PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Baxter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Thigpen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Baxter
vs
Thigpen

167 cm
21
140 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

165 cm
18
135 lbs
3 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Just Fight (Everything 8$)

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aaron Baxter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Thigpen!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Mauricio Rocha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Baxter closes the distance and clinches.
Baxter misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thigpen.
Thigpen has had enough of the clinch but Baxter keeps him there for the moment.
Baxter wants to break the clinch but can't.
Baxter definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Thigpen scores a nice knee to the body.

Baxter breaks the clinch.
Thigpen misses with the combination.
Thigpen throws a head kick but Baxter moves out of range.
Baxter tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Thigpen manages to circle out of the way.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thigpen throws a series of punches but Baxter moves out of range.
Thigpen throws a head kick but Baxter moves out of range.

Thigpen gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thigpen breaks the clinch.
Thigpen tries a head kick but it misses.
Baxter blocks the body kick.
Thigpen fails with the takedown.
Baxter tries to counter with a takedown but Thigpen is quick to defend against it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Thigpen.
Thigpen tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Baxter regains half guard, as Thigpen was trying to land strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thigpen working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Baxter's thigh. Baxter counters though and makes it back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Baxter keeping moving, preventing Thigpen from controlling successfully.
Thigpen is working Baxter over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baxter wants to get back to his feet but Thigpen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Baxter preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Baxter is on top in guard.

Baxter preventing the sweep.
Baxter is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Baxter postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thigpen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Baxter is one step ahead there.
Thigpen controlling Baxter's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baxter controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Thigpen has his foot on Baxter's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Baxter works his way back into a safe position though.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Baxter shoots in for a double leg but Thigpen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Baxter pushes Thigpen up against the cage in a clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Baxter breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thigpen plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Thigpen dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Thigpen slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Baxter has Thigpen up against the cage in a clinch.
Baxter with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Thigpen wants a takedown but no success here.
Baxter is pressed up against the cage. Thigpen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Baxter down to the mat. Baxter avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Baxter checks the leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thigpen forces Baxter back against the cage and clinches.
Baxter gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Thigpen.
Aaron Baxter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Thigpen.
Baxter tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thigpen taking a breather.
Thigpen fails to pull guard.
Thigpen looking for a takedown.

Baxter tightens his grip and picks Thigpen up, before dumping him to the ground. Thigpen manages to land in guard.
Baxter is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Baxter postures up.
Thigpen tries to strike from the bottom.

Baxter gets to his feet. Thigpen looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Aaron Baxter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thigpen misses with a takedown attempt
and Baxter counters with a one-two to the body.
Thigpen is breathing heavily.
Baxter fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Thigpen avoids it really well and circles away.
Sloppy strikes from Thigpen. Those never looked like landing.
As Thigpen looks to move away, Baxter throws a big counter combo bu Thigpen just gets out of the way.
Thigpen throws a low kick but it's checked well by Baxter.
Baxter half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Thigpen clinches up against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Thigpen drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Baxter gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thigpen tries to break free but Baxter pushes him back against the cage.

Baxter breaks from the clinch.
Thigpen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Baxter counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Baxter staying out of range there.
Thigpen doesn't manage to clinch there - Baxter circles away.
Thigpen moves to clinch but Baxter breaks away
and Baxter counters with a stiff right hand.
Baxter looks for a takedown but Thigpen sprawls well.
Thigpen steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Baxter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baxter looking to score a takedown here. Thigpen is defending well but Baxter drives through and ends up in Thigpen's guard.
Baxter is stalling in the full guard.
Thigpen wants to sweep here but Baxter controlling him for the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thigpen pulls Baxter in close to his closed guard and prevents Baxter from doing any damage or advancing position.
Baxter trying to control the position from guard on top but Thigpen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Baxter dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Baxter gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Thigpen is trying to force a seperation but Baxter has the dominant position.

Baxter breaks the clinch.
Thigpen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Baxter holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Baxter pulls Thigpen into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baxter looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thigpen slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Thigpen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Thigpen wants to control from the top but Baxter keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baxter is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Thigpen stands and steps away. Baxter gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Baxter shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Thigpen as he jumps to the side.
Thigpen throws a head kick but Baxter moves out of range.
Thigpen misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A head kick misses from Thigpen.
Thigpen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Baxter sprawls well. Baxter wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Thigpen gets slowly back to his feet.
Thigpen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Thigpen misses with a double jab.
Thigpen throws a leg kick
and Baxter counters with a three punch combo that has Thigpen backing up. Thigpen nods at Baxter to acknowledge the strikes.
Thigpen is looking to score with low kicks.
Michael Thigpen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A chopping leg kick lands by Thigpen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Baxter closes the distance and clinches.

Thigpen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thigpen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Baxter keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Baxter swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Thigpen lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Thigpen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Michael Thigpen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thigpen digs a good hook to Baxter's body.
Baxter tries for a takedown but Thigpen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Baxter looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Baxter. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thigpen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Thigpen wants to clinch
and Baxter counters with a left and a right that stings Thigpen.
Some wild striking there from Thigpen.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thigpen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Baxter is looking to counter the offense by Thigpen and move into the clinch.
Thigpen tries a head kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Michael Thigpen.
I think Thigpen 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29

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