PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Damien Thorn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Owens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thorn
vs
Owens

196 cm
19
267 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
26
250 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Damien Thorn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mark Owens!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, John Mangel and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thorn closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Owens quickly recovers to half guard.
Owens looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Thorn decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Owens missing with a left hand there. Thorn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Thorn lands a jab to the nose.
Thorn throws a leg kick which misses Owens's front leg but catches the back leg as Owens tries to avoid it.
Thorn lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Owens displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Thorn.
Owens shoots for a takedown but Thorn saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A head kick from Thorn lands but Owens takes it in his stride.

It looks like Mark Owens has been cut.
Thorn feints and then cracks Owens's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Owens down.
Thorn lands a head kick. Owens smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Owens misses with a hook. Thorn ducked under it nicely.
Owens on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Thorn. Thorn obviously looking to wear him down.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Thorn pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Owens looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Thorn is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Owens presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

Thorn breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Owens shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Thorn defends it nicely.
Thorn tests Owens's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Thorn throws a head kick that Owens semi-blocks.
Thorn shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Owens pinned against the cage. Owens gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Owens shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Thorn manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Thorn will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Owens sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Thorn's guard.

Owens is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Owens landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Thorn controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

Owens looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Owens is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn tries to kick Owens off but Owens keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Thorn manages to get to full guard.

Owens postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Thorn is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Owens, into his guard.
Thorn is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Thorn with a flurry of punches that miss.

Owens has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Thorn is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Thorn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thorn lands a high kick!
Thorn thows a body kick. Owens tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Thorn lands with a cross.
Owens will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Damien Thorn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Owens.
Thorn shoots in and drives through. Owens sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Owens takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That has opened up Mark Owens's cut even more.
Thorn is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Owens can do to turn this around?
Owens missing with a left hand there. Thorn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Owens crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Thorn - the referee stops the clock and Owens gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Thorn. Owens manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Owens misses with a straight left.
An attempted straight right counter from Thorn misses the target.
Owens fails with a takedown attempt.
Owens looks for a takedown but Thorn sprawls well.
Thorn keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Damien Thorn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Owens.

Thorn lands a left and a right that send Owens crashing to the mat, dazed. Thorn thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thorn lands a big head kick that sends Owens to the canvas! Thorn follows up with strikes from the mount that forces the ref to step in and stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:47 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Damien Thorn!
In his post fight interview, Damien Thorn started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.