PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Junior Pacquiao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cole Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pacquiao's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Thunderstruck. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Pacquiao
vs
Thompson

173 cm
30
160 lbs
19 - 10 - 0

182 cm
27
166 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Junior Pacquiao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cole Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shirou Masuda and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Thompson with that takedown attempt.
Pacquiao avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pacquiao tries to score with a low kick but Thompson moves his leg out of the way.
Pacquiao throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Thompson takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Thompson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Pacquiao tries to land a front kick but Thompson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Pacquiao defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Thompson.
Junior Pacquiao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cole Thompson.
Pacquiao lands a lovely overhand right.
Pacquiao misses with a wild combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson connects with a nice looking jab.
Thompson lands a jab-cross combination.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Thompson, as that shot connected.
Pacquiao shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Thompson eats them both and turns towards Pacquiao to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Pacquiao feints a jab promting Thompson to slip. Pacquiao then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Thompson slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Pacquiao blocks a head kick by Thompson.
Pacquiao takes a swing at Thompson's ribcage but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson tries to clinch there but Pacquiao circles away.
Cole Thompson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thompson throws a head kick but Pacquiao moves out of range.
Pacquiao looks to score with a jab to the body but Thompson is just out of range.
Pacquiao slips under a jab from Thompson.
Pacquiao lands with a slapping head kick.

Thompson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The strikes coming from Thompson are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Pacquiao tries to buck Thompson off but Thompson is having none of it.

Thompson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Thompson in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao is looking for a sweep.
Pacquiao is working hard here to advance position.
Pacquiao regains half guard.
Thompson misses with a head shot. Pacquiao uses the momentum to regain guard.

Pacquiao scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Pacquiao misses with an uppercut.
Thompson misses with a shot to the body
and Pacquiao counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thompson.
Pacquiao takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Pacquiao is looking to wear down Thompson with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Pacquiao ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Thompson has a takedown stuffed.
Thompson misses with a takedown attempt - Pacquiao sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thompson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Thompson fails to land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Junior Pacquiao will probably get the nod.
That's time! Pacquiao's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pacquiao swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thompson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pacquiao tries to avoid it but Thompson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pacquiao to the ground. Pacquiao escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Thompson drives through with a takedown into Pacquiao's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Thompson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Pacquiao looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Pacquiao has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Thompson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Pacquiao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Cole Thompson was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Thompson tries to clinch
letting Pacquiao counter with a right hand.
Thompson shoots in but Pacquiao avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Thompson wants to clinch.
Thompson looks to clinch
and Pacquiao counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Pacquiao fails to land the takedown.
Thompson throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao connects with a body shot.
Pacquiao sizes up Thompson with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Thompson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Junior Pacquiao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cole Thompson.
Thompson takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Thompson clinches.

Pacquiao escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pacquiao as he jumps to the side.
Thompson with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Pacquiao to score with a decent uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson shoots in and drives through. Pacquiao sprawls well.
Thompson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Pacquiao sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Pacquiao looks to score with a jab to the body but Thompson is just out of range.
Thompson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pacquiao connects with a body shot that sends Thompson's belly button to the back.

Thompson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Pacquiao lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Thompson or not.
Thompson is breathing heavily.
Thompson has had enough of the clinch but Pacquiao keeps him there for the moment.

Pacquiao breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The crowd cheers as Pacquiao lands an impressive looking overhand right. Thompson doesn't seem phased though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Thompson has a takedown stuffed.
Pacquiao lands a slapping body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thompson has his takedown stuffed
letting Pacquiao counter with a right hand.
A solid leg kick lands there for Pacquiao.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pacquiao misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thompson.
Thompson misses with a takedown attempt
and Pacquiao counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Pacquiao dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Thompson shoots for a double leg takedown but Pacquiao sprawls well. He's pushed Thompson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thompson takes one on the button.
Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch but Pacquiao swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pacquiao as he avoids it easily.
Thompson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Pacquiao.
Cole Thompson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thompson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pacquiao throws a shot to the body.
Pacquiao takes a swing at Thompson's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thompson shoots for a takedown but Pacquiao saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Junior Pacquiao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cole Thompson.
Pacquiao keeps the fight on the outside.
Thompson throws a nice looking combination but Pacquiao bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Pacquiao avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thompson takes a swing at Pacquiao's ribcage but misses.
Pacquiao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thompson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Pacquiao counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Thompson shoots for a double leg takedown but Pacquiao sprawls well. He's pushed Thompson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thompson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Pacquiao.
Pacquiao changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Thompson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nice uppercut there from Pacquiao.
Thompson defending well as Pacquiao loads up on a big left hand.
Pacquiao swats away the attempt to clinch by Thompson.
Thompson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Pacquiao counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao misses with a straight left.
Junior Pacquiao is winning the standup battle so far.
Pacquiao tests Thompson's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Thompson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thompson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pacquiao.
Pacquiao misses with a low kick.
Pacquiao keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice sprawl there from Pacquiao as Thompson shoots in.
Cole Thompson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pacquiao misses with a looping right.
Pacquiao swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thompson looks to land a left hand but Pacquiao moved out of range nicely.
Pacquiao lands with a shot to the body.
Pacquiao misses with a head kick.
Junior Pacquiao is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Thompson fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Pacquiao looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Pacquiao misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Pacquiao throws a half hearted mid kick.
Thompson throws a poor cross that misses
and Pacquiao counters with a stiff right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Junior Pacquiao showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pacquiao, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:28

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