PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nathan Young (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Willie Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Young
vs
Thomas

155 cm
21
140 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

180 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 - 6 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Nathan Young!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Willie Thomas!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Young connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Thomas bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Thomas controls the position.
Young gets back to half guard.

Thomas is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Young sees it coming and defends easily.
Thomas is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Young is not content to let Thomas control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Young wants to get back to full guard.
Thomas controlling the action here.
Young slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young tries to strike from the bottom.
Thomas controlling from the top position.
Thomas wants to control from the top but Young keeps moving.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Willie Thomas hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Young uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Thomas.
Willie Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Thomas fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Young sprawls well initially but Thomas persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Young keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Young trying to control here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thomas is looking to take a break and control but Young is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Young is trying to maintain the position but Thomas is very close to passing his half guard.
Thomas content to control rather than advance.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Thomas wants to lay and pray for a moment but Young keeps working.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Willie Thomas wasn't active enough on the ground.

Thomas drives through with a takedown into Young's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Young seems keen to control Thomas's posture.
Thomas looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Young wants to stand but Thomas is controlling the position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Willie Thomas hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Thomas throws a looping overhand right but Young ducks down to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thomas drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Young might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Thomas wants to take a breather but Young manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Thomas.
Thomas trying to control the position from guard on top but Young is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Young scrambles and gets back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Young tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thomas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Young looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Willie Thomas dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Thomas looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Thomas distracts Young with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Young is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Thomas not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Thomas trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thomas trying to control the position from guard on top but Young is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Young not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Willie Thomas wasn't active enough on the ground.
Thomas misses with the combination.

Thomas shoots in and gets a takedown into Young's guard.
Young keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.
Young has his hands on Thomas's head, controlling the position.

Thomas stands up from Young's guard - Thomas perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thomas dives in and scores a takedown into Young's guard.
Young is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Thomas postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Young is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Young 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. Young gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Thomas scores with a takedown into Young's guard.
Young keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is in close to Young's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Thomas trying to control but Young is working from the bottom.
Thomas controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Young is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Thomas is aware though and is defending well.
Young working a defensive guard here.
Thomas content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas wants to control from the top but Young keeps moving.
Thomas slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Young controlling Thomas's posture.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Willie Thomas wasn't active enough on the ground.
Young throws a leg kick which misses Thomas's front leg but catches the back leg as Thomas tries to avoid it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Thomas shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Young is trying to defend but Thomas finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Willie Thomas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Thomas fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Young to the ground. Thomas is now in Young's guard.
Young is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Thomas trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thomas pushing down on Young's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Thomas looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Young wants to control but Thomas is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Willie Thomas has got the better of the ground game so far.
Young flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Thomas tries to pass the half guard into mount. Young knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Thomas is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Young has managed to free his arm - good work.
Young is trying to stand.
Thomas wants to lay and pray for a moment but Young keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Young won't allow Thomas to pass to mount.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Thomas connects with a nice short shot to Young's temple.
Thomas not doing much here.
Young is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Thomas stands up and beckons Young to join him on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Young did well to prevent Thomas getting side control.
Young is trying to control but can't.
Thomas content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Young is looking to escape.
Young is looking for a sweep. Thomas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Thomas is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Thomas is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Young has managed to escape the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Young is looking to improve his position but Thomas isn't that keen on the idea.
Thomas lands with some strikes.
Thomas cracks Young with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thomas breaks from Young's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Young is desperately trying to improve his position but Thomas has a good base and remains in mount.

Thomas is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Young has managed to escape the submission attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Willie Thomas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Thomas winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

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