PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ash Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zeke Basov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Thomas
vs
Basov

182 cm
49
178 lbs
43 - 25 - 0

177 cm
20
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 43 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ash Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Zeke Basov!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Dillan Fox and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas stuffs the takedown attempt from Basov. Basov gets slowly back to his feet.
Basov slips under a jab.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Basov.
Basov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thomas but Thomas pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ash Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zeke Basov.

Basov closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Thomas's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thomas working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Basov.
Thomas wants to stand and escape but Basov is having none of it.
Basov works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Basov seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Basov trying to control the action but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Thomas is looking to improve his position.
Still in half guard, Basov seems content to control.
Thomas keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Thomas preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Basov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Basov throwing shots but Thomas is blocking nicely.
Basov throwing shots but Thomas is blocking nicely.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Basov in particular looking to stall.
Thomas keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

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.
Thomas blocking the ground and pound attempt from Basov.
Basov working over Thomas with some ground and pound. Thomas looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Basov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Thomas defending well though.
Basov is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Basov slows the pace down in half guard.
Basov throwing shots but Thomas is blocking nicely.
Basov prevents Thomas from improving his position.
Thomas is working hard here to advance position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Basov lands a nice short elbow.
Thomas is pressing down on Basov's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Thomas looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Basov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Basov's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Basov scoring with some ground and pound.
Basov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Basov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Basov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Thomas utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Basov trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Basov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thomas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Basov is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Thomas throws the left hand but Basov avoids the punch easily.

Basov scores with a takedown into Thomas's guard.
Basov won't allow Thomas to sweep him here.
Basov throwing strikes from guard but Thomas blocks nicely.
Thomas can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Basov controls the pace.
Thomas utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Basov working some strikes from top position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Basov scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Basov is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Basov postures up in Thomas's guard and throws a big left but Thomas blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zeke Basov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Thomas throws a hook but Basov blocks it.
Thomas throws a poor cross that misses
and Basov counters with a straight right hand.

Thomas tries to sprawl but Basov drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Thomas wants to improve his position but Basov is controlling well.
Basov working over Thomas with some ground and pound. Thomas looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Basov lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Basov scoring with strikes to the body and head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thomas is looking to control Basov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thomas avoid being mounted?
Thomas is looking for a sweep. Basov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Basov scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Basov throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Thomas to regain full guard.
Basov makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Thomas utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Basov is looking to work some ground and pound but Thomas has wrist control.
Basov trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Basov's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Basov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Thomas trying to keep a closed guard but Basov is proving a slippery customer.
Thomas on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Thomas tries to get out of the position.
Basov looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Basov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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.
Basov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
No luck for Basov with that takedown attempt.
Thomas scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Thomas slaps away a takedown attempt from Basov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Basov on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Basov listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Thomas throws the left hand but Basov avoids the punch easily.
A little jabbing left from Basov on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Basov shoots for a double leg takedown but Thomas sprawls well. He's pushed Basov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ash Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zeke Basov.
The fighters circling - Thomas throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Basov fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Thomas sprawls well initially but Basov persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Thomas trying to control but Basov postures up.
Basov trying to control the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Basov working Thomas over with strikes.
Thomas avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Basov.
Basov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Basov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Basov stops Thomas from getting back to his feet.
Nice strikes from Basov there.
Basov not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Basov wants to pass to mount but Thomas is defending the position.
Basov missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Basov slows the pace down in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zeke Basov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Thomas's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Basov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Thomas throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Basov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thomas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thomas swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Basov! But no joy.

Basov gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Basov wants a takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thomas controlling the action here for a moment.
Basov wants a takedown but no success here.
Ash Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zeke Basov.
Basov drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Thomas gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Basov is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Thomas pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Thomas scores with a shoulder strike.
Thomas stops a takedown attempt from Basov.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Thomas creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Thomas throws a punch but it's blocked by Basov.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Thomas creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Basov has Thomas pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Thomas manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Thomas misses with some punches.

Basov turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
You can see the frustration on Thomas's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Thomas tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Basov wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Ash Thomas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Basov is looking to take a break and control but Thomas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Basov throws a strike aimed at the side of Thomas's head but Thomas avoids it well.
Basov works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Zeke Basov has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Basov wants to control but Thomas is keeping him busy.
Thomas regains half guard, as Basov was trying to land strikes.
Thomas trying to control here.
Basov seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Basov there.
Thomas makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Thomas.
Basov trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Thomas manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Basov being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas trying to control the position from guard on top but Basov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Basov is pulling down on Thomas's head to control his posture.
Thomas preventing the sweep.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Basov wants to stand up but Thomas is controlling him.
Zeke Basov is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Ash Thomas showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Basov has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zeke Basov!