the clinch landing for Taksin.
Taksin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thomas has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Taksin is breathing heavily.

Thomas has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Taksin uses from the top position.
Taksin won't allow Thomas to sweep him here.
Thomas is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Thomas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Thomas trying to control the action but Taksin is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taksin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Taksin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Thomas.

Thomas is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Taksin is just riding it out for now. Thomas eventually gives up the hold.
Thomas is nestled in close to Taksin, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Taksin is trying to stand back up but Thomas is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas lands strikes from half guard.
Thomas looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Thomas not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Thomas seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Thomas not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Thomas thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Taksin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Thomas. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Thomas thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Thomas looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Taksin with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Taksin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Thomas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taksin is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Thomas scores with a couple of nice shots.
Thomas trying to pass the guard but Taksin defending well.

Thomas seems to be looking for submissions.
Taksin is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Thomas scores with a couple of nice shots.
Nice strikes from Thomas there.
Taksin is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Thomas scores with a couple of nice shots.
Thomas looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Taksin with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Taksin blocking the ground and pound attempt from Thomas.
Thomas lands with a punch from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abe Thomas dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Thomas feints and as Taksin raises his hands in defense, Thomas changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Thomas throwing strikes but missing.
Thomas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Thomas chips away with some ground and pound.
Thomas passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Thomas working the ground and pound.
Sloppy strikes there by Thomas.
The ground and pound from Thomas seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Thomas is trying to get an arm triangle but Taksin is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taksin wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas misses with the ground and pound.
Thomas misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Thomas has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Taksin!
Thomas breaks from Taksin's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Taksin tries to buck Thomas off but he can't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Thomas sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Taksin is squirming around, avoiding Thomas's attempts to control the action.
Thomas 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.
Thomas raining down shots from the mount!
Thomas misses with a head shot.
Taksin is bucking up trying to escape but Thomas cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Thomas is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Taksin can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Abe Thomas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Thomas looking to control and managing it successfully.
Thomas looking to finish with strikes here!
Thomas working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Thomas controlling from the full mount.
Abe Thomas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four 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.
Thomas with a couple of short strikes.
Thomas with good strikes from the mount here!
Thomas controlling from the full mount.
Thomas throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Thomas landing strikes from the mount.
Thomas thowing shots but they're missing.
Eddy Taksin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thomas fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

And that's the end of the fight!
Abe Thomas showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Thomas 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abe Thomas!