PBP Commentary

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

tho
vs
Vega

170 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

Attliction Inc. - badass sold out last night....

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, david tho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Esteban Vega!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Sano and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vega clinches.
Vega gets underhooks to prevent tho's takedown attempt.

Vega gets a trip takedown into half guard.
tho is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Vega scores with a couple of nice shots.
tho is staying active underneath Vega, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Vega prevents tho from improving his position.
Vega wants to pass to mount but tho is defending the position.
tho gets back to full guard.
tho is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
tho lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Vega trying to control here.
Vega is looking to improve his position.
Vega is trying to stand back up but tho is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vega trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but tho manages to pass to mount!
Vega slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Vega manages to get to full guard.

tho gets to his feet. Vega looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

tho gets a clinch.
Vega tries to score a body lock takedown but tho shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Vega manages to pull guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
tho scoring with punches to the head and body.
Vega keeping moving, preventing tho from controlling successfully.
Vega is trying to control the position but tho postures up.
Vega looks gassed!
tho lands a couple of digs.
tho content to stall in guard here.
Vega striking off his back but it's not causing tho any problems.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vega trying to keep a closed guard but tho is proving a slippery customer.
tho trying to control the position from guard on top but Vega is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vega lands a couple of shots from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
tho tries to close the distance and clinch up but Vega swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Esteban Vega seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vega swings for the body but tho moves out of range.

Vega clinches.
Vega misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from tho.
Vega is trying to work for a single leg takedown but tho pulls him back up using the underhooks.
tho is looking to break free of the clinch but Vega has double underhooks.

tho breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Vega.
david tho has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Esteban Vega.

tho looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Vega!
Vega really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vega regains half guard.
Vega regains full guard. Nicely done.
Vega tries to strike from the bottom.
Vega wants to sweep here but tho controlling him for the moment.
Vega trying to strike off his back.
Vega bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in tho's guard.
Vega looking to sit in guard and control but tho gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Vega really doesn't want to stay on the ground with tho. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Vega looking for submissions from the bottom but instead tho passes into half guard.
tho drops an elbow to the side of Vega's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vega is trying to maintain the position but tho is very close to passing his half guard.
tho lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. tho connects with a nice short shot to Vega's temple.
tho winds up and cracks Vega with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
tho content to control rather than advance.
tho has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
tho drops an elbow to the side of Vega's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vega is in trouble now - tho has advanced to mount!
BOOM! tho connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Vega is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

david tho dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

tho looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Vega is fending him off so far but tho persists. Nope, Vega circles away and we're back to standing.
Vega with a poor takedown

and tho counters with a shoot takedown. Vega fights it but they end up in guard.
Vega with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing tho can't handle though.

Vega working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because tho has passed into half guard!
Vega is in trouble now - tho has advanced to mount!
Vega tries to lock up and control but tho gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Vega flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Vega flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Vega tries to reverse the position but tho maintains control.
Vega is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
tho breaks from Vega's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Vega is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Vega is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but tho is staying active.
Vega is in all sorts of trouble here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vega wants to control but tho is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vega is trying to escape the mount.
Vega throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
The referee warns Vega that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Vega is desperately trying to improve his position but tho has a good base and remains in mount.
tho avoids the attempt from Vega to control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vega can do anything to dispel that myth.
tho scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Vega is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, tho cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Vega keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

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.
Vega tries to hold on but tho pushes him away.
Vega is in all sorts of trouble here.
tho unloading with bombs!
Vega tries to hold on but tho pushes him away.
Vega is working to get back to half guard.
tho content just to control the position here.
Vega is trying to escape the mount.
Vega is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
tho has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Vega's face.
tho prevents Vega from getting the reversal.
tho is landing with some decent strikes but Vega is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
tho prevents Vega from getting the reversal.
Vega takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
tho controlling his opponent.
Vega is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
david tho overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
tho dominating with strikes here.
Vega is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
tho unloading with bombs!
Vega is working to get back to half guard.
Vega punching to the body and holding on for dear life.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vega tries to lock up and control but tho gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Vega is working to get back to half guard.
Vega really wants to buck tho off and get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by tho.
Vega can't escape the position.
Vega wants to hold on but tho pushes him away.
Vega is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

david tho dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Vega closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Vega trying to control the pace.
Vega scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Vega is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Vega scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Vega uses his free foot to push down on tho's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for tho.
Vega with shots to the head and body - tho looks very uncomfortable down there.
tho manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Vega winds up and cracks tho with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
tho is staying active underneath Vega, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Vega takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
tho is looking to control Vega's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can tho avoid being mounted?
tho missing with punches from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
tho lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.

tho kicks Vega off and gets back to his feet.
tho works over Vega's head and body with a nice combination.

Vega is rocked!

tho shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Vega is still in real trouble! Can tho finish him?
tho with a couple of short strikes.
Vega can't escape the position.
Vega seems to have recovered his senses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vega tries to hold on but tho postures up.
Vega swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
tho prevents Vega from getting the reversal.
tho wants to control the pace but Vega is squirming around nicely.
Vega flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
tho lands a nice shot to the head.
tho trying to control but he's not successful this time.
tho cracks Vega with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Vega is trying to escape the mount.
tho landing strikes from the mount.
tho wants to control the pace but Vega is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vega flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Vega is trying desperately to improve position.
tho avoids the attempt from Vega to control.
Vega throwing hammer fists to the chest of tho. What's that going to do exactly?
tho is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Vega can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Vega can't escape the position.
tho wants to control the pace but Vega is squirming around nicely.
Vega tries to get back to half guard but can't.
tho with good strikes from the mount here!
Vega is looking to improve his position but tho isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Vega slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Vega is pressing down on tho's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Vega trying to strike off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
david tho showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for tho, 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for david tho!
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight for david tho!
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight for david tho!

david tho wins by unanimous decision!