PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Denton Thunder (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Botello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Botello has chosen Bankrobber as his entrance music. John Botello will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Thunder
vs
Botello

199 cm
21
215 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
212 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Good chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Denton Thunder!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Botello!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Thunder lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Botello has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Botello and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Thunder avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Botello takes a swing at Thunder's ribcage but misses.
Botello ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thunder moves away.
Thunder lands a nice hook to Botello's body. Botello takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Denton Thunder seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thunder misses with a low kick.
Botello checks a leg kick.
Botello throws the left hand but Thunder avoids the punch easily.
Thunder misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Botello.
Botello moves out of range of the body kick from Thunder.
Thunder throws a low kick, looking for Botello's leg but Botello calmly moves out of range.
Botello avoids the head kick by Thunder.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thunder ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Thunder scores with a kick to the midsection.
Botello ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thunder moves away.
Botello takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Thunder moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thunder throws a solid leg kick but Botello takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Thunder.
A nice leg kick lands there from Thunder.
Botello pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Botello lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

It looks like Denton Thunder has been cut.
Thunder defending well as Botello loads up on a big left hand.
Thunder cracks Botello with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Thunder. Botello shrugs it off though.
Crunch! Thunder slams his shin into Botello's torso.
Botello has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Botello there as he acknowledges the shot.
Thunder walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Botello checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Thunder is looking to slow Botello down with leg kicks.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thunder lands a leg kick that knocks Botello off balance momentarily.
Botello misses with a few strikes there.
Thunder walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Botello checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Thunder is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Botello misses with a looping left.
Thunder throws a leg kick but Botello moved away.
Thunder thows a body shot but no joy.
Thunder uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Botello.
Thunder looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Thunder slips under a jab.
Thunder throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Botello.
Thunder lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Botello misses with a looping right.
Thunder throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Thunder displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Botello throws out the jab.
Thunder misses with a body kick.
Thunder lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Thunder lands a leg kick that knocks Botello off balance momentarily.
Thunder throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunder connects with a high kick.
Thunder misses with a low kick.
Botello has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Thunder.
Botello swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Thunder counters with a thumping low kick.
Thunder ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Thunder. That's going to slow Botello down.
Thunder throws a leg kick but Botello moved away.
Botello throws a combination that misses
and Thunder counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Thunder moves out of range as Botello strikes.
Thunder throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Botello stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Thunder.
Thunder throws a leg kick but Botello sees it coming and moves out of range.
Thunder throws a solid leg kick but Botello takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Thunder.
Thunder is looking to score with low kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Botello blocks the leg kick.
Botello sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Botello on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Thunder avoids a punch combination nicely.
Botello throws a series of punches but Thunder avoids them all with ease.
Botello loads up on a big right hand but Thunder slips the punch.
Thunder throws a wild body kick that Botello sees coming a mile off.
Botello has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Thunder.
Thunder throws a half hearted mid kick.
Thunder tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Botello is able to avoid easily.
Botello misses with a hook.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Botello moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Thunder cracks the inside of Botello's front leg.
Thunder fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denton Thunder dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Denton Thunder's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Thunder is looking to chop away at Botello's legs.
Denton Thunder is winning the standup battle so far.
Thunder throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thunder feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Botello's calf.
An inside leg kick from Thunder misses.
Thunder will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Botello misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Thunder uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Botello.
Thunder throws a low kick but Botello moves out of range easily.
Botello throws a hook to the side of Thunder's head but Thunder sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Botello looks to land a left hand but Thunder moved out of range nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thunder lands with a cross.
A shot to the body from Botello misses
and Thunder counters with a nice leg kick.
Botello misses with an uppercut. Thunder saw that one coming.
Thunder delivers a nice body kick.
Botello on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Botello's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Thunder.
Botello is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Thunder throws a half hearted mid kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Thunder, right into the meat.
Thunder takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
A solid body kick from Thunder.
Thunder moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Thunder throws out a loose jab but Botello uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thunder throws a solid leg kick but Botello takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Thunder.
Thunder buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Botello thows a body shot but no joy.
Thunder throws a front kick aimed at Botello's knee but Botello avoids it well.
Thunder is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Thunder throws a leg kick but Botello sees it coming and moves out of range.
Botello checks the leg kick.
Thunder throws a body punch but Botello moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Botello blocks a low kick nicely.
Thunder lands a nice leg kick that just misses Botello's sensitive parts.
Thunder thuds his shin into the meat of Botello's side.
Botello misses with a looping right.
Botello takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Thunder tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Botello was well out of range. Poor timing from Thunder.
Thunder lands with a nice body punch.
Thunder misses with a straight right.
Thunder ducks under a wild hook from Botello.
Thunder thumps Botello with a low kick.
Thunder fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Botello manages to avoid it.
Thunder takes a body punch but keeps moving.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Thunder throws a leg kick but Botello sees it coming and moves out of range.
Botello takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunder goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A good leg kick by Thunder.
Thunder swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Thunder misses with a low kick as Botello jumps back.
Thunder lands a nice looking kick to the body. Botello takes a step back to recover.
Botello chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Thunder can pounce on him.
Botello has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Thunder.
A leg kick checked by Botello.
Thunder lands a nice looking kick to the body. Botello takes a step back to recover.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Thunder.
Thunder throws a leg kick which misses Botello's front leg but catches the back leg as Botello tries to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thunder misses with a low kick.
Botello will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Botello blocks a low kick nicely.
Botello swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Botello checks a leg kick.
Thunder misses with a low kick.

Botello shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Botello showed some decent athleticism there.
Thunder holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Botello prevents Thunder from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denton Thunder dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Denton Thunder's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Botello loads up on a big right hand but Thunder slips the punch.
Thunder fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Botello checks it well.
Botello checks a leg kick.
Botello looks to land a combination but Thunder avoids it well.
Thunder throws a front kick aimed at Botello's knee but Botello avoids it well.
Thunder waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Botello.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Thunder, right into the meat.
Botello checks a leg kick nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Botello avoids the body shot from Thunder.
Thunder dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Botello. That did some damage!
Botello checks a low kick from Thunder.
Thunder looks to score with a jab to the body but Botello is just out of range.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Botello takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thunder slips under a jab.
Thunder looks to score with a jab to the body but Botello is just out of range.
Botello looks to land a right hand but Thunder moved out of range.
Thunder bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Botello's head.
Thunder misses with a low kick as Botello jumps back.
Thunder misses with an attempted mid kick.
Botello throws a jab when Thunder was well out of range.
Thunder slips a jab from Botello.
Thunder takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Thunder tests Botello's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Thunder moves out of range of the strikes.
Botello has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Thunder.
Thunder misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters circling a little - Thunder finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Thunder misses with a looping left.
Botello checks the leg kick nicely there.
Botello throws a nice looking combination but Thunder bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thunder ducks under a wild hook from Botello.
Thunder misses with a kick to the body.
A jab from Botello misses.
Botello misses with a wild body shot.
Thunder moves out of range of the strikes.
Thunder looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Thunder lands a nice leg kick that just misses Botello's sensitive parts.
Thunder throws a sloppy body shot
and Botello counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Thunder throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Botello connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Botello walks forward, straight into a front kick from Thunder.
Thunder feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Botello's calf.
Botello misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Thunder counters with a good low kick that Botello was not able to check.
Botello throws a shot from downtown. Thunder moves away and avoids it.
Thunder looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Botello avoids the head kick by Thunder.
Thunder ducks under a wild hook from Botello.
Botello scores with a hook.
Thunder is looking to wear down Botello with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Botello throws a lazy right hand but Thunder sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Thunder finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Botello checks a low kick from Thunder.
Botello might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Thunder keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Botello.
Botello misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thunder throws a leg kick but Botello sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Botello jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Thunder avoids the body shot from Botello.
Botello lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thunder circles away quickly and effectively.
Botello throws a lazy right hand but Thunder sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Thunder misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thunder scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Thunder keeps Botello at a distance using the push kick.
Thunder throws out a leg kick but Botello moves out of range and Thunder only half commits.
Thunder tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Botello misses with a looping right.
John Botello has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thunder tries to work over Botello's front leg with a kick but Botello checks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Denton Thunder showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Thunder, 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Denton Thunder!