PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Thai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavier Washington (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Thai
vs
Washington

192 cm
18
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
19
188 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Fight Club Clothing Helsinki™
Fight Club Clothing Helsinki™

Firebird Designs

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Thai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Xavier Washington!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Summer Carpenter and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thai avoids the head kick by Washington.
Washington misses with a straight left.

Thai gets the takedown into side control.
Washington is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Washington prevents Thai from moving into mount.
Thai working away.
Thai trying to control the position but Washington is working away.
Thai wants to take a breather but Washington manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Thai.
Washington is pulling down on Thai's head. It's preventing any offense from Thai, at least for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Washington swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Washington is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Thai can't get the takedown.
Thai has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Washington is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Thai is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Thai. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Washington has a couple of punches blocked by Thai.
Washington stalling.
Washington struggles to land a body shot inside as Thai controls his hands.
Thai has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Washington avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Washington as the two fighters clinch.
Washington is looking to control Thai's arms but Thai gets an underhook and turns him. Now Washington has his back to the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thai goes for a takedown attempt but Washington pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Washington throws a leg kick that is checked
and Thai counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Washington throws a leg kick
and Thai counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Washington is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Washington tries to clinch up.
Thai defending well as Washington loads up on a big left hand.
Thai tries a head kick but it misses.
Thai takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Thai throws a head kick that misses.
Thai throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Washington misses with a low kick.
Xavier Washington is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Thai uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Washington.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Washington throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A lazy body kick from Washington
and Thai counters with an inside leg kick.

Thai shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Washington wants to control but Thai is keeping busy.
Washington won't allow Thai to pass to mount.
Washington is staying active underneath Thai, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Thai looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The fighters are battling for position here. Washington manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thai tries to free his leg and advance position but Washington is retaining full guard.
Washington manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Thai manages to get himself to full guard.
Thai wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thai is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Washington won't allow Thai to sweep him here.
Washington controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Thai trying to keep a closed guard but Washington is proving a slippery customer.

We're going to have a standup here because Mike Thai wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Washington misses with an uppercut.
Washington misses with a hook to the body
and Thai counters with an inside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Thai dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Washington swings for the body but Thai moves out of range.
Washington misses with a shot to the body
and Thai counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Thai looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Washington is looking to improve his position.
Thai wants to lay and pray for a moment but Washington keeps working.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Thai in particular looking to stall.
Washington tries to get to full guard but Thai has control of the leg.
Thai stalling away here and it's allowed Washington to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai is stalling in the full guard.
Washington looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thai is one step ahead there.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Thai engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

We're going to have a standup here because Mike Thai wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Washington misses with a hook. Thai ducked under it nicely.
Thai throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Washington finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Washington gets caught flat footed, as Thai shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thai trying to control the position from guard on top but Washington is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thai sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Washington pulls Thai in close to his closed guard and prevents Thai from doing any damage or advancing position.
Thai stops Washington from standing up.
Thai trying to control but Washington is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mike Thai wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Washington throws a leg kick
and Thai counters with a thumping low kick.
Washington bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
A slapping leg kick lands for Thai.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Washington slips a jab from Thai.
Washington ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thai moves away.
A swing and a miss from Washington.
Thai misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Washington throws a jab when Thai was well out of range.
Washington throws a leg kick but Thai moved away.
A slapping body kick lands there for Thai.
Washington stuffs the takedown attempt from Thai. Thai gets slowly back to his feet.
Washington missing with a left hand there. Thai was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

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.
Washington misses with a body kick.
Crunch! Thai slams his shin into Washington's torso.
A head kick misses from Washington.
Thai misses with a head kick.
Thai misses with a head kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Thai.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Thai. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Washington misses with a hook
and Thai counters with a nice body kick.
A low kick from Washington misses

and Thai counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Thai.
Thai wants to control from the top but Washington keeps moving.
Washington wants to sweep here but Thai controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Thai dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Washington thows a leg kick but Thai checks it
and Thai counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Washington blocks a head kick by Thai.
Thai tries a head kick but it misses.
Nice body kick from Thai.
Nice uppercut there from Washington.
A shot to the liver by Washington. Beautiful body shot.
A low kick from Washington misses
and Thai counters with a head kick. That will keep Washington thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Washington throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Thai sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thai misses with an attempted mid kick.
Mike Thai is winning the standup battle so far.
Washington ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thai moves away.
Thai throws a push kick but Washington slaps the foot to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Washington looks to throw a body kick
and Thai counters with a solid body kick.
Thai shoots in for a takedown but Washington shows good takedown defense.
A nice inside leg kick there by Thai. That's going to slow Washington down.
Washington lands a jab to the head.
Washington wants to clinch.
Washington throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Washington throws a quick inside leg kick.
Thai tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Washington throws a poor cross that misses
and Thai finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Washington tries to clinch but Thai is having none of it.
A head kick by Washington misses
and Thai makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Washington really felt that one!
Washington throws a head kick that misses
and Thai counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Washington is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Washington takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A nice leg kick lands there from Thai.
Thai throws a low kick but Washington avoids it.
Washington takes a kick to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thai steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Washington.
Thai throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Washington's head.
Thai has a takedown stuffed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai ducks under a wild hook from Washington.
Washington throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Thai connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Thai throws a push kick but Washington slaps the foot to one side.
Xavier Washington has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thai throws a leg kick
and Washington counters with a stiff right hand.
Washington checks a leg kick.
Washington tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Washington closes the distance looking to clinch

and Thai counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Thai.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thai stopping the sweep attempt from Washington.
Thai pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Washington is keeping the position for now.
Washington wants to sweep here but Thai controlling him for the moment.
Washington keeping moving, preventing Thai from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thai is really struggling to control Washington but he's trying to hold on to the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Thai showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Thai, 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Thai!