PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Trae Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dariusz Michalczewski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michalczewski has chosen Shamhan Daldaev - Eto Kavkaz as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Thompson
vs
Michalczewski

174 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
24
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Trae Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dariusz Michalczewski!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Patrick Alders and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thompson doesn't manage to clinch there - Michalczewski circles away.
Michalczewski looks for a takedown but Thompson sprawls well.
Michalczewski is trying hard to land a takedown here. Thompson sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Michalczewski shoots in but no luck this time.
Trae Thompson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dariusz Michalczewski.

Thompson drives through with a takedown into guard.
Thompson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Thompson tries to free his leg and advance position but Michalczewski is retaining full guard.
Thompson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Thompson is looking to work some ground and pound but Michalczewski has wrist control.
Michalczewski keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Trae Thompson has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Michalczewski has Thompson up against the cage in a clinch.

Michalczewski jumps into guard, dragging Thompson to the mat.
Thompson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thompson wants to stand but Michalczewski is controlling his posture from full guard.
Thompson wants to control from the top but Michalczewski keeps moving.
Michalczewski has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Michalczewski working a defensive guard here.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Dariusz Michalczewski wasn't active enough on the ground.
Michalczewski tries to close the distance and clinch but Thompson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Michalczewski tries a head kick but it misses.
Thompson tries to clinch up.

Thompson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Thompson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Thompson throws a strike but Michalczewski avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michalczewski working a defensive guard here.

Thompson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Michalczewski wants to stand and escape but Thompson is having none of it.
Thompson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson trying to control but Michalczewski is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Michalczewski looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Michalczewski is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Thompson has his hands clasped together but Michalczewski extends an breaks Thompson's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Michalczewski.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Dariusz Michalczewski!
During a confident post fight interview, Dariusz Michalczewski thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.