PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Terrence Thornton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Kaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thornton comes to the cage accompanied by Pusha T - Exodus 23:1. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Thornton
vs
Kaz

187 cm
34
178 lbs
16 - 4 - 1

186 cm
38
175 lbs
31 - 22 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Sully's Bar & Grill
Kalashnikov Nutrition & Supplements (160Q)

Sully's Bar & Grill

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 16 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Terrence Thornton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 22 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Max Kaz!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Colin Fotheringham and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thornton on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Thornton lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kaz throws a leg kick but Thornton sees it coming and moves out of range.
Thornton connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Kaz's hands.
Kaz connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Thornton throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kaz gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Kaz staying out of range there.
Thornton scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Thornton pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thornton misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kaz uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thornton.
A good leg kick by Thornton.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A jab from Thornton does it's job there.
Thornton tries to clinch but Kaz moves out of range.
Thornton throws a body punch but Kaz moves out of range.
Kaz feints a counter leg kick.
Max Kaz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kaz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kaz takes one on the button.
Thornton keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kaz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thornton goes for a double leg but Kaz avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Kaz continues to drive forward.
Kaz appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Thornton throws a chopping leg kick but Kaz manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Thornton, right into the meat.
Thornton is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Thornton walks into a straight right hand from Kaz.

It looks like Terrence Thornton has been cut.
Kaz misses with a body shot.
Kaz takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Kaz explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

Kaz moves into the clinch.
Kaz taking a breather.
Thornton avoids a wild elbow strike from Kaz.
Kaz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Thornton avoids it.

Thornton manages to break the clinch.
Kaz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Thornton.
Kaz throws a low kick but Thornton moves out of range easily.
Thornton stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thornton fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kaz looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Thornton 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.
Kaz fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Thornton checks it well.
Kaz drops his hands momentarily and Thornton takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Thornton lands with an overhand left.
Kaz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kaz throws a leg kick but Thornton sees it coming and moves out of range.
Thornton connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Good leg kick by Thornton there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kaz.
Thornton digs a good body shot into Kaz's ribs.
Kaz takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Kaz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kaz misses with a straight left.
Thornton digs a good hook to Kaz's body.
Kaz throws a body shot but no joy.
Thornton moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Max Kaz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaz swings for the body but Thornton moves out of range.
Thornton feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Kaz throws a hook but Thornton avoids it easily.
Kaz throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Thornton counters with a left to the body.
Thornton takes one to the side of the head.
Thornton lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Thornton keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Thornton misses with a body shot.
Thornton wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Kaz throws a low kick but Thornton moves out of range easily.
Kaz misses with an attempted mid kick.

Thornton shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kaz napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thornton tries to advance to mount but Kaz denies him.
Thornton lands a nice forearm strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kaz is being controlled here.
Thornton cracks Kaz with a big right hand but Kaz just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Kaz sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Kaz is trying to stand up here but Thornton is controlling him well.
Thornton 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.
Kaz trying to hold on to Thornton's head to control him but Thornton postures up.
Thornton controlling the action here.

Thornton seems to be working for a kimura but Kaz defends the submission attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kaz is looking for a sweep. Thornton is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Terrence Thornton dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Terrence Thornton's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Thornton misses with a right hand
and Kaz counters with a nice leg kick.
Terrence Thornton is winning the standup battle so far.
Thornton checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Thornton throwing a counter right hand but Kaz manages to avoid it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kaz.

Kaz has taken the fight to the clinch.
Thornton lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Kaz.
Kaz tries to work over Thornton's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kaz misses with a punch on the inside.
Kaz lands a right hand.
Thornton lands a hook that snaps the head of Kaz backwards.
Kaz pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Thornton is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kaz can do to turn this around?
Kaz misses with a punch to the body.
Kaz swings wildly with an uppercut but Thornton uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kaz makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Thornton is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kaz is defending well.
Thornton lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

It looks like Max Kaz has been cut.
Thornton prevents a body shot from Kaz.
Thornton on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kaz working aggressively here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thornton blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kaz fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Thornton throws an elbow that misses.
Kaz blocking some punches.
Kaz misses with a knee strike.
Thornton lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Kaz fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Thornton misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kaz tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thornton's elbow.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Thornton.
Thornton lands a body shot in the clinch.
Kaz misses with a punch on the inside.
Thornton lands a nice uppercut.
Kaz misses with an elbow over the top.
Kaz creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Thornton's defenses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Thornton.

Thornton is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Kaz can't fight it off and eventually Thornton manages to take the fight to the floor. Kaz looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Kaz manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kaz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thornton.
Kaz has a couple of punches blocked by Thornton.
Kaz looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Kaz gets through Thornton's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kaz misses with a short punch on the inside.
Thornton lands an uppercut.
Kaz misses with a hook to the ribs.
A short left from Kaz.
Kaz lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kaz.
Kaz's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Thornton lands a nice shot to the body.
Kaz misses with an elbow strike.
Thornton on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kaz taking a breather.
Thornton drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kaz gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaz doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Thornton blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Thornton is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Terrence Thornton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thornton softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Thornton scores with a shoulder strike.
Thornton softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Thornton pushes Kaz back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Thornton scores with a shoulder strike.
Thornton blocks an elbow strike from Kaz.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kaz obliges.
Thornton avoiding damage as Kaz throws knees to the body.
Thornton blocks an uppercut.
Kaz working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Thornton blocking some punches.

Thornton breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thornton dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thornton looks to score with a jab to the body but Kaz is just out of range.
Thornton blocks a head kick by Kaz.
Thornton just misses with a punch to the body.
Kaz throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kaz works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Kaz avoids a kick to the body.
Kaz looks to throw a body kick
and Thornton counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Thornton shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kaz as he jumps to the side.
Kaz tries to clinch
and Thornton counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kaz moves out of range of the strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kaz misses with a low kick.
Kaz misses with a right hand
and Thornton makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Thornton throws the kick towards the body but Kaz avoids it.
Thornton scores with a nice right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Max Kaz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Thornton takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Thornton gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Kaz throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Thornton misses with an uppercut. Kaz saw that one coming.
Kaz tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Thornton's jab looks to have found its range, popping Kaz under the eye.
Kaz misses with a low kick.
Thornton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kaz was well out of range. Poor timing from Thornton.
Thornton lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Thornton moves out of range of the leg kick from Kaz.
Kaz throws a low kick but Thornton moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thornton digs a good body shot into Kaz's ribs.
Thornton ducks under a wild hook from Kaz.
Kaz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Thornton uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kaz.
A bone on bone clash there as Thornton blocks the leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaz throws out a leg kick but Thornton moves out of range and Kaz only half commits.
Thornton tries to counter with a takedown but Kaz is quick to defend against it.
Kaz misses with a leg kick
and Thornton counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kaz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thornton darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Kaz clobbers Thornton with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Thornton throws a jab when Kaz was well out of range.
Thornton checks a leg kick nicely.
An attempted straight right counter from Thornton misses the target.
A cross from Thornton lands.
Kaz works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Thornton misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thornton bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A telegraphed right hand from Kaz misses the target.
Kaz lands with a hook. Thornton tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Thornton lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kaz's sensitive parts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kaz throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Thornton lands the left hand.
Kaz on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Thornton cracks a nice hook into Kaz's ribs.
An inside leg kick from Kaz misses.
Kaz sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Thornton drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Thornton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Kaz is controlling Thornton's posture.
Thornton is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Thornton trying to control the position from guard on top but Kaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kaz lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thornton is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Thornton is looking for a triangle but Kaz pushes his legs off easily.
Kaz wants to stand but Thornton has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Thornton is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kaz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kaz postures up.
Kaz postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Thornton had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kaz defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thornton is looking to sweep but instead, Kaz has passed into half guard.
Kaz scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Thornton is trying to maintain the position but Kaz is very close to passing his half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Terrence Thornton.
I think Thornton 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 30:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Terrence Thornton!
Terrence Thornton decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.