PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between The Beast (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Thai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Beast
vs
Thai

150 cm
25
130 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

162 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, The Beast!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Josh Thai!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shirou Masuda and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thai closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Beast is trying to push Thai away but Thai has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Beast jumps guard but Thai turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Beast is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Beast is breathing heavily.

Beast ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Beast no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Thai's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Beast preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thai looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Josh Thai has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Thai, as that shot connected.
Thai throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thai takes the fight into the clinch.

Thai breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thai fails to land the takedown.
Thai shoots in looking for a takedown but Beast manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Thai's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Thai closes the distance and pushes Beast back into the cage.
Thai displaying some good clinch control by pressing Beast up against the cage.
Beast wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for The Beast. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thai stalls.
Beast tries to circle away but Thai has him pinned against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Beast jumps guard but Thai turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Thai decides to pull guard.
Thai has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Thai is looking for a triangle but Beast pushes his legs off easily.
Beast knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Thai on the ground.
Beast is stalling in the full guard.
Beast trying to control but Thai is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

We're going to have a standup here because The Beast wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Thai lands with an overhand left.

It looks like The Beast has been cut.

Thai gets tackled into the cage by Beast. Beast maintains the clinch.
Thai lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Thai drags the fight down to the ground.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Thai holds on and takes a little breather.
Thai trying to strike off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thai working for a triangle but Beast defends it easily.
Thai is trying to keep Beast in close.

Thai is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Beast is aware though and is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Thai is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Thai breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Thai dominated that round.
The cut man is working on The Beast's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Beast throws a series of punches but Thai avoids them all with ease.
Thai tries to clinch up.
Thai shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Beast pinned against the cage. Beast gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Thai defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Beast.
No luck for Thai with that takedown attempt.

Thai closes the distance and pushes Beast back into the cage.

Thai breaks from the clinch.
Beast changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Thai tries to avoid it but Beast manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Thai to the ground. Thai escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Beast misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Thai has managed to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thai ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Thai no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Beast trying to control but Thai is working from the bottom.

Thai looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Thai manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Beast is arching his back trying to strike from the bottom but Thai turns him over and now has his back.
Beast could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Beast preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Thai.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thai is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

Thai working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Beast rolls, trying to escape but Thai keeps control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Beast defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Beast rolls, trying to escape but Thai keeps control of the position.
Thai missing with strikes from the back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thai controlling from the back.
Beast controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Thai throwing sloppy strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thai controlling from the back.
Thai struggling to land strikes to the head as Beast covers up.
Thai has good solid back control here.
Thai has the hooks in. Beast is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Thai is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thai somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Thai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on The Beast's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Beast takes a swing at Thai's ribcage but misses.
Thai shoots in but no luck this time.
Beast tries a head kick but it misses.
Thai has a takedown stuffed.
Thai throws a head kick but Beast moves out of range.
Beast fails with a takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Beast is defended easily by Thai.
Thai shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Beast pinned against the cage. Beast gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
The Beast has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Thai.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thai forces Beast back against the cage and clinches.

Thai has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Beast uses from the top position.
Beast has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Thai lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Beast!
Thai trying to control but Beast is having none of it.
Thai controlling the pace for now.
Josh Thai has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Beast avoids a series of strikes thrown by Thai.
Thai controlling from mount.
Beast tries to control the position but Thai now has his back.
Thai biding his time, controlling Beast.
Thai missing with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Beast trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

Beast is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Thai gets his way!
Thai really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Beast.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Beast is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Beast fending off the submission attempt from Thai.
Thai has the hooks in. Beast is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Thai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Thai has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Thai!