PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ethan Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dawid Goniwiecha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Thomas
vs
Goniwiecha

185 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

187 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

HITME! Clothing Line (Chuck Norris Collection)
HITME! Clothing Line (Chuck Norris Collection)

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 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ethan Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dawid Goniwiecha!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Radbod Blank and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Goniwiecha looks for the body kick but Thomas saw that one coming.
Thomas fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Thomas throws a big shot that misses.
Thomas misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Thomas fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thomas tries to clinch but Goniwiecha moves out of range.
Thomas throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Goniwiecha.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Goniwiecha wants to control but Thomas is keeping him busy.

Goniwiecha stands up.
Thomas closes the distance looking to clinch

and Goniwiecha counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thomas's guard now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Thomas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Goniwiecha can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Goniwiecha sitting in guard here, content to control.

Thomas is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Goniwiecha is aware though and is defending well.
Goniwiecha throwing strikes but missing.
Thomas throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Thomas avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Goniwiecha sitting in guard here, content to control.

Goniwiecha stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Thomas thuds his right hand into Goniwiecha's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Goniwiecha moves into range and clinches up with Thomas.
Thomas working hard to break the clinch.
Goniwiecha tries to pull guard but Thomas won't allow it.

Goniwiecha pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Goniwiecha shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Thomas's guard.
Goniwiecha looks gassed!
Thomas manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Thomas landing strikes, looking to finish!
Goniwiecha is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Goniwiecha takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Thomas jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Goniwiecha manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Thomas scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Thomas scores with a couple of short elbows.
Thomas connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Goniwiecha some visible discomfort.
Goniwiecha is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Thomas off and has taken his back!
Thomas trying to control the hands but Goniwiecha won't let him.
Goniwiecha really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Thomas. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Goniwiecha misses with punches from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Goniwiecha.
Thomas is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Thomas is trying to stand back up.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Goniwiecha throwing damaging strikes from the back! Thomas could be in trouble here!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Goniwiecha lands an elbow to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dawid Goniwiecha will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Thomas throws a nice looking combination but Goniwiecha bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thomas shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Goniwiecha pinned against the cage. Goniwiecha gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ethan Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thomas shoots for a double leg takedown but Goniwiecha sprawls well. He's pushed Thomas's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thomas shoots in and drives through. Goniwiecha sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ethan Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Goniwiecha shoots in and gets a takedown into Thomas's guard.

Goniwiecha stands up from Thomas's guard - Goniwiecha perhaps looking for a knockout.
Thomas looks to throw the jab but Goniwiecha is out of range.

Goniwiecha scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thomas is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Goniwiecha scores with a couple of nice shots.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thomas trying to control but Goniwiecha postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Goniwiecha throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Goniwiecha working the head and body with strikes.
Goniwiecha is trying to control. Thomas wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Thomas trying to control from the bottom.
Goniwiecha thows a huge punch but Thomas dodges it nicely.

Thomas pushes Goniwiecha off and gets back to his feet.
Thomas shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Goniwiecha as he jumps to the side.

Goniwiecha drives through with a takedown into Thomas's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goniwiecha forces his way into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Goniwiecha is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Goniwiecha scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Thomas is looking to control Goniwiecha's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thomas avoid being mounted?
Thomas is refusing to be controlled, as Goniwiecha sits in half guard.
Thomas is looking to control Goniwiecha's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thomas avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Thomas is looking to control Goniwiecha's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thomas avoid being mounted?

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ethan Thomas just wasn't active enough.

Goniwiecha changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Thomas looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Thomas manages to get back to half guard.
Thomas 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.
Dawid Goniwiecha has got the better of the ground game so far.
Thomas on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Thomas is not content to let Goniwiecha control the position.
Thomas is trying to stand up here but Goniwiecha is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas blocking the ground and pound attempt from Goniwiecha.
Goniwiecha prevents Thomas from standing back up.
Goniwiecha looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Thomas with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Thomas trying to control from the bottom.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Goniwiecha wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thomas keeps working.
Goniwiecha throwing shots but Thomas is blocking nicely.

Goniwiecha decides to stand and escape the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thomas scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Ethan Thomas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thomas scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dawid Goniwiecha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Goniwiecha shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Thomas's guard.
Thomas looking to control.

Thomas is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Goniwiecha is aware though and is defending well.
Goniwiecha with a flurry of punches that miss.
Thomas is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Thomas is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Thomas not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing Goniwiecha from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Goniwiecha scoring with some ground and pound.
Goniwiecha throws and elbow that misses. Thomas uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Goniwiecha's guard. Nice move by Thomas!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Goniwiecha has control of Thomas's left arm, preventing Thomas from doing any damage.
Goniwiecha wants to sweep here but Thomas controlling him for the moment.

Thomas postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Goniwiecha is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Thomas, into his guard.
Goniwiecha thows a big elbow that misses.
Thomas wants to get back to his feet but Goniwiecha is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Goniwiecha gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Thomas tries to clinch up.

Thomas gets caught flat footed, as Goniwiecha shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Goniwiecha trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Goniwiecha throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Thomas is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Goniwiecha rolls with it to try and escape but Thomas cranks on the arm and Goniwiecha is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ethan Thomas!