PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Damien Thorn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Deni Mukhtar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mukhtar has chosen Goyang Dumang as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Thorn
vs
Mukhtar

196 cm
22
267 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
225 lbs
7 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Bullet Proof System
I-Fight Demonic

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Damien Thorn!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Deni Mukhtar!
The judges for this bout are Chris Dean, Ron Honeybunn and Ben Hemmingworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mukhtar blocks a low kick nicely.
Thorn stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Mukhtar slips under a jab from Thorn.
Damien Thorn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thorn tests Mukhtar's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Mukhtar is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Thorn takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Thorn swings for the body but Mukhtar moves out of range.
Mukhtar uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Thorn.
Mukhtar swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Thorn has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Mukhtar throws a front kick aimed at Thorn's knee but Thorn avoids it well.
Thorn moves out of range of the body kick.
Thorn swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thorn showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mukhtar.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mukhtar fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thorn manages to avoid it.
Thorn throws a low kick but Mukhtar avoids it.
Thorn connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Thorn has taken the fight to the clinch.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thorn closes the distance and clinches.

Thorn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mukhtar lands a jab-cross combination.
Mukhtar connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Mukhtar lands a nice shot to the body.
Thorn shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mukhtar as he jumps to the side.
Thorn misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mukhtar swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Thorn throws a series of punches but Mukhtar avoids them all with ease.
Mukhtar throws out a counter right but Thorn avoids it with no problem.
Nice defenses there by Mukhtar.
Thorn tries to clinch but Mukhtar moves out of range.
Thorn looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Thorn shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Mukhtar's guard.

Mukhtar manages to escape and get back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mukhtar walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Thorn tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mukhtar throws a leg kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorn moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Mukhtar throws a sloppy head kick

and Thorn counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Mukhtar trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Mukhtar trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Thorn makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Mukhtar wants to stand and escape but Thorn is having none of it.
Thorn pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mukhtar is keeping the position for now.
Mukhtar being controlled here, momentarily.
Mukhtar wants to get back to his feet but Thorn is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Thorn with a flurry of punches that miss.
Thorn working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Thorn tries to free his leg and advance position but Mukhtar is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mukhtar wants to sweep but no luck.
Thorn throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Thorn controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Thorn might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Thorn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Thorn trying to control the position from guard on top but Mukhtar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mukhtar is trying to control the position but Thorn postures up.

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

Thorn closes the distance and pushes Mukhtar back into the cage.
Thorn presses Mukhtar against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Mukhtar looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Mukhtar wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
A body shot lands from Thorn.
Mukhtar looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thorn lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Mukhtar wants to break the clinch but can't.
Thorn works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Thorn lands an elbow that stopped Mukhtar in his tracks for a moment.
Mukhtar takes a shot to the head.
Thorn scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Thorn scores with a nice hook to the head.
Still in the clinch, Thorn scores with a nice short uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thorn scores with a hook to the body.
Thorn lands an uppercut in the clinch that drops Mukhtar to his knees! Thorn keeps firing more shots against his stricken opponent and the referee jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:40 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Damien Thorn!
Damien Thorn retains his heavyweight title!
Damien Thorn took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, I-Fight Demonic for their support in the buildup to the fight.