PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Yuri Ivanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karl Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karl Thomas has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ivanov
vs
Thomas

185 cm
27
197 lbs
18 - 7 - 0

184 cm
29
194 lbs
15 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Mango Nutrition (90% Laundry)

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 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Yuri Ivanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Karl Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Roger Salmon and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ivanov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Thomas sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Thomas lands a leg kick that knocks Ivanov off balance momentarily.
Thomas misses with a hook.
Thomas looks to land a body kick but Ivanov moved away.
Ivanov looks to throw the jab but Thomas is out of range.
Thomas feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Ivanovs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

It looks like Yuri Ivanov has been cut.
Thomas cracks the inside of Ivanov's front leg.
Ivanov walks into a left hand.
Thomas lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ivanov is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thomas lands a two punch combo.

Ivanov is rocked!
Ivanov ducks under a wild hook from Thomas.
Ivanov lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanov misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ivanov lands a head shot.
A chopping leg kick lands by Ivanov.
Ivanov takes one to the side of the head.
Thomas cracks a nice hook into Ivanov's ribs.
Ivanov misses with an uppercut. Thomas saw that one coming.
Thomas scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Thomas, right into the meat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thomas moves away from the strike by Ivanov.
Thomas goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Thomas attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Karl Thomas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ivanov moves away from the strike by Thomas.
A head kick by Thomas misses
and Ivanov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ivanov thows a leg kick but Thomas checks it
and Thomas counters with a stiff right hand.
Karl Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ivanov attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Ivanov walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Thomas keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Thomas lands a leg kick that knocks Ivanov off balance momentarily.
Ivanov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ivanov looks for a takedown but Thomas sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yuri Ivanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas lunges at Ivanov with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Ivanov's hand.
Thomas throws a left and a right that both miss
and Ivanov counters with a thumping low kick.
Thomas connects with a leg kick. Ivanov looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Ivanov. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Ivanov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ivanov shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Ivanov throws a head kick that misses.
Ivanov is looking to clinch.
Thomas slips a jab from Ivanov.
Thomas falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Ivanov to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Thomas misses with a looping right.
Ivanov misses with a hook to the body
and Thomas makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ivanov walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Thomas misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ivanov.
Ivanov bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ivanov stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Thomas is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Ivanov had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Ivanov tries to land a leg kick but Thomas saw it coming and moves away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thomas lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ivanov at a distance.
Thomas throws a leg kick
and Ivanov counters with a slapping leg kick.
Ivanov thows a left - swing and a miss!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Thomas dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Yuri Ivanov's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Thomas throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Ivanov's head.
Thomas moves away from the strike by Ivanov.
Ivanov swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Ivanov lands a jab to Thomas's midsection.
Nice defenses there by Ivanov.
Thomas throws a front kick aimed at Ivanov's knee but Ivanov avoids it well.
Thomas catches Ivanov with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Ivanov closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Thomas quickly recovers to half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Ivanov slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas is trying to get back to full guard.
Ivanov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thomas keeps working.
Ivanov is thwarting Thomas's attempts to control the position.
Ivanov working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Thomas is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov throws a strike but Thomas avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ivanov stays in close to Thomas's body and controls the position.
Ivanov is working Thomas over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ivanov wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.
Thomas wants to sweep but no luck.
Thomas keeping full guard, as Ivanov tries to pass.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing Ivanov from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ivanov wants to pass the guard but Thomas is keeping the position.
Thomas being controlled here, momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Yuri Ivanov wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Ivanov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ivanov tries to bum rush Thomas with a series of wild strikes but Thomas uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ivanov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thomas.
Ivanov keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas thows a leg kick but Ivanov checks it
and Ivanov counters with a slapping leg kick.
Ivanov misses the shot to the body.
A bone on bone clash there as Ivanov blocks the leg kick.
Thomas avoids a kick to the body.
Ivanov shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense.
Thomas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ivanov moves out of range of the body kick from Thomas.
Thomas connects with an inside leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ivanov misses with an uppercut.
Thomas throws a jab but it's blocked by Ivanov.
Thomas swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuri Ivanov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Yuri Ivanov'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. This is the final round!

Thomas throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Ivanov is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Ivanov just misses with a punch to the body.
Ivanov throws out a loose jab but Thomas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thomas scores with a leg kick.
Ivanov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thomas uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ivanov.
Thomas throws a leg kick but Ivanov sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Good work by Thomas as he checks the leg kick.
Ivanov fakes the leg kick and cracks Thomas in the body.
Ivanov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Thomas.
Thomas takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanov moves out of range of the body kick.
Thomas waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ivanov.
Ivanov misses with an uppercut. Thomas saw that one coming.
No luck for Ivanov with that takedown attempt.
Ivanov showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Thomas.
Ivanov looks to land a left hand but Thomas moved out of range nicely.
Thomas on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Thomas displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ivanov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ivanov closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Thomas did well to prevent Ivanov getting side control.
Thomas tries to kick Ivanov off but Ivanov keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ivanov is looking to advance position but Thomas won't allow it.
Thomas blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ivanov.
Ivanov trying to mount his opponent but Thomas defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov stalling away here and it's allowed Thomas to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Ivanov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thomas is keeping the position for now.
Ivanov is looking to work some ground and pound but Thomas has wrist control.
Ivanov stays in close to Thomas's body and controls the position.
Ivanov works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Ivanov trying to control the action but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Ivanov tries to pass to full mount but Thomas defends it.
Thomas avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ivanov.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ivanov not doing much here.
Thomas is staying active underneath Ivanov, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yuri Ivanov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ivanov 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yuri Ivanov!
Yuri Ivanov thanked the fans post fight for their support.