PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sam Thaiday (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Berry Fulcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Thaiday
vs
Fulcher

190 cm
29
270 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

190 cm
20
220 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Springfield HW Nutrition
Springfield HW Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sam Thaiday!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Berry Fulcher!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Robert Twigg and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fulcher bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fulcher looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fulcher throws a left and a right that both miss
and Thaiday connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Thaiday misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thaiday looks to throw the jab but Fulcher is out of range.
Fulcher shoots in for a double leg but Thaiday sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Fulcher shoots in for a takedown but Thaiday shows good takedown defense.
Fulcher uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thaiday.
Thaiday tried to score with a low kick but Fulcher checks it.
Fulcher slips under a jab from Thaiday.
Fulcher shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thaiday but Thaiday pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sam Thaiday has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Berry Fulcher.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thaiday throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Fulcher.
Fulcher tries to bum rush Thaiday with a series of wild strikes but Thaiday uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Thaiday misses with a double jab.
Fulcher swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A combination from Thaiday does no damage.
Thaiday scores with a hook.
No joy there for Fulcher, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Thaiday digs a good body shot into Fulcher's ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fulcher tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thaiday swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fulcher finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Fulcher throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Thaiday sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Fulcher looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thaiday is fending him off so far but Fulcher persists. Nope, Thaiday circles away and we're back to standing.
Fulcher throws a combination that misses
and Thaiday counters with a nice body shot.
Thaiday misses with a body shot.
Fulcher slips under a jab.
Fulcher throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Thaiday.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Thaiday does no damage.

Fulcher instigates a clinch.
Thaiday is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A frustrated look appears on Fulcher's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Maybe Thaiday would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Thaiday seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Fulcher is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Sam Thaiday.
Thaiday throws a push kick but Fulcher slaps the foot to one side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fulcher lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Thaiday shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Fulcher avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thaiday trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Fulcher manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Fulcher stopping the sweep attempt from Thaiday.
Fulcher is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fulcher trying to control but Thaiday is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thaiday misses with a body shot.
Fulcher slips a straight right by Thaiday.
Fulcher just misses with a punch to the body.
Fulcher misses the shot to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Fulcher is defended easily by Thaiday.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thaiday takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thaiday avoids a punch combination nicely.
Fulcher shoots and misses
and Thaiday counters with a left to the body.
Thaiday moves out of range of the strikes.
Fulcher shoots in for a takedown but Thaiday shows good takedown defense.
Sam Thaiday has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Berry Fulcher.
Fulcher misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thaiday misses with a body shot.
Horrible takedown by Thaiday or perhaps it was just good defense by Fulcher which made him look bad.

Fulcher scores a takedown into full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thaiday is trying desperately to improve position.
Fulcher controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fulcher can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thaiday is looking to escape.
Thaiday on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Thaiday tries to get out of the position.
Thaiday is working to get back to half guard.
Fulcher throws some wild stikes that Thaiday manages to avoid easily.
Fulcher avoids the attempt from Thaiday to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thaiday is in all sorts of trouble here.
Thaiday is working hard here to advance position.
Thaiday is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.
Thaiday is squirming around, avoiding Fulcher's attempts to control the action.
Thaiday knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Fulcher on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Berry Fulcher showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Thaiday's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Fulcher pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fulcher checks a low kick from Thaiday.
Nice uppercut there from Fulcher.
A leg kick checked by Fulcher.
Fulcher shoots and misses
and Thaiday counters with a left to the body.
A right-left combo lands from Fulcher.

It looks like Sam Thaiday has been cut.
Fulcher throws a nice looking combination but Thaiday bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fulcher throws a right hand that misses
and Thaiday counters with a nice body shot.
Thaiday takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Fulcher steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Thaiday.
Fulcher throws a half hearted mid kick.
Fulcher rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Thaiday moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Thaiday avoids the head kick by Fulcher.
Thaiday avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thaiday moves out of range as Fulcher throws a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fulcher misses with a takedown
and Thaiday connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Thaiday misses with a wild body shot.
Thaiday misses with a series of wild punches.
Fulcher has his takedown stuffed
and Thaiday counters with a nice body shot.
Sam Thaiday has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Berry Fulcher.
Fulcher takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Fulcher walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
A combination from Fulcher does no damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fulcher ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Fulcher slips a straight right by Thaiday.
Fulcher fails with the takedown
and Thaiday counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Fulcher avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thaiday displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Fulcher.
A decent looking cross lands there for Thaiday.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Fulcher. Those never looked like landing.
Fulcher slips a jab and a cross from Thaiday.
Fulcher takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Fulcher digs a good hook to Thaiday's body.
Thaiday fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Berry Fulcher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fulcher lands with a nice combination. Thaiday backs away looking to recover.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Fulcher throws a half hearted mid kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sam Thaiday.
I think Thaiday 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sam Thaiday!