PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between CM Punk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Punk comes to the cage accompanied by Booty Work. Punk has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. On his way into the cage it seems that CM Punk has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily CM Punk seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Punk
vs
Thomas

195 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

192 cm
24
194 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, CM Punk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ray Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Punk as Thomas shoots in.
Thomas throws a low kick, looking for Punk's leg but Punk calmly moves out of range.
A left and a right from Thomas both land. Nice combination.

Thomas moves into the clinch.
Punk blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Thomas scores with a nice hook to the head.
Thomas managing to block the knees to the body from Punk.
Thomas wants to break free but Punk has control.
Punk jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Thomas walks away with a smile on his face. Punk gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Punk is breathing heavily.
Thomas closes the distance and clinches up with Punk, looking for a takedown. Thomas pushes Punk against the cage but Punk circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Thomas closes this distance looking for a takedown but Punk circles away.
CM Punk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ray Thomas.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thomas shoots for a takedown but Punk saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Punk gets a double leg takedown into Thomas's guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Thomas controlling the position.
Thomas is trying to control the position but Punk postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Punk kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ray Thomas has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Thomas tries to clinch there but Punk circles away.
Horrible takedown by Thomas or perhaps it was just good defense by Punk which made him look bad.

Punk clinches.
Stalling in the clinch from Punk.
Thomas wants to get back to striking at distance but Punk won't allow it.
Thomas tries to pull guard but Punk forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Punk breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thomas tries for a takedown but Punk sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Punk drives through and clinches with Thomas against the cage.
Thomas tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Punk avoiding damage.
Punk tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Thomas smiles and moves away.
Punk takes a swing at Thomas's ribcage but misses.
A head kick misses from Punk.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas shoots in and drives through. Punk sprawls well.
Punk defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Thomas.
Thomas shoots in but Punk avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Punk really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Punk scores with a kick to the midsection.
Punk takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Punk shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Thomas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thomas connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Thomas stuffs the takedown.
Thomas misses with a takedown

and Punk counters with a shoot takedown. Thomas fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas controls Punk momentarily but Punk frees himself.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Thomas holds on and takes a little breather.
Thomas wants to stand and escape but Punk is having none of it.

Thomas working for a triangle but Punk defends it easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thomas tries to strike from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Punk misses with a jab, cross combination.

Thomas fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Punk, pushing him back against the cage.

Thomas jumps guard.

Punk avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Thomas lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Punk!

Thomas has control of Punk's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Punk regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thomas controlling his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Punk tries to buck Thomas off but Thomas takes his back!
Punk is trying to break free.

Thomas is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Thomas keeps control of the position as Punk tries to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Thomas is not going to allow Punk to sit and survive in this position.

Thomas is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Punk has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Punk is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Punk manages to reverse the position and now he's in Thomas's guard. Nice work there by Punk.

Thomas working for a triangle but Punk defends it easily.
Thomas is trying to control the position but Punk postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Punk wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.

Thomas is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Thomas tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Thomas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Punk's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Thomas dives in and grabs Punk's left leg, looking for a takedown. Punk pushes down on Thomas's head and hops out.

Punk gets a double leg takedown into Thomas's guard.
Thomas not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Punk has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Thomas has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Thomas is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Thomas looking for a guillotine here but Punk defends easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Thomas is trying to keep Punk in close.

Punk stands up from Thomas's guard - Punk perhaps looking for a knockout.
Thomas steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Punk. That one must have hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas has a takedown stuffed.

Punk gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Punk avoiding damage as Thomas throws knees to the body.

Punk escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice takedown defense from Punk. No joy for Thomas on that attempt.
CM Punk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ray Thomas.

Punk 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 is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Punk is controlling him.

Punk avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing Punk from controlling successfully.
Punk is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Thomas is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Thomas is looking to stand up but Punk isn't so interested in that idea.
Thomas trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Punk trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. CM Punk wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Thomas misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Thomas tries to clinch up.
Thomas shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Punk tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Thomas manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Punk shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
CM Punk has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ray Thomas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Thomas uses the cage to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
CM Punk showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Thomas has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ray Thomas!