PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dyron Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Thigpen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dyron Gracie could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Tommy Thigpen's chin.

Gracie
vs
Thigpen

190 cm
25
217 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

187 cm
26
217 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

[IFC] Hilton Supplements *NYC*
[IFC] Hilton Supplements *NYC*

[IFC] Hilton Supplements *NYC*

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dyron Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tommy Thigpen!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, David Schapiro and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Thigpen misses its intended target.
Gracie misses with the combination.
Gracie misses with a wild combination.

Gracie forces Thigpen back against the cage and clinches.
Thigpen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Thigpen dodges an elbow strike from Gracie.
Thigpen is trying to maintain a safe position but Gracie gets an underhook and turns Thigpen into the cage.
Gracie swings wildly with an uppercut but Thigpen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Thigpen manages to get underhooks.
A short body shot lands from Gracie as the two fighters clinch.
Gracie is leaning against Thigpen and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Gracie cracks Thigpen with a nice body shot.
Gracie comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Tommy Thigpen has been cut.
Gracie lands an elbow just above Thigpen 's eye.
Gracie lands with a light punch inside.
Thigpen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gracie lands a damaging elbow.
Gracie lands a damaging elbow.
Gracie lands a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Gracie.
Thigpen trying to stall but Gracie improves his position.
Gracie scores with a shot to the side of Thigpen's head.

That has opened up Tommy Thigpen's cut even more.
Thigpen prevents the takedown attempt.
A short uppercut from Gracie.
Gracie misses with a hook from the clinch.
Gracie throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Gracie lands a right hand.
Gracie cracks Thigpen with a nice body shot.

Gracie has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Thigpen regains guard immediately.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Thigpen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thigpen trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Thigpen is keeping the position.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Thigpen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.

Gracie drops back, looking for a kneebar! Thigpen looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Thigpen looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Thigpen!
Gracie is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Thigpen is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

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.
Thigpen slows the pace down.
Gracie is looking to reverse the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dyron Gracie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tommy Thigpen's cut.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gracie throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Thigpen tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Gracie is in Thigpen's guard.
Gracie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Thigpen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gracie postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Thigpen is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Gracie, into his guard.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Thigpen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gracie is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Gracie is really struggling to control Thigpen but he's trying to hold on to the position.

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.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Thigpen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thigpen is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Gracie is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Gracie has escaped and now he's on top!
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Thigpen keeps moving.

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.

Gracie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Thigpen is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Thigpen has escaped and now he's on top!
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie wants to sweep here but Thigpen controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Dyron Gracie will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Tommy Thigpen's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Thigpen throws a looping overhand right but Gracie ducks down to avoid it.

Gracie clinches up with Thigpen and pushes him back against the cage.
Gracie missing with knees to the body.
Gracie lands a hook to the side of the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Gracie takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Gracie.
Thigpen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Gracie throws an elbow but it's blocked.
The referee calls for Gracie to work.
Thigpen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie misses with the head strike.
Gracie swings wildly with an uppercut but Thigpen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gracie tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nice elbow from Gracie.
Gracie lands a nice uppercut.
Thigpen avoids a wild elbow strike from Gracie.
Gracie misses with an elbow over the top.
Thigpen is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Gracie is keeping busy.
Gracie creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Thigpen's defenses.
Gracie stalling in the clinch.
Gracie lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Gracie is leaning against Thigpen and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Gracie is trying to drag Thigpen to the mat but Thigpen just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Thigpen tries to stall but Gracie uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Tommy Thigpen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Thigpen.
Gracie lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Thigpen tries to stall but Gracie uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Gracie lands with a right to the head.
Gracie lands a damaging elbow.
Thigpen takes a shot to the head.
Gracie tries to score a body lock takedown but Thigpen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Gracie lands a left hand that snaps the head of Thigpen backwards.
Gracie makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Thigpen tries to stall but Gracie uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Gracie lands an elbow just above Thigpen 's eye.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Gracie.
Gracie gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Thigpen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
With the fighters up against the cage, Gracie throws an elbow but misses.
Thigpen stalling in the clinch but Gracie improves position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands a good knee to the midsection. Thigpen won't want to take too many of those.
Thigpen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Thigpen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Gracie goes for a takedown in the clinch but Thigpen prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dyron Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A shot in the inside from Gracie.
Gracie has a couple of punches blocked by Thigpen.
Thigpen avoids a wild elbow strike from Gracie.
A right hand to the body from Gracie.
Gracie lands with a light punch inside.
Gracie scores with a nice hook to the head.
Nice elbow from Gracie.
Thigpen misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Thigpen stalling against the cage.
Thigpen misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is stalling here.
A short left from Gracie.
Gracie taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Thigpen taking a breather.
Stalling in the clinch from Gracie.
Thigpen blocking some punches.
Gracie is stalling here.
Gracie is trying to stall.
Gracie working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Gracie prevents a body shot from Thigpen.
Gracie tries for a takedown. No joy.
Gracie changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Thigpen fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Thigpen throws a big shot that misses.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thigpen as he avoids it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dyron Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gracie, 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dyron Gracie!