PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chris Snorodecki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gary Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Snorodecki
vs
Thomas

173 cm
31
154 lbs
16 - 16 - 0

174 cm
28
156 lbs
5 - 5 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Chris Snorodecki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Gary Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Snorodecki moves to clinch but Thomas breaks away

and Thomas counters with a shoot takedown. Snorodecki fights it but they end up in guard.
Thomas throws an elbow that misses. Snorodecki uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Thomas's guard. Nice move by Snorodecki!
Snorodecki wants to stand but Thomas is controlling his posture from full guard.
We've been hearing good reports from Snorodecki's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Snorodecki stands up from Thomas's guard - Snorodecki perhaps looking for a knockout.
Thomas takes a swing at Snorodecki's ribcage but misses.
Snorodecki looks to clinch

and Thomas counters with a takedown into side control.
Thomas working the strikes but Snorodecki uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throws a strike but Snorodecki avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Thomas throws a strike but Snorodecki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Snorodecki stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Chris Snorodecki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thomas avoids a punch combination nicely.

Thomas shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Snorodecki's guard.
Snorodecki wants to stand but Thomas is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throws a strike but Snorodecki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Our spies down at at Sensei Sens`s Gym inform us that Thomas has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Snorodecki is looking to stand up but Thomas won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Snorodecki won't allow Thomas to sweep him here.
Thomas controlling the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Gary Thomas.
Snorodecki wants to clinch
and Thomas counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Snorodecki tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Thomas counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Snorodecki tries to clinch but Thomas moves away
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Snorodecki tries to bum rush Thomas with a series of wild strikes but Thomas uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thomas with a nice cross.
Thomas fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Snorodecki fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gary Thomas will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Snorodecki looks to clinch
and Thomas counters with a series of strikes. Snorodecki will be more careful next time no doubt.
Thomas swats away the attempt to clinch by Snorodecki.
Snorodecki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Chris Snorodecki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Snorodecki tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Thomas manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Snorodecki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thomas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Snorodecki wants to clinch
and Thomas cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Snorodecki is looking to clinch but Thomas is avoiding it.
Snorodecki slips a jab from Thomas.
Thomas looks to score with a jab to the body but Snorodecki is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Snorodecki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thomas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Snorodecki tries to clinch but Thomas moves away

and Thomas counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Thomas.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thomas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Thomas looking to sit in guard and control but Snorodecki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Snorodecki wants to stand but Thomas is controlling his posture from full guard.
Gary Thomas has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is wriggling around but Snorodecki manages to pass to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Snorodecki is going to stand back up.

Snorodecki decides to return to a standing position.
Snorodecki tries to clinch up but Thomas circles away and keeps his distance.
Snorodecki wants to clinch but Thomas slips to the side
and Thomas counters with a stiff right hand.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Snorodecki throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Snorodecki trying to land knees to the body.
Snorodecki misses with a knee strike.
Thomas avoiding damage as Snorodecki throws knees to the body.
Thomas managing to block the knees to the body from Snorodecki.
Snorodecki lands a good knee to the midsection. Thomas won't want to take too many of those.
Snorodecki tries to land a knee to the head but Thomas blocks with his arms.
Thomas is trying to drag Snorodecki to the mat but Snorodecki just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Thomas on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Snorodecki tries to land a knee to the head but Thomas blocks with his arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Snorodecki dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Snorodecki tries to clinch there but Thomas circles away.
Snorodecki tries to clinch but Thomas is having none of it.
Thomas misses with a takedown attempt - Snorodecki sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Snorodecki wants to clinch but Thomas slips to the side
and Thomas counters with a right hand to the body.
Snorodecki tries to clinch up but Thomas circles away and keeps his distance.
Snorodecki cracks Thomas with a good jab.
Snorodecki tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Thomas counters with a stiff right hand.

Thomas fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Snorodecki sprawls well initially but Thomas persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Thomas wants to control but Snorodecki is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas throwing shots but Snorodecki is blocking nicely.
Thomas is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Snorodecki keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Thomas missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Snorodecki blocking the ground and pound attempt from Thomas.
Thomas trying to pass the guard but Snorodecki defending well.
Snorodecki wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thomas thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Snorodecki's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas thows a huge punch but Snorodecki dodges it nicely.
Thomas tries to pass the half guard into mount. Snorodecki knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Thomas sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Snorodecki defending well though.
Thomas throwing shots but Snorodecki is blocking nicely.
Snorodecki regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Thomas.
Thomas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Snorodecki works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Thomas trying to control the position from guard on top but Snorodecki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thomas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas trying to control the position from guard on top but Snorodecki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thomas sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Snorodecki's guard.
Thomas looks to land a strike but Snorodecki avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Thomas trying to control but Snorodecki is working from the bottom.
Thomas throwing strikes but missing.
Thomas postures up in Snorodecki's guard and throws a big left but Snorodecki blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throwing strikes but missing.
Thomas stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Snorodecki swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thomas throwing strikes from guard but Snorodecki blocks nicely.
Thomas landing some decent shots from guard.
Thomas throws a big right hand that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thomas throws a big elbow that misses.
Thomas stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Snorodecki swivels though and keeps the full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gary Thomas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thomas has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Gary Thomas!
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Gary Thomas!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Gary Thomas!

Gary Thomas wins by unanimous decision!
Gary Thomas decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.