PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Omar Boulami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Terrence Thornton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Boulami comes to the cage accompanied by The Rock - Mustapha Ibrahim. Thornton is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Pusha T - Exodus 23:1. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Boulami
vs
Thornton

171 cm
28
177 lbs
22 - 5 - 0

187 cm
27
178 lbs
15 - 3 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

Hellbent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Omar Boulami!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 3 - 1, fighting out of New York, Terrence Thornton!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, James Glass and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boulami takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Thornton scores with a nice strike.
Thornton moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Boulami checks the leg kick nicely there.
Thornton takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

It looks like Terrence Thornton has been cut.
Boulami walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Boulami tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thornton swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Thornton gets the takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The strikes coming from Thornton are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Thornton misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Boulami tries to buck Thornton off but Thornton is having none of it.
Thornton looks up at the clock and then as Boulami takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Thornton smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Boulami is looking for a sweep.
The ground and pound from Thornton seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Thornton is working Boulami over with some ground and pound from side control.
Boulami struggling a bit here.
Thornton looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thornton throws an elbow but Boulami slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thornton looks up at the clock and then as Boulami takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Thornton smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Boulami is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Thornton working away.
Boulami is looking for a sweep.
Thornton misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Thornton looks up at the clock and then as Boulami takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Thornton smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Boulami struggling a bit here.
Boulami is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Thornton's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Thornton working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boulami avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Thornton.
Boulami gets full guard.
Thornton trying to control the position from guard on top but Boulami is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boulami is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Thornton distracts Boulami with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Thornton chips away with some ground and pound.
Boulami wants to sweep but no luck.
Boulami might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Thornton working some strikes from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thornton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Boulami looking for a sweep. Not yet Boulami, not yet.
Thornton trying to control but Boulami is working from the bottom.
Boulami controls Thornton momentarily but Thornton frees himself.
Thornton trying to control the position from guard on top but Boulami is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thornton preventing the sweep.
Thornton wants to control from the top but Boulami keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thornton looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Thornton shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Thornton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Boulami was well out of range. Poor timing from Thornton.
Thornton scores with a nice head shot.
Boulami throws a lazy right hand but Thornton sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thornton avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

Thornton shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Boulami napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Boulami dodges the ground and pound from Thornton.
Boulami can't do much from the bottom here.
The strikes coming from Thornton are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Thornton trying to control the action but Boulami is working from the bottom.
Thornton might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Boulami haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Boulami struggling a bit here.
The ground and pound from Thornton seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thornton throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Boulami misses with a wild combination.
Thornton throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Boulami moves out of range as Thornton strikes.
Boulami lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Boulami stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Thornton.
Thornton attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Boulami appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Boulami looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Thornton is trying hard to land a takedown here. Boulami sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Boulami drops down looking for a counter takedown but Thornton sprawls and moves away.
Thornton throws a sloppy head kick and Boulami moves out of range easily.
Thornton avoids the head kick by Boulami.
Boulami stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Thornton.
Boulami connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thornton with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Boulami checks the leg kick nicely there.
Thornton takes a swing at Boulami's ribcage but misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Boulami misses the target.
Thornton dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Boulami. That did some damage!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Boulami takes a swing at Thornton's ribcage but misses.
Boulami throws a one two combo.
Thornton misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Boulami darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Boulami thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Boulami moves nicely into side control.
Thornton manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Boulami is keen to just control but Thornton is a slippery customer.
Thornton avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Boulami.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Thornton avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Boulami.
Thornton tries to roll over but Boulami keeps him under control.

Thornton looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boulami throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Thornton to regain full guard.
Boulami throws a strike but Thornton rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Thornton preventing the sweep.
Thornton trying to control but Boulami is working from the bottom.
Thornton is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Thornton being controlled here momentarily.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Thornton postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Terrence Thornton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thornton drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Boulami is not content to let Thornton control the position.
Boulami is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Thornton is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Boulami is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boulami regains half guard.
Boulami is trying to maintain the position but Thornton is very close to passing his half guard.

Boulami looking for submissions off his back.
Boulami trying to control but Thornton postures up.
Thornton throwing shots but Boulami is blocking nicely.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Thornton lands a nice short elbow.
Boulami is refusing to be controlled, as Thornton sits in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Terrence Thornton will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Terrence Thornton's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Boulami is defended easily by Thornton.
Boulami keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Thornton misses with an uppercut. Boulami saw that one coming.
Boulami loads up on a big right hand but Thornton slips the punch.
Boulami moves out of range of the body kick from Thornton.
Thornton uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Boulami.
Thornton looks to throw a body kick
and Boulami counters with a nice uppercut.
Boulami connects with a nice looking jab.
Boulami ducks right into an uppercut from Thornton.

Thornton scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Thornton is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Thornton not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Boulami avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Thornton.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Thornton working over Boulami with some ground and pound. Boulami looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thornton is trying to control the action in half guard but Boulami is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Thornton prevents Boulami from improving his position.
Thornton trying to pass the guard but Boulami defending well.

Thornton is working for a submission of some sort.
Thornton controlling the pace.
Thornton wants to take a breather but Boulami is having none of it.
Thornton drops an elbow to the side of Boulami's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Thornton throwing shots but Boulami is blocking nicely.

Boulami looking for submissions off his back.
Thornton wants to lay and pray for a moment but Boulami keeps working.
Boulami wants to get back to full guard.
Terrence Thornton has got the better of the ground game so far.
Boulami has hold of Thornton's hands but Thornton slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ground and pound from Thornton.
Boulami wants to control but Thornton is keeping busy.
Thornton thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Boulami regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boulami is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Thornton in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Boulami wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Thornton walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Boulami checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Boulami was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Boulami slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Omar Boulami has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A good leg kick by Thornton.
Boulami misses with a two punch combination.
Thornton lands with an overhand left.
Thornton scores with a jab. Boulami acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Thornton bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Boulami's head backwards.
Boulami is looking to clinch but Thornton is avoiding it.
Thornton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thornton scores with a punch to the head.
Thornton uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Boulami.
Boulami throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Boulami looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
It seemed like Thornton was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Thornton pushes Boulami away with a front kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Boulami fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Thornton manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Boulami on his heels. He'll look to pass Boulami's guard now, I'm sure.
Thornton distracts Boulami with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Thornton looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Boulami working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thornton.
Thornton sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Terrence Thornton is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Thornton with a flurry of punches that miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Terrence Thornton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Thornton 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Terrence Thornton!
In his post fight interview, Terrence Thornton started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.