PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Greg Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ali Reem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Greg Thomas has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Thomas
vs
Reem

158 cm
18
278 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

193 cm
18
248 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Greg Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ali Reem!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Glass and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reem turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Thomas on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

It looks like Greg Thomas has been cut.
Reem lands a lovely overhand right.
Thomas gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Reem leaves Thomas with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Thomas is defended easily by Reem.
Thomas avoids the body shot from Reem.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reem lands with a kick to the temple. Thomas shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Reem lands a head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Reem swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Thomas fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Greg Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Thomas throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Reem was covering up waiting for the punch and Thomas finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Thomas really is a fat lump.
Reem looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thomas is one step ahead there.
Thomas stops Reem from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Reem has his feet on Thomas's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Reem ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thomas moves away.
Thomas takes a kick to the side of the head.
Reem pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Reem lands a jab-cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reem throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Thomas counters with a shoot takedown. Reem fights it but they end up in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Thomas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Reem is looking to stand up but Thomas isn't so interested in that idea.
Reem is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Reem utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Reem has Thomas pulled in close to control his posture.
Thomas is in close to Reem's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reem is pulling down on Thomas's head. It's preventing any offense from Thomas, at least for the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Thomas shoots in looking for a takedown. Reem tries to sprawl out of it but Thomas keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Reem manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Reem looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A head kick misses from Reem.
Thomas shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Reem as he jumps to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ali Reem dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Greg Thomas's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Reem sizes up Thomas with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Reem ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Reem attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Some wild striking there from Reem.
Reem has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Thomas fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reem misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thomas.
A shot to the liver by Reem. Beautiful body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas fails to land the takedown.
Reem connects with a looping right hand.
Reem misses with a head kick.
Thomas darts in looking for a takedown but Reem gets double underhooks and turns Thomas into the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Greg Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reem lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Thomas blocks a body shot from Reem.

Reem pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Reem throws a right hand that Thomas ducks under and follows up with a left that Thomas also avoids with ease.
Reem swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Reem throws a low kick, looking for Thomas's leg but Thomas calmly moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reem misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ali Reem seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Thomas ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Reem is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Reem tries a low kick but Thomas avoids it.
Reem connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Reem. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Reem stuffs the takedown attempt from Thomas. Thomas gets slowly back to his feet.
Reem lands a head kick. Thomas smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Reem ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thomas moves away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A low kick from Thomas is predictable there
and Reem counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Greg Thomas's cut is getting worse.
Reem has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Reem misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thomas defending well as Reem loads up on a big left hand.
Reem misses with a head kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Reem lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Thomas has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Thomas and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Reem pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Reem is breathing heavily.
Reem misses with a head kick.
A big right from Reem misses.
Thomas dives in for a single leg takedown but Reem sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Reem wants to get back to striking at distance but Thomas won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thomas jumps guard.

Thomas looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Reem sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Reem trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Thomas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Reem looking to sit in guard and control but Thomas gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ali Reem showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Greg Thomas's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Reem throws a low kick but it's checked well by Thomas.
Reem leaves Thomas with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Reem tries to score with a low kick but Thomas moves his leg out of the way.
Reem misses with a low kick as Thomas jumps back.
A leg kick checked by Thomas.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Good exchange - Reem coming out on top.
Reem stuffs the takedown attempt from Thomas. Thomas gets slowly back to his feet.
Thomas tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Ali Reem is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reem throws a combination. Thomas tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Reem cracks Thomas with a right hand to the side of the head.
Reem tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thomas was well out of range. Poor timing from Reem.
Reem connects with a good right hand that stumbles Thomas. Thomas circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Reem misses with a hook.
Thomas takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Reem tries to land a leg kick but Thomas saw it coming and moves away.
A shot to the liver by Reem. Beautiful body shot.
Reem throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reem goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Some wild striking there from Reem.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thomas tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Reem swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Greg Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thomas takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Reem tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thomas was well out of range. Poor timing from Reem.
Reem throws a series of strikes that have Thomas backpedaling.
Reem takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Reem misses with a body shot.
A jab from Reem does it's job there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reem punishes Thomas's body with a nice straight punch.
Reem throws a head kick that misses.
Reem defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Thomas.
Thomas takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Reem lands with a slapping head kick.
Reem throws a head kick that misses.
Reem misses with a body punch

and Thomas counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Reem!
Reem tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Ali Reem is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thomas somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Reem covering up well under a barage of strikes.
You can see the frustration on Reem's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Thomas landing with strikes.
Thomas punches the canvas rather than the man.
Thomas has good solid back control here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ali Reem comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Reem winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ali Reem!