PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gustavo Levine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Christopher Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thompson is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Aero chord - Surface. Christopher Thompson will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Levine
vs
Thompson

150 cm
25
193 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

180 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gustavo Levine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Christopher Thompson !
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Valeri Chadov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Levine tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thompson swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Thompson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

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

Thompson has Levine up against the cage in a clinch.
Thompson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Levine walks away with a smile on his face. Thompson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Levine is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Thompson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Levine was covering up waiting for the punch and Thompson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Levine could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thompson works over Levine with some ground and pound from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Levine throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Thompson is stalling in the full guard.

Levine is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Levine working a defensive guard here.

Thompson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Thompson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thompson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Levine's head.
Thompson wants to control from the top but Levine keeps moving.

That's two 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.
Thompson pushing down on Levine's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Levine regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Thompson .
Thompson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Thompson connects with a couple of short punches.

Thompson stands up from Levine's guard - Thompson perhaps looking for a knockout.
Levine wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Levine tries to clinch there but Thompson circles away.
Thompson keeps the fight on the outside.

Levine moves into the clinch.
Levine can't find room to land a body shot as Thompson controls the action.

Levine has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Thompson uses from the top position.
Thompson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Thompson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Thompson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Levine's guard.
Levine is looking to escape.

Thompson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Levine defends it well.

Thompson trying to work for an americana but Levine has managed to regain full guard.
Thompson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

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 with a flurry of punches that miss.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Levine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thompson scoring with some ground and pound.
Thompson postures up and lands a big shot to Levine's brow.
Thompson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Thompson stands up over Levine, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Thompson drops back looking for a leg! Levine is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Levine manages to kick Thompson off! Thompson jumps back into Levine's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Levine wants to sweep here but Thompson controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christopher Thompson dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Thompson misses with a takedown attempt

and Levine counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Levine breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Levine clinches.

Levine is trying to trip Thompson . He has hold of a leg but Thompson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Levine persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Thompson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Levine won't allow Thompson to sweep him here.

Thompson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Levine can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Levine trying to control the position from guard on top but Thompson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thompson 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Levine avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Thompson is trying to keep Levine in close.

Thompson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Levine can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Thompson working for a triangle but Levine defends it easily.
Thompson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Thompson slips a nice elbow through Levine's hands, connecting with Levine's forehead.

Thompson wants to work for an arm triangle but Levine is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Thompson is working for a submission of some sort.

Thompson seems to be looking for submissions.
Levine is refusing to be controlled, as Thompson sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson stops Levine from getting back to his feet.
Levine throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Thompson decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Levine wants to clinch up but Thompson keeps it at a distance.
Levine thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Thompson if he has to take too many more of those.

Thompson clinches.

Levine pulls guard successfully.
Thompson trying to control but Levine is working from the bottom.
Thompson advances to half guard.
Thompson moves nicely into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Levine wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.

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

Thompson tries for a kimura but Levine is defending well.
Levine wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thompson lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Thompson cracks Levine with a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christopher Thompson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Thompson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
It appears Levine was looking to counter with a kick there.
Thompson with a poor takedown
and Levine counters with a one-two to the body.
Thompson tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Levine defends well and Thompson ends up having to push Levine into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Levine is looking to counter with head kicks.
Gustavo Levine has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Christopher Thompson .
Thompson misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Levine to counter with a crisp jab.
Thompson looks for a takedown but Levine sprawls well.
Thompson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Levine is looking to clinch but Thompson is avoiding it.
Thompson feints the counter takedown.
Thompson shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson throws a front kick that sends Levine stumbling back into the cage.
Levine tries to clinch but Thompson moves out of range.
And Thompson tries to counter it with a takedown but Levine pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Levine clinches up against the cage.
Levine is trying to stall.

Levine has hold of one of Thompson 's legs. Thompson is fighting the takedown attempt but Levine gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Levine being controlled here momentarily.
Thompson is trying to hold Levine in close to prevent damage but Levine has managed to pass into half guard.
Levine throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is not content to let Levine control the position.
Levine scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Thompson is trying to get back to full guard.
Thompson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Levine is working away from the top position though.
Thompson keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Levine tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Thompson tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson gets back to full guard.
Thompson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Thompson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Thompson has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Levine wants to get up but he can't break Thompson 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Thompson looking to control.

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

That's four 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.

Thompson dives in and scores a takedown into Levine's guard.
Levine trying to strike off his back.
Levine is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Thompson works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Thompson lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Thompson slips a nice elbow through Levine's hands, connecting with Levine's forehead.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Thompson in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Levine tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Thompson !

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Christopher Thompson !
In his post fight interview, Christopher Thompson started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.