PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Evan Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ante Pavelic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Thomas
vs
Pavelic

200 cm
29
275 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

195 cm
27
280 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Evan Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ante Pavelic!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Matheus Silva and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Pavelic's waist but Pavelic gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Thomas off to one side.
Pavelic avoids the body shot from Thomas.
Thomas takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Thomas fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Pavelic manages to avoid it.
Pavelic throws a head kick that Thomas semi-blocks.

It looks like Evan Thomas has been cut.
Thomas misses with a body kick.
Thomas tries for a takedown but Pavelic sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Pavelic only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Pavelic.
Thomas shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pavelic but Pavelic pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Evan Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thomas just misses with a punch to the body.
Thomas misses the shot to the body.
Thomas throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Pavelic connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Pavelic uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thomas.
Pavelic fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Thomas has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Thomas takes one to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pavelic scores with a head kick. Thomas tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Pavelic lands a slapping body shot.
Thomas throws out a loose jab but Pavelic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thomas throws a body punch but Pavelic moves out of range.
Pavelic raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Pavelic connects with a good right hand that stumbles Thomas. Thomas circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Thomas definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Pavelic.
Pavelic blocks a low kick nicely.
Evan Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pavelic throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A nice inside leg kick there by Pavelic. That's going to slow Thomas down.
Pavelic blocks a head kick by Thomas.
Pavelic looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Pavelic chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Thomas takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Pavelic lands a high kick!
Pavelic moves out of range as Thomas throws a body kick.
Pavelic slips under a jab.
Pavelic only half commits to the counter leg kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Thomas is defended easily by Pavelic.
Pavelic's coach down at Soul Supremacy Rio was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Pavelic's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Pavelic connects with a body shot.
Thomas throws a low kick but it's checked well by Pavelic.
Thomas throws a body kick, spinning off balance
enabling Pavelic to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A slapping leg kick lands for Pavelic.
Pavelic connects with a body shot that sends Thomas's belly button to the back.
Thomas swings widly with a right hand
and Pavelic counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Pavelic misses with a head kick.
Pavelic lands with a thumping leg kick.
Thomas misses with a wild body shot.
Thomas tries a head kick but it misses.
Pavelic now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Pavelic moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Thomas swings for the body but Pavelic moves out of range.

Pavelic moves into range and clinches up with Thomas.

Pavelic manages to break the clinch.

Pavelic clinches up with Thomas and pushes him back against the cage.

Pavelic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thomas tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Thomas.
Thomas misses with a body kick.
Pavelic throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot by Pavelic.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Thomas.
Pavelic feints a counter leg kick.
Pavelic thumps Thomas with a low kick.
Thomas on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Pavelic. Pavelic obviously looking to wear him down.
Pavelic connects with an inside leg kick.
Pavelic lands a nice leg kick that just misses Thomas's sensitive parts.
Pavelic on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ante Pavelic is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pavelic uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Thomas.
Thomas shoots in for a takedown but Pavelic shows good takedown defense.

Pavelic closes the distance and clinches.
Pavelic scores a nice knee to the body.
Pavelic tries a body shot but Thomas blocks it.
Thomas tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Pavelic lands a hook that snaps the head of Thomas backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pavelic lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Evan Thomas's cut is getting worse.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pavelic breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pavelic scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Thomas doesn't seem bothered though.
Pavelic stuffs the takedown attempt from Thomas. Thomas gets slowly back to his feet.
A nice inside leg kick there by Pavelic. That's going to slow Thomas down.
Pavelic lands with a thumping leg kick.
Thomas is looking to wear down Pavelic with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Thomas dives in for a single leg takedown but Pavelic sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Thomas throws a lazy right hand but Pavelic sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Thomas takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Pavelic cracks a nice hook into Thomas's ribs.
A nice leg kick lands there from Pavelic.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thomas needs to keep his hands up - Pavelic had a free shot at his head there.
Thomas throws a sloppy head kick and Pavelic moves out of range easily.
That kick from Pavelic tenderised Thomas's leg. Thomas is trying to keep his angry face on.
Thomas takes one to the side of the head.
Thomas with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Pavelic to score with a decent uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ante Pavelic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Evan Thomas's cut.
That's time! Thomas's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Thomas throws a jab when Pavelic was well out of range.
Pavelic has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Pavelic feints and then cracks Thomas's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Thomas down.
Pavelic sizes up Thomas with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Pavelic feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Thomas's calf.
Thomas is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Pavelic changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Thomas throws a body punch but Pavelic moves out of range.
Pavelic feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Thomas's calf.
An inside leg kick lands from Pavelic.
Good work by Pavelic as he checks the leg kick.
Pavelic with a hook.
Pavelic buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Pavelic throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Thomas takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pavelic lands a jab to Thomas's midsection.
Thomas walks into a jab.

Thomas looking to score a takedown here. Pavelic is defending well but Thomas drives through and ends up in Pavelic's guard.
Pavelic keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.
Thomas throwing strikes from guard but Pavelic blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pavelic looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thomas is one step ahead there.
Thomas looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thomas forces his way into half guard.
Pavelic avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Thomas.
Pavelic has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Thomas is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pavelic is looking to escape.
Pavelic has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Thomas is working away from the top position though.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thomas blocks a head kick by Pavelic.
Pavelic lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Thomas takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Thomas lands a head kick. Pavelic smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Thomas shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Pavelic counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Thomas thinking.
Pavelic cracks the inside of Thomas's front leg.
Ante Pavelic seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Thomas shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pavelic as he avoids it easily.
Thomas misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thomas backing away here, and Pavelic unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas tries to score a power double leg takedown but Pavelic sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Thomas somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Evan Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thomas misses with a takedown attempt
and Pavelic counters with a left to the body.
Pavelic lands a nice hook to Thomas's body. Thomas takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Pavelic dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Thomas. That did some damage!
An inside leg kick lands from Pavelic.
Thomas swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Pavelic counters with a stiff right hand.
A nice inside leg kick there by Pavelic. That's going to slow Thomas down.
Pavelic steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Thomas.
Thomas misses with a head kick.
Thomas throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Thomas loads up on a big right hand but Pavelic slips the punch.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Pavelic.
Thomas takes a kick to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Pavelic gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Pavelic lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pavelic softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Pavelic lands with a right to the head.
Pavelic lands a nice knee to the body.

Pavelic escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thomas shoots in looking for a takedown. Pavelic tries to sprawl out of it but Thomas keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pavelic manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pavelic appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Thomas swings for the body but Pavelic moves out of range.
Pavelic is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Good leg kick by Pavelic there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
A low kick from Thomas misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Pavelic with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Pavelic throws a head kick that Thomas semi-blocks.
Pavelic lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Evan Thomas's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Ohhhhh! A huge head kick from Pavelic! Thomas is out on his feet! Pavelic rushes in and throws more strikes. The ref is looking closely - Thomas is covering up but the punishment is just too much and the ref steps in to stop the fight! Thomas is staring into space, just thankful that the beatdown has ended. Brutal finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ante Pavelic!
Post fight, Ante Pavelic stared into the camera and said 'ZA DOM SPREMNI'.