PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bill Hicks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tor Troeng (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Hicks
vs
Troeng

170 cm
28
154 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

170 cm
27
164 lbs
11 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Hellbent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bill Hicks!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tor Troeng!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Cecil Peabody and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hicks looks for a takedown but Troeng sprawls well.
Hicks misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Troeng moves out of range of the body kick from Hicks.
Troeng lands a jab to Hicks's midsection.
Hicks misses with a takedown
and Troeng counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hicks seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bill Hicks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Troeng fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Hicks takes one on the button.
The crowd cheers as Troeng lands an impressive looking overhand right. Hicks doesn't seem phased though.
Hicks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Troeng counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Troeng ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Hicks is trying hard to land a takedown here. Troeng sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Tor Troeng is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hicks tries for a takedown but Troeng circles away easily
and Troeng counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Troeng dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hicks.
Hicks has his takedown stuffed
and Troeng counters with a right hand to the body.
Hicks is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Troeng scores with a three punch combo!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Troeng defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hicks.
Hicks walks into a jab.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Hicks. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
A right-left combo lands from Troeng.
Troeng connects with a single shot there.
Troeng's coach down at St Petersburg MMA Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Troeng's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Hicks shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Troeng defends it nicely.
Troeng scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Hicks is rocked!
Hicks looks for the body kick but Troeng saw that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hicks with a poor takedown
and Troeng counters with a stiff right hand.
Troeng misses with a straight right.
Troeng scores with a crisp jab that stopped Hicks in his tracks.
Troeng scores with a punch to the head.
Oh Hicks is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Troeng thows a body shot but no joy.
Hicks seems to have got his legs back now.
Hicks looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hicks gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Troeng counters with an outside leg kick.
Troeng blocks a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Troeng. Hicks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hicks gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hicks needs to keep his hands up - Troeng had a free shot at his head there.
Hicks wants to slow Troeng down by chopping away at his legs.
Hicks throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Troeng's waist but Troeng gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hicks off to one side.
Hicks shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Troeng as he avoids it easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hicks throws a body kick that misses.
Hicks tries for a takedown but Troeng circles away easily
and Troeng cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tor Troeng dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hicks fails with the takedown
and Troeng counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hicks steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Troeng.
Troeng ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
A low kick from Hicks is predictable there
and Troeng counters with a good, hard body kick but Hicks shrugs it off.
Bill Hicks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Troeng scores with a nice right hand.

Troeng drops his shoulder and cracks Hicks with a huge uppercut! Hicks goes down! Can Troeng finish him?
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!
Troeng has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hicks is proving hard to escape from.
Troeng throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hicks works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Troeng trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hicks's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Troeng trying to control but Hicks is working from the bottom.
Troeng would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Hicks not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Troeng has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hicks is proving hard to escape from.
Troeng won't allow Hicks to sweep him here.

Hicks has his foot on Troeng's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Troeng works his way back into a safe position though.
Troeng would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Troeng in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks keeping moving, preventing Troeng from controlling successfully.
Hicks has a closed guard, preventing Troeng from standing up.
Hicks trying to keep a closed guard but Troeng is proving a slippery customer.
Troeng trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hicks's guard.
Troeng has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Troeng trying to control but Hicks is working from the bottom.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tor Troeng wasn't active enough on the ground.
Troeng thuds his right hand into Hicks's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hicks gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Troeng connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hicks closes this distance looking for a takedown but Troeng circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bill Hicks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Troeng!
Hicks has his takedown stuffed
and Troeng cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hicks gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Hicks misses with a takedown
and Troeng counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hicks thinking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hicks ducks straight into an uppercut from Troeng and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Hicks manages to regain guard straight away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Troeng throws an elbow that misses. Hicks uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Troeng's guard. Nice move by Hicks!
Hicks wants to pass the guard but Troeng is keeping the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Hicks trying to control the position from guard on top but Troeng is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hicks got a little sloppy there for a moment and Troeng has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hicks has managed to get both his arms back between Troeng's legs - danger averted.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hicks passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Troeng tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hicks wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tor Troeng showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Troeng stuffs the takedown attempt from Hicks. Hicks gets slowly back to his feet.
Troeng stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Troeng wants it to stay on the feet.
Hicks tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Troeng swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bill Hicks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Troeng throws a one two combo.
Troeng leaves Hicks with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Tor Troeng seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hicks throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Troeng throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hicks shoots for a double leg takedown but Troeng sprawls well. He's pushed Hicks's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Troeng fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Troeng throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Troeng's corner calls for a 1-2. Troeng obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Hicks drops his hands momentarily and Troeng takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Hicks misses with a takedown
and Troeng counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Troeng lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Troeng stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Troeng lands a really nice looking cross but Hicks seems unphased.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Troeng throws the left hand but Hicks avoids the punch easily.
Troeng defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hicks.
Troeng moves out of range of the body kick.
Hicks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Troeng counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Both fighters step back and shake their arms out. Troeng engages and cracks Hicks with a massive lead left hook - Hicks tumbles to the floor, out cold! What a shot! Troeng is delighted - all that hard work in training paid off!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Tor Troeng! Tor Troeng retains his lightweight title!
Tor Troeng decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.