PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jesse Thielke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Philmore Butts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Philmore Butts has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Thielke
vs
Butts

176 cm
20
208 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
19
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

SAVE A FIGHTER

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jesse Thielke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Philmore Butts!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, David Schapiro and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Butts keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Thielke misses the target.
Butts lands a jab to the head.
Butts throws a head kick that misses.

Butts feints and as Thielke raises his hands in defense, Butts changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Thielke is on top in guard.
Thielke is looking to work some ground and pound but Butts has wrist control.

Butts throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Butts utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Butts really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Thielke. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Thielke postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thielke scoring with punches to the head and body.
Thielke throwing strikes but missing.
Butts doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Butts has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Thielke can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Thielke trying to control but Butts is working from the bottom.
Thielke postures up and lands a big shot to Butts's brow.
Thielke pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Butts is keeping the position for now.
Thielke forces his way into half guard.
Butts trying to hold on to Thielke's head to control him but Thielke postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butts avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Thielke.
Butts avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Thielke.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Butts can do anything to dispel that myth.
Butts pushes Thielke off looking to stand but Thielke dives back in and keeps control.
Thielke not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Butts trying to control but Thielke postures up.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thielke is nestled in close to Butts, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Butts is trying to stand.
Thielke passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Butts!
Thielke lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Butts hang on?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butts is looking to improve his position but Thielke isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thielke postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Butts looks a forlorn figure.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thielke working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Thielke raining down hammerfists from mount.
Thielke looking to finish Butts with some ground and pound. This is bad for Butts!
Thielke has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Thielke is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Butts to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Butts shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Butts is squirming around, avoiding Thielke's attempts to control the action.
Butts is bucking up trying to escape but Thielke cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Thielke cracks Butts with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Thielke trying to control but Butts is having none of it.
Butts is in a horrible position here. Thielke smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thielke putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Thielke tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Thielke dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Butts is looking to clinch but Thielke is avoiding it.
No luck for Butts with that takedown attempt.
No joy there for Butts, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Thielke ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Butts moves away.
Butts tries to close the distance and clinch but Thielke swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Butts closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Thielke's guard.

Thielke is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Butts defends well.
Thielke keeping moving, preventing Butts from controlling successfully.
Thielke wants to stand but Butts is controlling the position.
Butts looking to pass the guard.
Thielke looking for a sweep. Not yet Thielke, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butts postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Butts pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thielke is keeping the position for now.
Butts stopping the sweep attempt from Thielke.
Thielke utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thielke wants to sweep here but Butts controlling him for the moment.
Butts is working Thielke over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Butts trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Butts landing some decent shots from guard.
Thielke manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Butts manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thielke landing some decent shots from guard.
Butts looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thielke is one step ahead there.
Thielke distracts Butts with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Butts is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thielke forces his way into half guard.

Thielke seems to be working for a kimura but Butts defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thielke lands with a punch from half guard.
Thielke slips a nice elbow through Butts's hands, connecting with Butts's forehead.
Butts keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Thielke trying to control from half guard but Butts is working away.
Butts missing with punches from the bottom.
Butts tries to get to full guard but Thielke has control of the leg.
Butts wants to control but Thielke is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butts blocking the ground and pound attempt from Thielke.
Butts wants to get back to his feet.
Thielke works his way into side control.
Butts is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Thielke thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Butts is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Thielke is controlling him well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jesse Thielke will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Butts avoids the body shot from Thielke.
Thielke tries to clinch but Butts is having none of it.
Thielke swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Butts fails with an attempt to clinch.
Butts shoots in and drives through. Thielke sprawls well.
Thielke throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thielke blocks a head kick by Butts.
Jesse Thielke is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thielke misses with the combination.
Butts is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Thielke. Those never looked like landing.
Thielke has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Butts.
Butts throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Thielke stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Butts fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Butts pushes Thielke up against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Butts tries to pull guard but Thielke won't allow it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Butts fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Jesse Thielke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Philmore Butts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thielke is trying to drag Butts to the mat but Butts just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Butts is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Thielke gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Butts is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Thielke pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Butts gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Butts wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Thielke uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Butts is looking to stand up but Thielke won't let him.
Butts postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Butts trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Butts works over Thielke with some ground and pound from guard.
Thielke lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Butts!
Butts working to try and regain half guard.
Jesse Thielke is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thielke trying to control but Butts is having none of it.
Butts tries to hold on but Thielke postures up.
Thielke controlling the pace for now.
Jesse Thielke overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Butts working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thielke looking to control and managing it successfully.
Butts is desperately trying to improve his position but Thielke has a good base and remains in mount.
Philmore Butts has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thielke controlling from the full mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thielke trying to control but Butts is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Philmore Butts comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thielke 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Jesse Thielke!