PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Errol Garner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Garner
vs
Thompson

185 cm
24
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Errol Garner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris Thompson!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Jonathan Paton and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thompson moves into the clinch.
Garner stalls.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Thompson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Thompson wants to get back to striking at distance but Garner won't allow it.
Garner fails to pull guard.
Garner is struggling to control the position.
Garner wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

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

Garner drives through and clinches with Thompson against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garner content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Thompson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Garner uses from the top position.
Thompson tries to strike from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Thompson holds on and takes a little breather.
Thompson trying to strike off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garner stopping the sweep attempt from Thompson.

Thompson looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Garner has picked Thompson up and slammed him! Thompson can't keep hold of the triangle and Garner manages to pass to side control!

Garner is trying to get an arm triangle but Thompson is defending well.
Garner takes a little break here. Thompson wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Thompson wants to control but Garner postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Thompson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Thompson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Garner is looking to take a break and control but Thompson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thompson has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at WildBoar's Pig Pen (Strength and Conditioning) $40. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Thompson is trying to get back to full guard.
Garner is keen to just control but Thompson is a slippery customer.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Thompson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Garner moves into the clinch successfully.
Thompson can't break the clinch.
Garner jumps guard but Thompson stands there with Garner around his waist. Garner gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Thompson tries to work over Garner's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Garner jumps into guard, dragging Thompson to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson lands a couple of digs.
Thompson looking to sit in guard and control but Garner gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Thompson wants to hit a switch here but Garner passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Thompson there!
Thompson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Garner looking to control but Thompson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thompson is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Errol Garner dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nice takedown defense from Garner. No joy for Thompson on that attempt.
Thompson tries to land a body kick

and Garner counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Garner is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Thompson can do to turn this around?

Thompson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Garner doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Garner manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Thompson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Garner is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thompson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson wants to hit a switch here but Garner passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Thompson there!
Thompson is trying desperately to improve position.
Thompson wants to hold on but Garner pushes him away.
Thompson is squirming around, avoiding Garner's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thompson tries to control Garner's body but Garner pushes him off. Thompson squirms to his side and now Garner has his back!
Thompson is trying to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Can Thompson hold on?! Garner is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.

Garner is looking for the choke from the back position but Thompson is controlling his hands well.
Garner not allowing Thompson to control his hands.
Errol Garner overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Garner wants to control but Thompson manages to buck him off and is now in Garner's guard! Nice work there by Thompson!
Thompson is fighting to break Garner's control of his arms but Garner is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garner bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thompson's guard.

Thompson wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Garner manages to pass to side control.
Garner will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Garner content to control rather than advance.
Garner is thwarting Thompson's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson wants to get back to full guard.
Thompson is controlling Garner's trapped leg to prevent Garner from advancing to side control.
Thompson is trying to escape back to his feet but Garner uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Garner is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Thompson's shoulder. That is not cool.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Garner's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Thompson wants to get back to his feet but Garner drags him back down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Errol Garner dominated that second round.
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!

A punch combination from Thompson misses.

Thompson instigates a clinch.

Thompson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thompson closes the distance and clinches up with Garner, looking for a takedown. Thompson pushes Garner against the cage but Garner circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Garner defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Thompson.
Garner drops down looking for a counter takedown but Thompson sprawls and moves away.

Thompson closes the distance and clinches.
Thompson tries to circle away but Garner has him pinned against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Garner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thompson closes the distance and clinches up with Garner, looking for a takedown. Thompson pushes Garner against the cage but Garner circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Errol Garner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Thompson.
Thompson throws a right hand that Garner ducks under and follows up with a left that Garner also avoids with ease.

Thompson closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garner blocks an elbow strike.
Garner is stalling here.
Garner is pushing Thompson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Garner for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Thompson is looking to control Garner's arms but Garner gets an underhook and turns him. Now Thompson has his back to the cage.
Thompson can't break the clinch.
Garner has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Thompson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Thompson stalling in the clinch but Garner improves position.
Garner keeps control of Thompson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Thompson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Garner has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Thompson.
Thompson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Thompson manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garner wants a takedown but no success here.
Garner tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Thompson smiles and moves away.
Thompson misses with a takedown
and Garner counters with a left to the body.

Garner gets tackled into the cage by Thompson. Thompson maintains the clinch.
Garner has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Thompson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Garner scores with a hook to the body.

Garner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thompson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Garner pinned against the cage. Garner gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Garner moves into the clinch.
Garner is trying to pull guard but Thompson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Garner avoiding damage.
Garner tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Stalling in the clinch from Garner.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Thompson gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Garner regains guard.
Garner keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thompson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Garner wants to improve his position but instead Thompson has moved into half guard.
Thompson wants to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Garner is looking for a sweep. Thompson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Thompson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Garner has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Errol Garner!