PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between BumbleBee Man (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Why can't we be friends?. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Man
vs
Thompson

180 cm
25
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Self confident

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, BumbleBee Man!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Robert Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Man looks for a takedown but Thompson sprawls well.

Thompson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Man makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Man.
Thompson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Man on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Man tries to get out of the position.
Man managing to control the position.
Man throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Man lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Thompson!
Thompson is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Man controlling the position easily from mount.
Man wants to control the pace but Thompson is squirming around nicely.
Man takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because BumbleBee Man wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Thompson is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Man's half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Man moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Thompson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Thompson won't allow Man to sweep him here.
Thompson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Thompson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Man manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Thompson manages to get himself to full guard.
Man is looking to work some ground and pound but Thompson has wrist control.
Thompson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Man. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Man wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Man looking to sit in guard and control but Thompson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Thompson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Man managing to control the position.
Thompson postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that BumbleBee Man will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A telegraphed right hand from Man misses the target.
Man shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Thompson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Man won't be happy with that.
Thompson working the strikes but Man uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Thompson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Man defending well though.
Thompson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Thompson working the head and body with strikes.
Thompson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thompson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Man's head.
Man makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Man.
Thompson thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Man not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Man preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Man is looking to stand up but Thompson isn't so interested in that idea.
Thompson landing some decent shots from guard.
Thompson cracks Man with a solid left hand.
Thompson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Man is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thompson throws a big right hand that misses.
Thompson is working Man over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Man has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Thompson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Man is trying to control the position but Thompson postures up.
Thompson is looking to work some ground and pound but Man has wrist control.
Thompson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Man is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Man utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Thompson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Thompson throwing strikes from guard but Man blocks nicely.
Thompson stands up over Man, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson connects with a couple of short punches.
Thompson throws a big right hand that misses.
Man working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thompson.
Man managing to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thompson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Thompson cracks Man with a solid left hand.
Thompson lands a couple of digs.
Thompson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Man is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Man will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Thompson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Man's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Thompson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Thompson cracks Man with a solid left hand.
Thompson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Thompson postures up and lands a big shot to Man's brow.
Man wants to stand up but Thompson is controlling him.
Thompson working some strikes from top position.
Man wants to get back to his feet but Thompson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Man utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thompson thows a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thompson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Thompson throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Thompson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Thompson thows a big elbow that misses.
Thompson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Thompson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Man preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Man manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Thompson manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Man trying to control but Thompson is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Man looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Thompson is wriggling around but Man manages to pass to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Man is trying to control. Thompson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Thompson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Man controlling the pace.
Man is pressing down on Thompson's thigh, looking to free his foot. Thompson is holding on for now.
Man passes to full mount!

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.
The referee warns Thompson that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Man controlling from the full mount.
Thompson is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

And that's the end of the fight!
BumbleBee Man showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Man has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!