PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thijs Conkright (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Noam Vegg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Conkright
vs
Vegg

200 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Thijs Conkright !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Noam Vegg!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Nard Betker and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vegg displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Conkright .
Vegg tries to clinch but Conkright is having none of it.
Vegg clobbers Conkright with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Conkright lands a head kick. Vegg smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

It looks like Noam Vegg has been cut.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Vegg.

Vegg moves into the clinch.
Conkright taking a breather.
Vegg comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Stalling in the clinch from Vegg.
Vegg wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Conkright jumps guard but Vegg stands there with Conkright around his waist. Conkright gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Conkright is trying to pull guard but Vegg turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thijs Conkright . That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conkright keeps control of Vegg as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Vegg.
Conkright is trying to break free.
Conkright lands a hook to the side of the head.
Vegg wants to break free but Conkright has control.

Vegg breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Vegg rushes Conkright and presses him up against the cage.
Vegg has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Vegg breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vegg blocks the body kick.
Conkright really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Vegg tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Vegg tries to clinch up

and Conkright counters with a head kick that drops Vegg to the mat! Vegg scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Vegg is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vegg looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Vegg throws a head kick that misses.

Conkright gets a double leg takedown into Vegg's guard.
Conkright sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Vegg controlling the position.
Vegg is looking to stand up but Conkright isn't so interested in that idea.
Conkright preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conkright missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Conkright won't allow Vegg to get back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Conkright misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Conkright tries to close the distance and clinch but Vegg swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Vegg throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Conkright throws a head kick but Vegg moves out of range.
A chopping leg kick lands by Conkright .
Vegg looks winded!

Conkright shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Conkright content to control rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conkright is looking to advance position but Vegg won't allow it.
Conkright thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Vegg's head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Conkright is working for a submission of some sort.
Conkright wants to stand up but Vegg has a hold of him and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thijs Conkright dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Noam Vegg's cut.
That's time! Conkright 's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Conkright shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Vegg napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Conkright tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Vegg is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Conkright is controlling him well.
Conkright controlling the position from side mount.
Conkright fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vegg tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Conkright stands up.
Conkright misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Vegg throws a right hand that Conkright ducks under and follows up with a left that Conkright also avoids with ease.

Vegg rushes Conkright and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Vegg is pressed up against the cage. Conkright has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Vegg down to the mat. Vegg avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conkright shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Vegg sprawls well. Vegg wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Conkright gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thijs Conkright . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Conkright shoots in for a takedown but Vegg shows good takedown defense.
Conkright tries a head kick but it misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vegg tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Conkright paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Vegg moves into the clinch.
Conkright is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Vegg to keep the fight standing.
A frustrated look appears on Vegg's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Vegg tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Conkright wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Conkright tries to pull guard but Vegg holds him up against the cage and eventually Conkright drops back down to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vegg breaks from the clinch.
Vegg takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Conkright circles away from the clinch attempt.
Conkright swats away the attempt to clinch by Vegg.
Vegg tries to clinch up but Conkright circles away and keeps his distance.
Conkright steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vegg.

Vegg instigates a clinch.
Conkright has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Vegg is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Conkright jumps guard but Vegg stands there with Conkright around his waist. Conkright gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Vegg manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conkright stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vegg swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Vegg keeping moving, preventing Conkright from controlling successfully.
Conkright looking to pass the guard.
Vegg keeping moving, preventing Conkright from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Thijs Conkright has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Vegg misses with an uppercut.
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 Thijs Conkright will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Noam Vegg's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Conkright stuffs the takedown.
Vegg slaps away a takedown attempt from Conkright , before circling back to the center of the mat.
Conkright shoots for a double leg takedown but Vegg sprawls well. He's pushed Conkright 's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
No luck for Conkright with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thijs Conkright . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Conkright shoots for a double leg takedown but Vegg sprawls well. He's pushed Conkright 's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Conkright misses with the combination.
Vegg lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Vegg instigates a clinch.
Vegg tries to break free but Conkright pushes him back against the cage.
Conkright tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Vegg just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vegg stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Vegg wants a takedown but no success here.
Conkright changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Vegg fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Vegg gets a clinch.
Vegg fails to pull guard.
Conkright fails to pull guard.
Conkright tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Vegg just stands there and leans against the cage.
Conkright jumps guard but Vegg turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conkright tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Vegg just stands there and leans against the cage.
Vegg has Conkright pushed against the cage.
Vegg continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Vegg wants a takedown but no success here.
Conkright tries to break the clinch but Vegg is controlling the position.
Vegg stalling.
Conkright goes for a takedown in the clinch but Vegg prevents it.

Vegg pulls guard successfully.
Vegg throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conkright looking to sit in guard and control but Vegg gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Vegg trying to control but Conkright is working from the bottom.
Conkright will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Vegg's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Conkright escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Vegg gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Vegg trying to control but Conkright is working from the bottom.
Vegg is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Conkright tries to strike from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Noam Vegg.
Conkright shoots for a takedown but Vegg saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Conkright fails with a takedown attempt.

Vegg moves into the clinch.
Conkright takes a knee right on the jaw!

Vegg breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vegg closes the distance looking to clinch
and Conkright counters with a head kick. That will keep Vegg thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

And that's the end of the fight!
Noam Vegg comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Conkright 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thijs Conkright !