PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joachim Kroll (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derrick Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kroll comes to the ring accompanied by Los Barrios . Thomas comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Shinedown - "State Of My Head" kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Derrick Thomas has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kroll
vs
Thomas

175 cm
23
185 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

191 cm
22
197 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Brawler
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Versus

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joachim Kroll!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Derrick Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kroll closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Thomas did well to prevent Kroll getting side control.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Thomas tries to kick Kroll off but Kroll keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Thomas is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Kroll seems to be looking for submissions.
Thomas wants to improve his position but Kroll is controlling well.
Kroll trying to control from half guard but Thomas is working away.
Kroll throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Kroll has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kroll is looking for a kimura here.
Thomas gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas keeping full guard, as Kroll tries to pass.
Thomas has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Kroll is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Thomas is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Thomas has escaped and now he's on top!

Thomas stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kroll swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Kroll had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Thomas defends it easily.
Thomas must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Thomas content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kroll pulls Thomas in to control the position.

Thomas gets to his feet. Kroll looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Thomas looks to score with a jab to the body but Kroll is just out of range.
Thomas lands a jab to the nose.
Good leg kick by Thomas there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Thomas scores with a jab to the body.
Kroll tries to clinch up but Thomas circles away and keeps his distance.

Thomas forces Kroll back against the ropes and clinches.
Thomas lands a hook that snaps the head of Kroll backwards.
Thomas tries a knee to the head but Kroll blocks it.
Thomas stalls.
Thomas lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Kroll backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kroll drops down looking for an ankle pick but Thomas pulls his leg out and moves away.
Kroll avoids a kick to the body.
Kroll takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Thomas scores with a nice body kick.
Thomas throws out a powerful jab.
Thomas connects with a solid leg kick.
Kroll misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Thomas scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
We've been told by Kroll's head coaches at The Iron Palace that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Nice shot lands for Thomas.

Thomas closes the distance and pushes Kroll back into the ropes.
Thomas scores with a shot to the side of Kroll's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A short right from Thomas on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thomas lands a nice shot to the body.
Kroll drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Thomas gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joachim Kroll. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kroll jumps guard but Thomas stands there with Kroll around his waist. Kroll gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kroll tries to pull guard but Thomas holds him up against the ropes and eventually Kroll drops back down to his feet.
Thomas prevents a takedown attempt there.

Thomas's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kroll wants to clinch up but Thomas keeps it at a distance.
Kroll fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derrick Thomas dominated that round.
That's time! Kroll's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Thomas bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Kroll tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Thomas counters with a nice uppercut.
Thomas fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Kroll misses with a takedown attempt - Thomas sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kroll shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Thomas sprawls well. Thomas wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kroll gets slowly back to his feet.
Kroll takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

It looks like Joachim Kroll has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kroll closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Thomas to the mat! Thomas manages to get full guard.
Thomas has control of Kroll's left arm, preventing Kroll from doing any damage.
Kroll is in close to Thomas's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kroll is fighting to break Thomas's control of his arms but Thomas is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Thomas is continuing to stall.
Kroll trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thomas has his hands on Kroll's head, controlling the position.
Kroll wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Kroll is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Thomas is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Thomas cracks the inside of Kroll's front leg.
Kroll fails with a takedown attempt.
Thomas tries to counter with a clinch but Kroll shakes him off and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joachim Kroll. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kroll blocks the body kick.
Derrick Thomas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Thomas moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Thomas lands with an uppercut that bounces Kroll off the ropes and back into range.
Kroll avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kroll rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Thomas moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kroll takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Kroll looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Thomas holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Kroll thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Thomas's head.
Kroll wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thomas keeps working.
Kroll stops Thomas from getting back to his feet.
Thomas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Kroll is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Thomas is just riding it out for now. Kroll eventually gives up the hold.

Kroll seems to be looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas wants to control but Kroll is keeping busy.
Kroll not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Kroll is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Thomas is just riding it out for now. Kroll eventually gives up the hold.
Thomas is looking to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thomas tries to get to full guard but Kroll has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derrick Thomas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joachim Kroll's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Thomas paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Thomas is looking to slow Kroll down with leg kicks.
Kroll takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Thomas feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Kroll's calf.
Kroll avoids a punch combination nicely.

Thomas gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Thomas scores with a knee to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thomas lands a right hand that snaps the head of Kroll backwards.
Kroll wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thomas lands a body punch in the clinch.
Thomas lands a hook to the side of the head.
The referee calls for Thomas to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Thomas scores a nice knee to the body.
Thomas lands a hook to the side of the head.
Thomas missing with knees to the body.
Kroll tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Thomas smiles and moves away.
Kroll tries to clinch but Thomas moves out of range.
Thomas wants to counter with a clinch but Kroll pushes him away.
Thomas misses with a head kick.
Thomas feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Krolls jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Thomas cracks Kroll with an open hand slap.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Thomas breaks the clinch.
Thomas pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throws a leg kick which misses Kroll's front leg but catches the back leg as Kroll tries to avoid it.
Kroll circles away from the clinch attempt.
Thomas is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Kroll darts in trying to clinch
and Thomas counters with a left and a right that stings Kroll.

Kroll is rocked!
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!
Kroll takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Oh Kroll is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Thomas connects with the punch.
Kroll tries to clinch up.
Kroll on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Thomas leaves Kroll with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Thomas avoids the head kick by Kroll.
Kroll seems to have got his legs back now.
Thomas lands with an uppercut that bounces Kroll off the ropes and back into range.
Derrick Thomas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Today's fight clock is brought to you by... OOOH that's a huge shot by Thomas! Kroll is in big trouble here - the ref steps in to save him and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:14 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Derrick Thomas!
Our winner, Derrick Thomas, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
The defeated Joachim Kroll had this to say: 'thanks'.