PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tony Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zack Mafusa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thompson comes to the cage accompanied by All In The Family. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thompson
vs
Mafusa

197 cm
20
220 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

190 cm
23
200 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

Dangerous GnP
Counter striker
Granite chin

Tianada's Nutrition Superstore
Crippler's Corner

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tony Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Zack Mafusa!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Eliza Hachem and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thompson moves in looking to clinch but Mafusa pushes him off.
Mafusa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Thompson's waist but Thompson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mafusa off to one side.

Mafusa shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Mafusa showed some decent athleticism there.
Mafusa thows a huge punch but Thompson dodges it nicely.
Mafusa is looking to take a break and control but Thompson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mafusa takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mafusa wants to stand but Thompson has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Mafusa throwing shots but Thompson is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mafusa throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Thompson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mafusa.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mafusa fails with a takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mafusa.
Tony Thompson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Mafusa.

Thompson drives through and clinches with Mafusa against the cage.
Mafusa is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Thompson has Mafusa pushed against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Thompson for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mafusa trying to control the position but instead, Thompson has worked for underhooks and has pushed Mafusa into the cage.

Thompson breaks the clinch.
Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch but Mafusa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Thompson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mafusa, pushing him back against the cage.
Mafusa is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mafusa wants a takedown but no success here.
Thompson just leaning against Mafusa, taking a breather.
Mafusa takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Zack Mafusa has been cut.
Mafusa is trying to drag Thompson to the mat but Thompson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Thompson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Thompson doesn't manage to clinch there - Mafusa circles away.
Thompson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mafusa swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thompson clinches with his opponent.

Thompson manages to break the clinch.
Thompson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mafusa.
Thompson tries to clinch up but Mafusa circles away and keeps his distance.

Thompson instigates a clinch.
Mafusa looking to stall.
Thompson lands a nice elbow.
Mafusa tries to pull guard but Thompson holds him up against the cage and eventually Mafusa drops back down to his feet.
Mafusa letting Thompson take a breather here.
Thompson prevents the takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mafusa can't get the takedown.
Mafusa looks gassed!
Thompson is stalling here.
Mafusa missing with knees to the body.
Mafusa fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Thompson lands an elbow inside.

Thompson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thompson moves in looking to clinch but Mafusa pushes him off.
Thompson tries to clinch but Mafusa moves out of range.
Thompson fails in his attempt to clinch.

Mafusa closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Thompson manages to break the clinch.
Thompson is looking to clinch but Mafusa is avoiding it.
Tony Thompson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Thompson wants to clinch up but Mafusa keeps it at a distance.
Thompson closes the distance looking to clinch

and Mafusa counters by moving into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Thompson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zack Mafusa's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mafusa fails with a takedown attempt.

Thompson drives through and clinches with Mafusa against the cage.

Mafusa has hold of one of Thompson's legs. Thompson is fighting the takedown attempt but Mafusa gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Mafusa prevents Thompson from getting back to his feet.
Thompson keeping moving, preventing Mafusa from controlling successfully.
Mafusa is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Mafusa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thompson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mafusa scoring with some ground and pound.
Thompson wants to stand up but Mafusa is controlling him.
Thompson keeping full guard, as Mafusa tries to pass.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mafusa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mafusa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Thompson tries to avoid it but Mafusa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Thompson to the ground. Thompson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

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.
Thompson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mafusa.
Tony Thompson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Mafusa.
Mafusa is breathing heavily.
Mafusa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Thompson tries to clinch up

and Mafusa counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mafusa.
Thompson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mafusa wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.
Mafusa prevents Thompson from getting back to his feet.
Mafusa trying to control the position from guard on top but Thompson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mafusa is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mafusa fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Thompson has Mafusa up against the cage in a clinch.
Mafusa fails to pull guard.

Thompson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Thompson tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Mafusa counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Mafusa trying to control the position from guard on top but Thompson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mafusa is controlling him.
Thompson is wriggling around but Mafusa manages to pass to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zack Mafusa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Zack Mafusa's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Thompson wants to clinch up but Mafusa keeps it at a distance.

Thompson has Mafusa up against the cage in a clinch.
Thompson connects with a knee to the head.

Thompson breaks the clinch.
Thompson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thompson wants to clinch but Mafusa slips to the side

and Mafusa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Thompson's guard.

Mafusa drops back looking for a leg! Thompson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Thompson manages to kick Mafusa off! Mafusa jumps back into Thompson's guard.
Thompson wants to get back to his feet but Mafusa is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson keeping moving, preventing Mafusa from controlling successfully.
Mafusa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thompson is keeping the position for now.
Mafusa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Thompson is looking to stand up but Mafusa isn't so interested in that idea.
Mafusa is standing up over Thompson. Thompson looks to escape but Mafusa dives into side control.
Mafusa sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Thompson is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mafusa dives in and grabs Thompson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Thompson pushes down on Mafusa's head and hops out.
Thompson closes the distance but Mafusa moves to the side

and Mafusa counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thompson's guard now.
Mafusa prevents Thompson from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mafusa wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.
Mafusa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Zack Mafusa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mafusa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mafusa trying to control the position from guard on top but Thompson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson wants to stand but Mafusa is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Thompson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Thompson tries to clinch up

and Mafusa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Thompson's guard.
Mafusa connects with a couple of short punches.

Mafusa drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Thompson manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mafusa has Thompson in his guard.
Thompson trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mafusa's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zack Mafusa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mafusa 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zack Mafusa!