PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mick Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Thompson could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Mick Ward's chin.

Thompson
vs
Ward

196 cm
20
189 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
183 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Prefers standup

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mike Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mick Ward!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Dirk Anderson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thompson instigates a clinch.
Thompson jumps guard but Ward stands there with Thompson around his waist. Thompson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Thompson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ward throws a nice looking combination but Thompson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ward lands with a nice body punch.
Ward looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ward throws a series of punches but Thompson moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ward looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ward throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Thompson stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Ward is looking to clinch.
Thompson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ward.
Ward connects with a body shot.
Thompson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ward swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Ward gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Thompson to score an easy takedown into full guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Ward keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.
Ward is trying to control the position but Thompson postures up.

Thompson is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ward lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Thompson!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Thompson gets back to half guard.
Thompson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Thompson is trying to control the position but Ward postures up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Thompson is on top in guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Thompson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Thompson looking to sit in guard and control but Ward gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thompson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ward.
Ward postures up in Thompson's guard and throws a big left but Thompson blocks it.
Thompson keeping moving, preventing Ward from controlling successfully.
Ward must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Thompson controlling the position.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Ward working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Ward throws a big elbow that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thompson keeping moving, preventing Ward from controlling successfully.
Ward is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Thompson wants to stand up but Ward is controlling him.
Ward postures up in Thompson's guard and throws a big left but Thompson blocks it.
Thompson is breathing heavily.

Thompson has his foot on Ward's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ward works his way back into a safe position though.
Ward wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.
Ward missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ward wants to stand and escape but instead Thompson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ward throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mick Ward will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ward misses with the combination.
Ward misses with a combination

so Thompson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Ward is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson stopping the sweep attempt from Ward.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Ward is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson looking to sit in guard and control but Ward gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thompson wants to stand and escape but Ward is having none of it.
Thompson wants to sweep but no luck.
Ward throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ward trying to control the position from guard on top but Thompson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ward throws a big elbow that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ward accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ward loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ward throwing strikes but missing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Ward wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ward darts in trying to clinch
and Thompson finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Thompson takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Ward scores with a shot to the body.
Ward looks to land a combination but Thompson avoids it well.
Ward tries to clinch there but Thompson circles away.
Ward with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Ward tries to clinch but Thompson is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thompson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ward sprawls well initially but Thompson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ward wants to control but Thompson is keeping busy.
Thompson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ward is refusing to be controlled, as Thompson sits in half guard.
Ward landing small, sideways elbows.
Ward slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Ward is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward wants to sweep but no luck.
Ward working a defensive guard here.
Thompson seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Ward wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Ward is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Mike Thompson just wasn't active enough.
Ward tries to clinch up

and Thompson counters with a takedown into side control.
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 Mike Thompson will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Some wild striking there from Ward.

Thompson takes the fight into the clinch.
Ward has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ward has had enough of the clinch but Thompson keeps him there for the moment.
The referee calls for Thompson to work.
Thompson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ward is keeping busy.
Ward blocks the elbow strike.

Thompson turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Thompson is trying to get an arm triangle but Ward is defending well.
Thompson working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Thompson is working for a kimura here but Ward manages to reverse the position and he's now in Thompson's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ward postures up.

Thompson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ward defends it easily.
Ward scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ward throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thompson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ward throwing strikes from guard but Thompson blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ward trying to control the position from guard on top but Thompson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ward is one step ahead there.
Thompson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ward throws a big elbow that misses.
Ward is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thompson is trying to keep Ward in close.
Thompson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ward is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ward throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thompson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ward throws a big elbow that misses.
Ward wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.
Ward with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ward pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thompson is keeping the position for now.
Thompson is trying to keep Ward in close.
Thompson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ward.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ward trying to control the position from guard on top but Thompson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sloppy strikes from Ward. Those never looked like landing.
Ward misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ward lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ward swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ward lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Mick Ward seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ward throws a series of strikes that have Thompson backpedaling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mick Ward comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ward 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 28:30
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mick Ward!
Mick Ward decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.