PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Julian Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Slim Shady (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thomas
vs
Shady

185 cm
27
178 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
28
176 lbs
11 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Julian Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Slim Shady!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shady fails with the takedown.
Thomas scores with a kick to the midsection.
Thomas lands a right hook to the body.
Thomas swings widly with a right hand

and Shady counters with a nice double leg into side control. Thomas won't be happy with that.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Thomas tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shady misses with the ground and pound.
Thomas is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thomas slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Thomas wants to sweep here but Shady controlling him for the moment.
Shady trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thomas is adopting a defensive guard.
Shady trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shady throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thomas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Shady thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Thomas is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Shady is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Thomas is controlling the pace.
Shady trying to control here.
Thomas prevents Shady from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shady looking for submissions off his back.
Shady wants to improve his position but Thomas is controlling well.
Thomas wants to stand up but Shady is controlling the position.
Shady is pressing down on Thomas's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Thomas content to stall in guard here.

Shady is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Shady is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Thomas engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas wants to stand but Shady has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Thomas stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Shady looking to score a takedown here. Thomas is defending well but Shady drives through and ends up in Thomas's guard.
Shady stopping the sweep attempt from Thomas.
Thomas is pulling down on Shady's head to control his posture.
Shady preventing the sweep.
Shady sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Thomas's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shady is looking for a kimura but Thomas is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Shady to get the leverage.
Thomas is trying to get back to full guard.
Thomas wants to control but Shady is keeping busy.

Shady is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Thomas defends it well.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Shady is looking for a kimura but Thomas is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Shady to get the leverage.
Thomas trying to hold on to Shady's head to control him but Shady postures up.
Thomas controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Shady missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Shady 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.

Shady is working for a kimura but Thomas is defending it quite comfortably.
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 Julian Thomas will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Thomas goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Shady uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Thomas.
Nice takedown defense from Thomas. No joy for Shady on that attempt.
Shady blocks a jab.
Some wild striking there from Shady.
Shady shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Shady has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Shady there as he acknowledges the shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Thomas lands a left and a right that send Shady crashing to the mat, dazed. Thomas thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Shady is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shady shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense.
Shady is still on wobbly legs! Can Thomas finish him?
Julian Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Slim Shady.
Thomas is looking to clinch.
Shady seems to have recovered his senses.
Julian Thomas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Shady misses with a looping right.

Shady looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Thomas!
Thomas tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on Thomas's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Thomas keeps Shady under control for a moment.

Shady goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Thomas has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Shady but great work by Thomas.
Shady is looking to regain half guard here but Thomas keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shady gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Thomas tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shady wants to control but Thomas is having none of it.
Thomas controlling the position easily from mount.
Shady tries to reverse the position but Thomas maintains control.
Thomas content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shady tries to lock up and control but Thomas gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Thomas controlling from the full mount.
Thomas prevents Shady from getting the reversal.
Thomas controlling from the full mount.
Shady working to try and regain half guard.
Shady is squirming around, avoiding Thomas's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shady is looking to improve his position but Thomas isn't that keen on the idea.
Thomas trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Julian Thomas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shady is working to get back to half guard.
Shady is still trying to improve position.
Thomas controlling his opponent.
Thomas trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thomas controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julian Thomas dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Thomas misses with a straight right.
Thomas shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Shady blocks a head kick by Thomas.
Thomas tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Shady is able to avoid easily.

Thomas moves into the clinch.
Shady tries to pull guard but Thomas holds him up against the cage and eventually Shady drops back down to his feet.

Shady escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thomas waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Shady.
Thomas tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Shady paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Shady catches Thomas with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shady looking to score a takedown here. Thomas is defending well but Shady drives through and ends up in Thomas's guard.
Shady pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thomas is keeping the position for now.
Thomas looking for a sweep. Not yet Thomas, not yet.
Thomas seems keen to control Shady's posture.
Shady trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Shady with a flurry of punches that miss.
Thomas is pulling down on Shady's head. It's preventing any offense from Shady, at least for the moment.
Shady throwing strikes from guard but Thomas blocks nicely.
Shady working some strikes from top position.

Thomas manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Thomas jabs Shady right on the nose. Shady blinks but takes it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thomas throws a solid leg kick but Shady takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Thomas.
Shady staying out of range there.
Thomas misses with a body shot.
Good standup being displayed there by Thomas as he connects with a hook.
Thomas displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Shady.
Crunch! Thomas slams his shin into Shady's torso.
Thomas lands a leg kick that knocks Shady off balance momentarily.
Shady tries for a takedown but Thomas sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Julian Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Slim Shady.
Thomas misses with a body shot

and Shady counters with a single leg into guard. Thomas didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas has control of Shady's left arm, preventing Shady from doing any damage.
Shady is looking to work some ground and pound but Thomas has wrist control.
Shady trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Thomas wants to sweep but no luck.
Thomas is pulling down on Shady's head. It's preventing any offense from Shady, at least for the moment.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Julian Thomas.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Shady.
Julian Thomas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Shady tries for a kimura but Thomas is defending well.
Thomas is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Shady is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas manages to get back to half guard.
Thomas is trying to control but can't.
Shady looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Thomas is defending against the submission attempts here by Shady.
Shady landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thomas holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Shady is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Thomas keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Julian Thomas.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Thomas, 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Julian Thomas!
A victorious Julian Thomas thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.