PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mark Cote (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gavin Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cote's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Fort minor: Remember the name. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cote
vs
Thomas

180 cm
25
177 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

196 cm
22
175 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Cote!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gavin Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Stewart Dunkirk and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cote swats away the attempt to clinch by Thomas.
Cote dives in and grabs Thomas's left leg, looking for a takedown. Thomas pushes down on Cote's head and hops out.
Thomas blocks the body kick.
Sloppy strikes from Thomas. Those never looked like landing.

Thomas moves into range and clinches up with Cote.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Thomas just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cote's brow.
Thomas is trying to break the clinch but Cote is controlling him.
With the fighters up against the cage, Thomas throws an elbow but misses.
Thomas lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Mark Cote has been cut.
Nice elbow from Thomas.
Thomas misses with an elbow strike.
Thomas throws an elbow that misses.
Cote has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Thomas avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Thomas pushes off an throws an elbow but Cote leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Cote blocks the elbow strike.
Thomas throws an elbow that misses.

Cote has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Thomas uses from the top position.
Cote might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Thomas wants to stand but Cote has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cote wants to stand and escape but Thomas is having none of it.

Thomas decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Cote fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Thomas sprawls well initially but Cote persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cote wants to work for an arm triangle but Thomas is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Thomas wants to get back to his feet.
Cote missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Thomas is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cote drops an elbow to the side of Thomas's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cote not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nice strikes from Cote there.
Cote misses with a head shot. Thomas uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cote passes Thomas's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Cote missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Cote is trying to work for a kimura but Thomas is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cote throwing shots but Thomas is blocking nicely.

Cote wants to work for an arm triangle but Thomas is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Cote is working for a kimura here but Thomas manages to reverse the position and he's now in Cote's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Cote pushes Thomas off and scrambles back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Cote escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thomas fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thomas tries to clinch there but Cote circles away.
Thomas tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thomas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Cote rushes Thomas and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Thomas lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Cote managing to block the knees to the body from Thomas.
Thomas throws an elbow that misses.
Thomas tries to land knees in the clinch but Cote avoids the damage to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Thomas throws an elbow but misses.
Cote avoiding damage as Thomas throws knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Thomas.
Thomas lands an elbow inside that Cote shrugs off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cote blocks the elbow strike.
Cote keeps control of Thomas as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Thomas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gavin Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thomas is looking to clinch.
Cote shoots for a double leg takedown but Thomas sprawls well. He's pushed Cote's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thomas moves to clinch but Cote breaks away

and Cote counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cote wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.
Cote throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thomas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cote stops Thomas from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thomas is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cote loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cote has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Mark Cote has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Cote keeps the fight on the outside.
Thomas misses with a double jab.
Cote throws a half hearted mid kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cote shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cote looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thomas is fending him off so far but Cote persists. Nope, Thomas circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Cote. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cote drops Thomas with a beautiful combination! Thomas stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Cote is looking for the KO!

Thomas is rocked!

It looks like Gavin Thomas has been cut.

Cote gets a big slam - oh, Thomas is out! Thomas is out! That's a nasty KO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Slam). Mark Cote!