PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thor Atheos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mariusz Tomb (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Atheos
vs
Tomb

190 cm
25
207 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

205 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Thor Atheos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mariusz Tomb!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Atheos keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A head kick from Tomb lands but Atheos takes it in his stride.

It looks like Thor Atheos has been cut.
Atheos avoids a punch combination nicely.
Tomb displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Atheos throws out the jab.
Tomb wants to clinch

and Atheos counters by clinching up.
Tomb wants to get back to striking at distance but Atheos won't allow it.

Atheos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tomb shoots in for a double leg but Atheos sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A lazy left from Atheos finds it's target.
Horrible takedown by Tomb or perhaps it was just good defense by Atheos which made him look bad.
Thor Atheos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mariusz Tomb.
Tomb dodges the punch combination from Atheos.
Tomb fails with the takedown
and Atheos counters with a series of strikes. Tomb will be more careful next time no doubt.

Atheos gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Atheos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atheos getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Thor Atheos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Atheos throws a nice looking combination but Tomb bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Atheos drives through and clinches with Tomb against the cage.
Atheos stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Atheos breaks the clinch.
Atheos smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Thor Atheos is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tomb tries for a takedown but Atheos circles away easily

and Atheos counters by clinching up.
A right handed body shot lands from Atheos.
Tomb looks gassed!

Atheos manages to break the clinch.
Atheos scores with a body shot.
Tomb throws a nice looking combination but Atheos bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Atheos misses with a double jab.

Atheos gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Atheos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Atheos throws a right and a left that Tomb avoids nicely.
Atheos scores with a nice head shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Atheos gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Atheos breaks the clinch.
Tomb misses with a double jab
and Atheos counters with a one-two to the body.
Tomb takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Atheos scores with a nice head shot.
Tomb takes a body punch but keeps moving.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Atheos closes the distance and pushes Tomb back into the cage.

Atheos breaks from the clinch.
Atheos closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Atheos throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Atheos clinches up with Tomb and pushes him back against the cage.
Tomb is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Atheos breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tomb shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Atheos has Tomb up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Atheos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tomb takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Tomb fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Atheos takes the fight into the clinch.

Atheos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Atheos throws a one two combo.
Atheos displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tomb.
A punch lands to the side of Tomb 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Tomb fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Tomb has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Tomb is defended easily by Atheos.
Tomb has his takedown stuffed
and Atheos counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Atheos getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Atheos stuns Tomb with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Tomb misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Donk. Atheos catches Tomb right on the button with a cross.
Tomb on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Tomb blocks a jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Atheos throws a shot from downtown. Tomb moves away and avoids it.
Tomb is looking to clinch but Atheos is avoiding it.
Tomb darts in trying to clinch
and Atheos counters with a stiff right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thor Atheos dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Thor Atheos's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Atheos has Tomb up against the cage in a clinch.

Atheos manages to break the clinch.
Tomb misses with a takedown

and Atheos counters by moving into the clinch.

Atheos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tomb fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Tomb walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Atheos takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Atheos gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Tomb is trying to force a seperation but Atheos has the dominant position.

Atheos breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tomb tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Atheos counters by moving into the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Atheos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tomb swings for the body but Atheos moves out of range.
Tomb ducks under a wild hook from Atheos.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Atheos drives through and clinches with Tomb against the cage.
Atheos is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Tomb has Atheos pressed against the cage, preventing Atheos from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Atheos wants to get back to striking at distance but Tomb won't allow it.
Tomb tries to score a body lock takedown but Atheos shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Thor Atheos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mariusz Tomb.

Atheos breaks the clinch.

Atheos moves into the clinch successfully.

Atheos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tomb shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Atheos counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tomb is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Tomb dives in and grabs Atheos's left leg, looking for a takedown. Atheos pushes down on Tomb's head and hops out.
Atheos is looking to clinch but Tomb is avoiding it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Tomb is defended easily by Atheos.
Some bone on bone action there as Atheos checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tomb shoots in looking for a takedown but Atheos manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Tomb's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Tomb gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Atheos counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Atheos lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Atheos lands a nice shot that snaps Tomb's head back.
Atheos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Atheos throws a right hand that Tomb ducks under and follows up with a left that Tomb also avoids with ease.

Tomb manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Atheos on his heels. He'll look to pass Atheos's guard now, I'm sure.
Tomb sitting in guard here, content to control.
Atheos might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Tomb trying to control but Atheos is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tomb showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Tomb advances position into side control!

Tomb stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tomb looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Atheos is fending him off so far but Tomb persists. Nope, Atheos circles away and we're back to standing.
Atheos circles away from the clinch attempt
and Atheos counters with a three punch combo that has Tomb backing up. Tomb nods at Atheos to acknowledge the strikes.
Tomb keeps the fight on the outside.
Atheos misses with a wild combination.
Atheos stuffs the takedown attempt from Tomb. Tomb gets slowly back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tomb looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thor Atheos dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Thor Atheos's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Atheos rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tomb moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Tomb throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Atheos tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Tomb is in Atheos's guard.
Tomb controlling from the top position.
Atheos on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Atheos tries to get out of the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tomb pushing down on Atheos's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Let's hope that Tomb has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Mariusz Tomb wasn't active enough on the ground.
Tomb is looking to clinch.
Atheos fails to land with a series of punches.
Tomb misses with a double jab.

That's two 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.
Atheos throws a right hand that Tomb ducks under and follows up with a left that Tomb also avoids with ease.
Tomb circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tomb keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Atheos displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tomb.
Atheos tries to close the distance and clinch but Tomb swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Atheos sizes up Tomb with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Thor Atheos is winning the standup battle so far.
A head kick by Tomb misses
and Atheos counters with a stiff right hand.
Tomb tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Atheos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Atheos connects with a nice looking jab.
Tomb shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Atheos but Atheos pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Atheos rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tomb moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atheos lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Tomb gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Atheos counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Thor Atheos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mariusz Tomb.

Tomb dives in and scores a takedown into Atheos's guard.
Tomb looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Tomb trying to control but Atheos is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tomb stays in close to Atheos's body and controls the position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Tomb postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Atheos knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tomb on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mariusz Tomb was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Atheos lands a lovely overhand right.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Tomb decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Atheos is trying to stand.
Mariusz Tomb has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thor Atheos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mariusz Tomb comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Atheos 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thor Atheos!