PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Leroy Goins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Larry Thorne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Goins's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, LL Cool J - Rocking with the G.O.A.T.. Thorne is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Finntroll - Trollhammaren. 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.

Goins
vs
Thorne

170 cm
36
171 lbs
26 - 14 - 1

188 cm
33
169 lbs
17 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Project Mayhem

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 26 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Leroy Goins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Larry Thorne!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shirou Masuda and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Goins scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Thorne is looking to control Goins's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thorne avoid being mounted?
Thorne pushes Goins off looking to stand but Goins dives back in and keeps control.
Goins is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Goins has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Thorne wants to control but Goins is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Thorne blocking the ground and pound attempt from Goins.
Goins working Thorne over with strikes.
Goins missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Goins trying to control the action but Thorne is working from the bottom.
Thorne looks like he's trying to stand up.
Goins throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Goins.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Goins trying to control the action but Thorne is working from the bottom.
Thorne has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Tōshi. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Thorne tries to get to full guard but Goins has control of the leg.
Goins drops an elbow to the side of Thorne's head.
Goins not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Thorne is looking for a sweep. Goins is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Goins throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Thorne is concentrating on defense, preventing Goins from advancing position.

Thorne is defending against the submission attempts here by Goins.
Goins prevents Thorne from standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goins content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Thorne is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Goins scores with a couple of nice shots.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thorne looks like he's trying to stand up.
Goins thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Goins throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Goins not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorne regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Goins.
Thorne is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Thorne being controlled here, momentarily.
Goins stops Thorne from standing up.
Thorne is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Thorne takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

It looks like Larry Thorne has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thorne lands a nice looking kick to the body. Goins takes a step back to recover.
We've been told by Goins's head coaches at Brown House that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Thorne slips a jab and a cross from Goins.
Larry Thorne is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Goins lands with a hook. Thorne tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Goins shoots in but Thorne avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Thorne moves in looking to clinch but Goins pushes him off.
Thorne lands a nice looking body kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Goins checks a leg kick.
Thorne throws a leg kick that is checked

and Goins counters with a shoot takedown. Thorne fights it but they end up in guard.
Goins in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Thorne working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Goins.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thorne trying to keep a closed guard but Goins is proving a slippery customer.
Goins postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leroy Goins dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Larry Thorne's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Goins lets loose with a powerful body kick. Thorne will feel that in the morning.
Thorne tries a low kick but Goins avoids it.

Goins gets a double leg takedown into Thorne's guard.

Goins gets to his feet - Thorne follows without any prompting.
Goins checks a low kick from Thorne.
Thorne walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Goins checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Thorne ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Goins moves away.
Larry Thorne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Goins misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Goins throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A left lands for Goins.
Goins steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Thorne. That one must have hurt.
Goins throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Thorne's waist but Thorne gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Goins off to one side.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fight stays on the outside here - Thorne looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Goins has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Thorne.
Thorne walks into a stiff left hand from Goins.
Thorne pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Goins blocks the low kick.
Goins moves out of range as Thorne throws a body kick.
Goins connects with a leg kick. Thorne looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Thorne throws a head kick that misses.
Thorne tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Goins paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A big right from Goins misses.
Goins moves out of range of the body kick from Thorne.
Thorne fakes the leg kick and cracks Goins in the body.
Goins displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Thorne pushes Goins up against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Goins fails to land.
Thorne unloads a knee to the mid-section. Goins lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Thorne tries to land knees in the clinch but Goins avoids the damage to the body.
Goins blocks an elbow strike from Thorne.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Goins trying to stall but Thorne improves his position.
Thorne throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Goins blocks it with crossed arms.
Thorne lands an elbow inside that Goins shrugs off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorne blocks an uppercut.
Thorne lands a knee to the body.
Goins lands a shoulder strike.
Thorne tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Thorne landing knees to the head.
Thorne landing knees to the head.
Goins has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Thorne after a bit of a struggle.
Thorne scores with a knee to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Goins.
Thorne landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Thorne misses with a knee to the head.
Thorne throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Goins blocks it with crossed arms.
Thorne scores with a knee to the head.
Thorne using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Goins has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Thorne is breathing heavily.
Thorne misses with a knee to the head.
Thorne lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Thorne takes a shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorne avoids a wild elbow strike from Goins.
Goins working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Thorne blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Thorne tries to land a knee to the head but Goins blocks with his arms.
Goins doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Goins takes an elbow to the forehead.
Thorne putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Goins in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Goins working aggressively here.
Thorne scores with a knee to the head.
Goins lands a shoulder strike.
Thorne using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Goins has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Thorne with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Goins trying to control the position but instead, Thorne has worked for underhooks and has pushed Goins into the cage.
Goins takes an elbow to the temple.
Thorne tries to land a knee to the head but Goins blocks with his arms.
Goins is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Larry Thorne seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Thorne.
Thorne creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Goins's defenses.
Goins lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short body shot lands from Goins as the two fighters clinch.
Goins takes an elbow to the temple.
Knees in the clinch landing for Thorne.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thorne unloads a knee to the mid-section. Goins lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Goins swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Thorne tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Goins misses with a knee strike.
Thorne connects with a nasty looking knee right to Goins's face.
Goins tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Thorne is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thorne misses with an elbow strike.
Goins is trying to maintain a safe position but Thorne gets an underhook and turns Goins into the cage.
Thorne misses with a knee to the head.
Thorne connects with a nasty looking knee right to Goins's face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Larry Thorne showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Larry Thorne's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Goins throws a head kick but Thorne moves out of range.
Thorne throws the kick towards the body but Goins avoids it.
Goins lands a head kick. Thorne smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Thorne misses with a head kick.
Thorne finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Thorne throws a body kick that misses
and Goins counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Goins avoids the head kick by Thorne.
Goins misses with a double jab.
Goins circles away from the clinch attempt.
Some wild striking there from Goins.

Goins feints and as Thorne raises his hands in defense, Goins changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thorne avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Goins loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Goins trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thorne avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Goins wants to pass the guard but Thorne is keeping the position.
Goins wants to control from the top but Thorne keeps moving.
Thorne is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Goins throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goins trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Goins passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Thorne on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Goins lands a few punches from side control.
Goins lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Thorne down.
Thorne takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Larry Thorne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Goins misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Goins tries to move to mount but Thorne blocks the move with his legs.
Goins is looking to take a break and control but Thorne is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Leroy Goins overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorne tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Thorne is not content to let Goins control the position.
Goins advances nicely into full mount.
Goins trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Thorne is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thorne is in a horrible position here. Goins smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Goins.
Goins lands with some strikes.
Goins working Thorne over with strikes here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Goins throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Goins scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Thorne?

Thorne is rocked!
Thorne takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Goins lands a big shot to the head and Thorne winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Leroy Goins!
An out of breath Leroy Goins thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.