PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Craig Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Connely (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thomas comes to the cage accompanied by Judas Priest - Painkiller. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thomas
vs
Connely

183 cm
27
195 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

181 cm
23
194 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

Resistance

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Craig Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chris Connely!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Robert Twigg and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Connely throws a big shot that misses.
Craig Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Connely keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Connely slips a straight right by Thomas.
Connely scores with a punch to the head.
Connely misses with a looping right.
Thomas will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Thomas connects with a right hand. Connely shakes it off.
Connely throws a jab when Thomas was well out of range.
Connely has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Chris Connely has been cut.
Thomas misses with a few strikes there.
A telegraphed right hand from Thomas misses the target.
Thomas throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connely misses with a takedown attempt - Thomas sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Thomas misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Connely.
Nice sprawl there from Thomas as Connely shoots in.
Connely lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Thomas misses the jab.
The fighters circling - Connely throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Thomas tests Connely's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Connely loads up on a big right hand but Thomas slips the punch.
Connely defending well as Thomas loads up on a big left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connely uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Thomas.
Thomas tries to move into range but Connely moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Thomas slips a jab from Connely.
Thomas moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Thomas misses with a combination

so Connely counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Connely stays in close to Thomas's body and controls the position.
Connely forces his way into half guard.
Connely looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connely wants to take a breather but Thomas is having none of it.
Connely might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Thomas kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Connely missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Chris Connely.
Thomas misses the body punch

and Connely counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thomas's guard now.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing Connely from controlling successfully.
Connely content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is looking to stand up but Connely isn't so interested in that idea.
Connely wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Connely dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Chris Connely's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Thomas misses with a jab, cross combination.
Connely takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Nice cross by Thomas.
Thomas throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thomas throws a big shot that misses.
Connely darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Connely slips a straight right by Thomas.
A combination from Connely does no damage.
Thomas thows a left - swing and a miss!
Thomas misses with a jab to the body
and Connely counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connely misses with a wild combination.
Connely takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Thomas misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Connely counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Connely scores with a hook.
Craig Thomas is winning the standup battle so far.
Connely misses with a looping left.
Thomas misses with a straight left.
Thomas has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Connely.
Connely bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A looping hook to the body misses from Connely. Thomas does a little dance to reset his feet.
Connely ducks under a wild hook from Thomas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connely uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Thomas.
Thomas swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Connely counters with a right hand to the body.
Thomas will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Connely defending well as Thomas loads up on a big left hand.
Thomas is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Connely.
Connely takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Thomas fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Connely manages to avoid it.
Connely is trying hard to land a takedown here. Thomas sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Connely is defended easily by Thomas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connely staying out of range there.
Craig Thomas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Connely slips a jab and a cross from Thomas.
Thomas misses with a few strikes there.
Thomas misses with a hook.
Thomas misses with a shot to the body
and Connely counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt.

Connely darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Connely is trying to control. Thomas wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Connely is looking for a kimura but Thomas is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Connely to get the leverage.
Connely is trying to control. Thomas wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Thomas has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Connely is working away from the top position though.
Thomas is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Thomas on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Thomas preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

Connely is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chris Connely will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Chris Connely's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Connely lands with a nice combination. Thomas backs away looking to recover.
Thomas keeps the fight on the outside.
Thomas cracks Connely with a good jab.
Connely avoids the body shot from Thomas.
Thomas swings away with a body shot that misses

and Connely counters with a takedown into side control.
Thomas taking a bit of punishment here - Connely scoring with strikes.
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!
Thomas is not content to let Connely control the position.
Connely wants to control for a moment but Thomas uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connely stalling.
Connely is trying to control. Thomas wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Connely thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Connely landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Connely is looking to take a break and control but Thomas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thomas is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Connely's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Connely's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Thomas has the hooks in. Connely is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Thomas is not going to allow Connely to sit and survive in this position.
Connely manages to reverse the position and now he's in Thomas's guard. Nice work there by Connely.
Thomas can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Connely controls the pace.
Thomas controls Connely momentarily but Connely frees himself.
Connely looking to sit in guard and control but Thomas gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Connely's guard.
Chris Connely is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Thomas blocks the strikes from Connely.
Thomas tries to stand and escape but Connely actually recovers to full guard.
Thomas has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Connely is proving hard to escape from.
Thomas slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Thomas would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Craig Thomas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thomas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Thomas being controlled here momentarily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Connely comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Connely winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Connely!