PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between AJ Thindale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cotton Hill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). AJ Thindale has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Thindale
vs
Hill

180 cm
18
177 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

184 cm
20
182 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, AJ Thindale!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cotton Hill!
The judges for this bout are , and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hill throws a one two combo.

It looks like AJ Thindale has been cut.
Thindale avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Thindale tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hill feints and then cracks Thindale's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Thindale down.
Thindale throws a hook to the side of Hill's head but Hill sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hill throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Thindale counters with an inside leg kick.
Hill throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Thindale swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hill misses with a double jab

and Thindale counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hill won't be happy with that.
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!
Hill tries to buck Thindale off but Thindale is having none of it.
Hill sneaks back into half guard.
Thindale wants to free his trapped foot but Hill is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hill is looking to escape.
Thindale is keen to just control but Hill is a slippery customer.
Hill is looking to control Thindale's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hill avoid being mounted?
Thindale is keen to just control but Hill is a slippery customer.
Thindale passes to full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hill avoids a series of strikes thrown by Thindale.
Thindale prevents Hill from getting the reversal.
Thindale throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Thindale looking to finish with strikes here!
Thindale working Hill over with strikes here.
Thindale punching from mount but Hill doing a good job of avoiding damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thindale takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Hill tries to lock up and control but Thindale gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Thindale thowing shots but they're missing.
Thindale is breathing heavily.
Thindale can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hill is looking to escape.
Hill can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hill slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Thindale is trying to control the action in half guard but Hill is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hill moves into full guard.
Hill looking for a sweep. Not yet Hill, not yet.
Hill controlling Thindale's posture.
Hill is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hill perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Thindale is looking for a sweep. Hill is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hill thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Thindale's head.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hill in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thindale looking for submissions off his back.
Thindale wants to control but Hill is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Thindale is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Hill's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Hill's back!
Thindale is looking to control Hill but Hill is wriggling around and keeping busy.

Thindale looking for the RNC.
Thindale controlling well, preventing Hill from escaping the position.
Thindale landing with strikes.
Thindale throwing sloppy strikes.
Hill really must keep his cool here. He's controlling one of Thindale's hands and whilst he does that, he's got a chance of escaping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Thindale struggling to keep hold of the position.
Thindale is trying to stick to Hill's back but Hill is turning into Thindale. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Thindale's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Hill.
Thindale looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Hill puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Thindale tries to roll over but Hill keeps him under control.

Hill decides to return to a standing position.
Thindale moves away from the strike by Hill.
Hill throws the left hand but Thindale avoids the punch easily.
Thindale slips a straight right by Hill.
Thindale closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Cotton Hill is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Thindale just misses with a punch to the body.
Thindale throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thindale works the jab nicely.
Thindale tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hill lands with an overhand left.
Thindale slips a jab from Hill.
Thindale shoots in for a takedown but Hill shows good takedown defense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cotton Hill dominated that round.
The cut man is working on AJ Thindale's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Thindale moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Hill lands an overhand right.
A choreographed right hand from Hill misses the target.
Thindale avoids the head kick by Hill.
Hill misses with a jab to the body

and Thindale counters by clinching up.
Thindale wants to get back to striking at distance but Hill won't allow it.
Thindale wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Thindale trying to stall but Hill improves his position.
Hill lands a damaging elbow.
Hill lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Thindale wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Thindale can't find room to land a body shot as Hill controls the action.
Hill lands a right hand.
Hill lands an uppercut.
Hill lands a nice elbow.
A body shot lands from Hill.
Hill misses with a knee to the head.
Hill is working for takedown but Thindale is calmly controlling the position for now.
Thindale tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hill just stands there and leans against the cage.
Nice elbow from Hill.
Hill lands a hook that snaps the head of Thindale backwards.
Hill misses with a punch on the inside.
Thindale misses with the head strike.
Thindale is trying to maintain a safe position but Hill gets an underhook and turns Thindale into the cage.
Thindale misses with some punches.
Thindale struggles to land a body shot inside as Hill controls his hands.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thindale misses with the head strike.
Hill lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Thindale breaks the clinch.
The fighters circle momentarily. Hill darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Thindale keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thindale scores with a spinning back kick!
Hill misses with a lunging right hand

and Thindale counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hill's guard now.
Hill wants to sweep here but Thindale controlling him for the moment.
Thindale sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hill's guard.
Thindale trying to control the action but Hill is working from the bottom.
Hill trying to control here.
Hill moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hill is trying to control the position but Thindale postures up.

Hill pushes Thindale off and gets back to his feet.
Thindale misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hill.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thindale has a takedown stuffed.
Hill scores with a jab to the jaw.
Thindale fails to land with a series of punches.
Hill misses with a looping left.
Hill 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.
Hill falls off balance throwing a combination

and Thindale counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Thindale.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thindale won't allow Hill to sweep him here.
Hill keeping full guard, as Thindale tries to pass.
Thindale working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hill is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Hill wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Thindale shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hill but Hill pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for AJ Thindale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hill throws an overhand right that lands on Thindale's shoulder, as Thindale tries to avoid the shot.
Hill misses with a double jab.
Hill slow jab from Thindale misses its intended target.
Thindale misses with a hook
and Hill cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hill uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Thindale.
Thindale pivots, looking for a leg kick but Hill is out of range and Thindale settles back down.
Hill throws an off balance right hand
and Thindale counters with a two punch combo.
Thindale slips a jab from Hill.
Thindale slips under a jab from Hill.
Hill uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Thindale.
Hill throws a right hand that misses
and Thindale counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Nice cross by Hill.
Thindale throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Thindale looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hill throws a series of punches but Thindale moves out of range.
Thindale throws a jab when Hill was well out of range.
AJ Thindale is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hill misses with the combination.
Cotton Hill seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hill throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Thindale counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hill won't be happy with that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thindale looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Hill is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Hill tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Thindale wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Hill tries to escape but Thindale is in control.
Thindale is trying to ground and pound but Hill uses the momentary lack of control by Thindale to regain half guard.
Thindale wants to take a breather but Hill is having none of it.
Thindale thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Thindale tries to pass to full mount but Hill defends it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hill just misses with a punch to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hill lands with a nice combination. Thindale backs away looking to recover.
Thindale tries to close the distance and clinch but Hill swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thindale pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thindale bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
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 AJ Thindale will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on AJ Thindale's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hill misses with an uppercut. Thindale saw that one coming.

Thindale looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hill is trying to control but can't.
Hill is pressing down on Thindale's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Thindale trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Hill kicks Thindale off and gets to his feet.

Hill pushes Thindale up against the cage in a clinch.
Thindale wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hill pushes off an throws an elbow but Thindale leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hill.
Hill working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Thindale looking to slow down the pace here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Hill.

Thindale is rocked!
with the fighters clinched against the cage, Hill creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Oh Thindale is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Thindale misses with a straight left.
Hill throws a lazy uppercut

and Thindale counters by clinching up.
Hill creates some distance and fires off a vicious elbow that drops Thindale! He pounces and finishes the fight with more strikes! Nice KO for Hill.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Cotton Hill!
Cotton Hill is the new welterweight champion!