PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Tompaqo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sofpho King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Tompaqo
vs
King

167 cm
22
149 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

194 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ivan Tompaqo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sofpho King!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tompaqo moves into range and clinches up with King.
King just leaning against Tompaqo, taking a breather.

Tompaqo manages to break the clinch.
King tries to bum rush Tompaqo with a series of wild strikes but Tompaqo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
King tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tompaqo throws a wild body kick that King sees coming a mile off.

King throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Tompaqo was covering up waiting for the punch and King finishes the takedown easily into guard.
King looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

King is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tompaqo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
King wants to control from the top but Tompaqo keeps moving.
Tompaqo throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Tompaqo working for a triangle but King defends it easily.

King avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

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.
Tompaqo is trying to control the position but King postures up.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Tompaqo instigates a clinch.
Tompaqo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Tompaqo prevents King from breaking the clinch.
King looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Tompaqo wants to take the fight to the mat but King manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
King can't get the takedown.
King tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tompaqo is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables King to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Tompaqo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King is looking to break free of the clinch but Tompaqo has double underhooks.
Tompaqo misses with an elbow over the top.

Tompaqo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ivan Tompaqo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tompaqo throws a nice looking combination but King bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
And King tries to counter it with a takedown but Tompaqo pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Tompaqo has taken the fight to the clinch.

King breaks the clinch.
King swinging wildly here.
King tries to clinch but Tompaqo is having none of it.
Tompaqo connects with a body shot that sends King's belly button to the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tompaqo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
King feints the counter takedown.
King stuffs the takedown attempt from Tompaqo. Tompaqo gets slowly back to his feet.
Tompaqo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Tompaqo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with King, pushing him back against the cage.
King lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Tompaqo drops to a knee looking for a takedown but King gets the underhooks and prevents it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tompaqo taking a breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sofpho King will probably get the nod.
That's time! Tompaqo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

King moves out of range of the body kick.
Tompaqo tries to clinch up but King circles away and keeps his distance.
King drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Tompaqo defends it well.
Tompaqo shoots in looking for a takedown but King manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Tompaqo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
King tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Tompaqo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tompaqo throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
King drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Tompaqo defends it well.
Tompaqo shoots in looking for a takedown. King tries to sprawl out of it but Tompaqo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. King manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tompaqo throws a lazy head kick

and King counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by King.
King seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
King is continuing to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
King drops back, looking for a kneebar! Tompaqo looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Tompaqo looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Tompaqo!

Tompaqo working away.

Tompaqo goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, King rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Tompaqo's guard! Nice work there by King!

Tompaqo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and King defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King 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.
King wants to pass the guard but Tompaqo is keeping the position.
King 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tompaqo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
King sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Tompaqo moves into the clinch.
Tompaqo's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Tompaqo goes for a takedown attempt but King pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Tompaqo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tompaqo doesn't manage to clinch there - King circles away.
King swats away the attempt to clinch by Tompaqo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sofpho King showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Tompaqo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

King tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tompaqo feinted with a counter takedown.

Tompaqo clinches.
King trying to control the position but instead, Tompaqo has worked for underhooks and has pushed King into the cage.
Tompaqo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as King walks away with a smile on his face. Tompaqo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Horrible takedown attempt by Tompaqo or perhaps it was just good defense by King, which made it look bad.
King wants to counter with a clinch but Tompaqo pushes him away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

King clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tompaqo wants to break free but King has control.
King misses with a punch on the inside.
Tompaqo tries to stall but King uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
King avoiding damage.
Tompaqo jumps guard but King stands there with Tompaqo around his waist. Tompaqo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Tompaqo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
King prevents a body shot from Tompaqo.

Tompaqo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Tompaqo moves into the clinch.
Tompaqo tries to pull guard but King holds him up against the cage and eventually Tompaqo drops back down to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tompaqo is trying to pull guard but King has him pressed against the cage.
Sofpho King is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
King blocks an elbow strike from Tompaqo.
Tompaqo blocks an elbow strike from King.
Tompaqo tries to pull guard but King won't allow it.

King breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
King tries to close the distance and clinch but Tompaqo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tompaqo tries to close the distance and clinch up but King swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ivan Tompaqo is winning the standup battle so far.
Tompaqo shoots for a takedown but King saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
King drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Tompaqo defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tompaqo tries to clinch up but King circles away and keeps his distance.
Good standup being displayed there by King as he connects with a hook.
King keeps the fight on the outside.

King clinches with his opponent.

King breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
King moves out of range of the body kick.
Tompaqo tries to clinch but King is having none of it.
King is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
King dives in and grabs Tompaqo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tompaqo pushes down on King's head and hops out.
Tompaqo fails in his attempt to clinch.
King avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
King feints the counter takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tompaqo shoots in but no luck this time.
Tompaqo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
King tries to counter with a clinch but Tompaqo shakes him off and moves away.

King closes the distance and clinches.
King stalls.
King has Tompaqo pressed against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sofpho King comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got King 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sofpho King!
Sofpho King was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.
Ivan Tompaqo was interviewed post fight and said 'It was a good fight and my apponnet was on his game with this one and I was not. Time to go back and train a little harder for the next one.'.