PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Lavern Flores (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Thigpen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michael Thigpen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Flores
vs
Thigpen

217 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

165 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lavern Flores!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Thigpen!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Flores moves in looking to clinch but Thigpen pushes him off.
Thigpen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Thigpen swats away the attempt to clinch by Flores.
Thigpen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Flores.

Thigpen shoots in and gets a takedown into Flores's guard.
Flores looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thigpen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Flores is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flores keeping moving, preventing Thigpen from controlling successfully.
Flores will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Flores pulls Thigpen in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thigpen postures up.
Thigpen tries to free his leg and advance position but Flores is retaining full guard.
Flores controlling Thigpen's posture.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Thigpen swats away the attempt to clinch by Flores.
Thigpen scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Flores is rocked!

It looks like Lavern Flores has been cut.
Michael Thigpen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thigpen throws a head kick that misses.
Oh Flores is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Flores tries to clinch up but Thigpen circles away and keeps his distance.
Flores seems to have got his legs back now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flores throws a nice head kick!
Thigpen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Flores sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Flores tries to clinch up but Thigpen circles away and keeps his distance.
Flores tries to close the distance and clinch but Thigpen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Thigpen moves into the clinch successfully.
Thigpen will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Flores up against the cage.

Thigpen turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Flores really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Thigpen working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flores can't do much from the bottom here.
Flores prevents Thigpen from improving position.
Flores regains half guard, as Thigpen was trying to land strikes.
Flores is concentrating on defense, preventing Thigpen from advancing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Thigpen performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Flores is trying to control but can't.
Flores wants to improve his position but Thigpen is controlling well.
Flores is doing well to control the position and prevent Thigpen from advancing to side control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thigpen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Flores moves away.
Thigpen throws a series of punches but Flores moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Thigpen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lavern Flores's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Thigpen misses with a two punch combination.
Thigpen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Flores 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.
Thigpen blocks a head kick by Flores.
Flores moves in looking to clinch but Thigpen pushes him off.

Thigpen takes the fight into the clinch.

Thigpen has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Flores is trying to keep an underhook but Thigpen manages to get the takedown into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flores is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thigpen throwing shots but Flores is blocking nicely.

Thigpen stands up out of the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flores tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Flores avoids the head kick by Thigpen.
Flores avoids the head kick by Thigpen.
Flores moves in looking to clinch but Thigpen pushes him off.
Flores closes the distance looking to clinch
and Thigpen counters with a series of strikes. Flores will be more careful next time no doubt.
Flores tries to clinch but Thigpen moves out of range.

Thigpen fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Flores to the ground. Thigpen is now in Flores's guard.
Thigpen is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flores trying to control the position.
Thigpen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Flores swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Flores is trying to hold Thigpen in close to prevent damage but Thigpen has managed to pass into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flores works his way to full guard. Good work.
Thigpen won't allow Flores to get back to his feet.
Flores 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.
Flores controls Thigpen momentarily but Thigpen frees himself.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Flores tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Thigpen counters with a head kick. That will keep Flores thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Thigpen.
The fight stays on the outside here - Flores looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Thigpen gets tackled into the cage by Flores. Flores maintains the clinch.
Flores is trying to pull guard but Thigpen has him pressed against the cage.
Thigpen stalling the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Thigpen breaks from the clinch.
Flores is looking to clinch but Thigpen is avoiding it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Thigpen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Lavern Flores's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Flores tries to clinch there but Thigpen circles away.
As Flores backs off Thigpen throws a huge counter combo but Flores manages to avoid it all.
Flores fails in his attempt to clinch.
Thigpen scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Flores looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Thigpen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Thigpen lands in his opponent's guard.
Thigpen slips nicely into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thigpen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thigpen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Flores is refusing to be controlled, as Thigpen sits in half guard.
Flores is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Thigpen wants to pass to mount but Flores is defending the position.
Flores is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Thigpen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Thigpen's back!
Flores controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Thigpen tries to escape the position.
Flores really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Thigpen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I really don't envy Thigpen right now.
Thigpen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Thigpen prevents Flores from getting a body triangle.

Flores working for a choke but Thigpen is defending well.
What can Thigpen do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Flores doesn't have the hooks in and Thigpen manages to turn into his guard.
Thigpen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Flores is proving hard to escape from.

Thigpen stands up and waves to Flores to follow him.
Flores is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Thigpen closes the distance and clinches.
Lavern Flores has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Michael Thigpen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Thigpen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Thigpen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Thigpen!