PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cody Grant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Grant's entrance music is Alice in Chains - Rooster. A fine choice. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Grant
vs
Thompson

192 cm
37
220 lbs
26 - 16 - 0

190 cm
32
215 lbs
15 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cody Grant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grant moves out of range as Thompson throws a body kick.
Grant keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Thompson throws a quick inside leg kick.
Grant lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Thompson misses with a body shot.
Grant lands with a nice body punch.
Grant tries to clinch there but Thompson circles away.
Thompson feints and then cracks Grant's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Grant down.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Grant lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Thompson at a distance.
Thompson scores with a push kick.
Thompson buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Grant tries to clinch up.
Grant tries to clinch but Thompson moves out of range.
Grant misses the jab.

Grant gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Thompson goes for a takedown attempt but Grant pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Grant avoids the body shot from Thompson.
John Thompson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant tries to close the distance and clinch but Thompson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thompson throws out a loose jab but Grant uses good head movement to avoid it.
A slow jab from Thompson misses its intended target.
Grant is looking to clinch but Thompson is avoiding it.
Grant shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Thompson counters with a left and a right that stings Grant.
Grant walks into a stiff left hand from Thompson.

Grant gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Good body shot from Grant.
Grant tries to throw a body punch but Thompson avoids it by throwing Grant back against the cage.
Thompson wants a takedown.
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 tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Grant smiles and moves away.
Cody Grant has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Thompson.
Thompson will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grant misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thompson attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Thompson throws a hook to the side of Grant's head but Grant sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Grant has taken the fight to the clinch.
Grant using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Grant breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
That kick from Grant tenderised Thompson's leg. Thompson is trying to keep his angry face on.
Thompson swats away the attempt to clinch by Grant.
Grant has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Thompson.
Grant takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Grant fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Thompson avoids it really well and circles away.
Thompson fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Grant has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Thompson swats away the attempt to clinch by Grant.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant fails in his attempt to clinch.
Grant keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Thompson.
Thompson fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Grant looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
A thudding body kick lands there by Thompson!

Grant moves into range and clinches up with Thompson.
Grant pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Thompson has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Grant clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Thompson is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Grant up.
Grant has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Thompson.
Thompson misses with punches from the back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thompson misses with an elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is looking to control Grant but Grant is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Thompson missing with punches from the back.

Thompson has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Grant has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Thompson not allowing Grant to control his hands.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thompson misses with a punch to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Thompson will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Grant fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thompson manages to avoid it.
Thompson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Grant throws out the jab.
Grant fails with the takedown.
Grant lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Thompson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Grant moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Grant throws out a loose jab but Thompson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thompson lands with a good body shot.
Thompson throws the left hand but Grant avoids the punch easily.
Grant wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Grant doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Grant shoots in looking for a takedown. Thompson tries to sprawl out of it but Grant keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Thompson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Grant wants to clinch.
Thompson scores with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant fails in his attempt to clinch.
Grant misses the shot to the body.
Thompson lands a nice leg kick that just misses Grant's sensitive parts.
Thompson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thompson smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nice shot by Thompson.
That kick from Thompson tenderised Grant's leg. Grant is trying to keep his angry face on.
Thompson wants to land a leg kick but Grant is out of range.
Thompson misses with a wild body shot.
Grant ducks under a wild hook from Thompson.
Grant on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Grant fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
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!
Grant lands a nice shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Grant misses.
Thompson lands a body shot.
Grant walks forward, straight into a front kick from Thompson.
Thompson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Grant looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Grant wants to clinch.
Thompson throws a leg kick that is checked
and Grant counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Grant looks to land a right hand but Thompson moved out of range.
Thompson lands a leg kick that knocks Grant off balance momentarily.
Thompson feints and then cracks Grant's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Grant down.
Thompson tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Thompson looks to score with a jab to the body but Grant is just out of range.
Grant is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Grant swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Thompson counters with a right hand to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant dodges the punch combination from Thompson.
Grant keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Thompson throws an off balance right hand
and Grant counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thompson swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Grant drives through and clinches with Thompson against the cage.
Grant lands a right hand that snaps the head of Thompson backwards.
Grant lands a body shot in the clinch.
Grant lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Grant using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thompson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Thompson can't find room to land a body shot as Grant controls the action.
Grant misses with a knee to the head.
Grant stops a takedown attempt from Thompson.
Grant can't find room to land a body shot as Thompson controls the action.
Grant lands an elbow inside that Thompson shrugs off.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Thompson jumps into guard, dragging Grant to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thompson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Grant defends it easily.
Grant throws a big right hand that misses.
Grant tries to free his leg and advance position but Thompson is retaining full guard.
Grant would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Thompson has his foot on Grant's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Grant works his way back into a safe position though.
Thompson working a defensive guard here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Grant wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.
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 Cody Grant will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Thompson avoids the body shot from Grant.
Grant tries to score with a low kick but Thompson moves his leg out of the way.
Grant is looking to wear down Thompson with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Grant throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Thompson's waist but Thompson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Grant off to one side.
Thompson misses with an uppercut.
Thompson scores with a hook.
Thompson missing with a left hand there. Grant was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Grant throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Grant tries to clinch up.
Thompson throws a leg kick but Grant sees it coming and moves out of range.
Thompson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Grant.
Thompson moves out of range of the strikes.
A chopping leg kick lands by Grant.
Grant moves in looking to clinch but Thompson pushes him off.
Grant misses with a series of wild punches.
John Thompson seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Grant gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Thompson drags the fight down to the ground.
Grant looking to pass the guard.

Thompson throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Grant escapes and throws Thompson's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Thompson gets back to half guard.
Grant wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thompson keeps working.
Thompson trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grant wants to take a breather but Thompson is having none of it.
Thompson is trying to get back to full guard.
Grant tries to stand but can't do so whilst Thompson controls his leg.
Thompson felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

Thompson has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Grant is on him like a limpet, forcing Thompson back against the cage.
Thompson wants a takedown but no success here.
Grant gets underhooks to prevent Thompson's takedown attempt.
Grant throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thompson blocks it with crossed arms.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thompson is working for takedown but Grant is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cody Grant has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Thompson.

Thompson has hold of one of Grant's legs. Grant is fighting the takedown attempt but Thompson gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Thompson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Thompson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Thompson lands a couple of elbows.
Thompson throws a big right hand that misses.
Thompson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Thompson throws a big right hand that misses.
Thompson looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Thompson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Thompson throws an elbow that misses. Grant uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Thompson's guard. Nice move by Grant!

Thompson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Grant is aware though and is defending well.

Thompson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Grant working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Thompson throws his legs up looking for a submission but Grant uses it to pass to side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thompson is looking to regain half guard here but Grant keeps moving and retains side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Thompson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thompson 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Thompson!
John Thompson spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.