PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tim Holmes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Thiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thiago Thiago has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Holmes
vs
Thiago

195 cm
28
205 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

193 cm
20
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tim Holmes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Thiago!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thiago goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Tim Holmes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thiago jabs at Holmes's body.
Thiago ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Holmes 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.
Thiago connects with an inside leg kick.
A leg kick checked by Holmes.
Thiago misses with a straight right.
Holmes throws a wild body kick that Thiago sees coming a mile off.
Good leg kick by Thiago there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Holmes moves into range and clinches up with Thiago.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Holmes is trying to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thiago tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes lands a body shot.
Holmes with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Thiago tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Holmes avoiding damage.
Holmes prevents a body shot from Thiago.
Thiago tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Thiago lands a body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Holmes.
Holmes misses with a knee strike.

Thiago's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Holmes tries to clinch up
and Thiago counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thiago lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Thiago swats away the attempt to clinch by Holmes.
Thiago has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Holmes tries to clinch up but Thiago circles away and keeps his distance.
Holmes pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Thiago back to the cage. Holmes follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

It looks like Thiago Thiago has been cut.
Thiago throws a low kick but it's checked well by Holmes.
Thiago throws a wild body kick that Holmes sees coming a mile off.
Thiago scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
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!
Holmes tries to clinch up.
Holmes is looking to clinch but Thiago is avoiding it.
Thiago finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Holmes fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Thiago.
Thiago throws a leg kick
and Holmes counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Thiago throws a half hearted mid kick.
Thiago blocks a head kick by Holmes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thiago gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Holmes counters with a left and a right that stings Thiago.
Holmes scores with a push kick.
Thiago will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Holmes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Holmes tries to clinch there but Thiago circles away.
Holmes tries to clinch up but Thiago circles away and keeps his distance.

Holmes takes the fight into the clinch.
Thiago misses with a hook from the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Thiago.
Thiago misses with a punch to the body.
Thiago tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Holmes's elbow.
Holmes looking to throw knees to the head but Thiago is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Thiago.
Thiago fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Holmes throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Holmes lands an elbow inside that Thiago shrugs off.
Thiago swings away with an uppercut that misses.
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!
Holmes lands a damaging elbow.
Thiago avoiding damage as Holmes throws knees to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Holmes takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Thiago tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Thiago can't find room to land a body shot as Holmes controls the action.
Holmes is trying to break the clinch but Thiago has him pressed against the cage.

Holmes breaks from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tim Holmes will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Thiago Thiago's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Thiago throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Holmes counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A head kick misses from Thiago.
Holmes tries to close the distance and clinch but Thiago swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thiago throws a big counter head kick but Holmes avoids it with no problem.
Thiago throws a predictable looking body shot

and Holmes counters with a crisp one two that drops Thiago! Holmes thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Thiago to his feet! Thiago is in big trouble!

Thiago is rocked!

That has opened up Thiago Thiago's cut even more.
Holmes wants to clinch up but Thiago keeps it at a distance.
Thiago is still on wobbly legs! Can Holmes finish him?
Holmes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thiago swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Holmes is looking to clinch.
Thiago lands a nice looking kick to the body. Holmes takes a step back to recover.
Thiago seems to have recovered his senses.
Thiago misses with a body kick.

Holmes moves into the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Holmes - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Thiago throws a punch but it's blocked by Holmes.
Holmes being controlled against the cage.
Thiago misses with a punch on the inside.
Tim Holmes has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thiago misses with a short punch on the inside.
Thiago struggles to land a body shot inside as Holmes controls his hands.
Holmes prevents Thiago from breaking the clinch.
Thiago tries to throw a body punch but Holmes avoids it by throwing Thiago back against the cage.
A knee to the head by Holmes.
Holmes manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Thiago is trying to break free.
Thiago is trying to break the clinch but Holmes has him pressed against the cage.
Holmes tries to land a knee to the head but Thiago blocks with his arms.
Thiago tries to throw a body punch but Holmes avoids it by throwing Thiago back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Holmes as Thiago tries to tie him up.
Thiago displaying some good clinch control by pressing Holmes up against the cage.

Holmes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thiago misses with the body kick
and Holmes counters with a two punch combo.
Holmes tries to close the distance and clinch but Thiago swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thiago lands a nice looking body shot.
Thiago throws a push kick but Holmes slaps the foot to one side.
Holmes throws a big counter combination but Thiago scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
A nice leg kick lands there from Thiago.
Holmes tries to clinch but Thiago is having none of it.
Thiago moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Holmes wants to clinch up but Thiago keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Holmes.
Holmes stalks Thiago and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Thiago's face. Thiago staggers backwards, shaken.
Holmes tries to clinch but Thiago is having none of it.
Holmes moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Holmes tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Thiago counters with an outside leg kick.
Holmes is looking to clinch but Thiago is avoiding it.
Thiago Thiago is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A low kick from Thiago misses
and Holmes counters with a three punch combo that has Thiago backing up. Thiago nods at Holmes to acknowledge the strikes.

The cut above Thiago Thiago's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Tim Holmes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thiago keeps the fight on the outside.
Holmes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Holmes takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Thiago misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Holmes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmes tries to clinch
and Thiago counters with a right hand to the body.
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!
Thiago chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A decent looking cross lands there for Thiago.
Thiago is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Holmes rather than just go for the knockout.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Thiago.
Holmes checks the leg kick nicely there.
Holmes is looking for a counter combo.
Thiago feints and then cracks Holmes's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Holmes down.
Thiago looks for the body kick but Holmes saw that one coming.
Holmes is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Holmes moves out of range of the body kick.
Holmes fires out a quick counter leg kick but Thiago just manages to avoid it.
Holmes checks the leg kick nicely there.

Holmes has closed the distance and engaged Thiago in a clinch.
Thiago lands a left hand.
Thiago goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Thiago throws a punch but it's blocked by Holmes.
Thiago misses with the head strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Thiago showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Thiago Thiago's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Holmes closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Thiago creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Thiago misses with a punch on the inside.
Thiago lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Holmes.
Thiago gets through Holmes's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Thiago lands with a right to the head.
Holmes blocking some punches.
Holmes scores with a knee to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thiago avoiding damage as Holmes throws knees to the body.
Holmes landing knees to the body.
Thiago has a couple of punches blocked by Holmes.

Holmes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes wants to clinch.
A nice inside leg kick there by Thiago. That's going to slow Holmes down.
Thiago lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Thiago Thiago seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Thiago throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Holmes doesn't manage to clinch there - Thiago circles away.
Thiago avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thiago throws a low kick but it's checked well by Holmes.
Holmes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thiago paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Holmes fails with an attempt to clinch.
The crowd cheers as Thiago lands an impressive looking overhand right. Holmes doesn't seem phased though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thiago avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Holmes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Holmes avoids a kick to the body.
Thiago throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Holmes counters with a crisp one two that drops Thiago! Holmes thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Thiago to his feet! Thiago is in big trouble!
Holmes takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thiago does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Holmes has closed the distance and engaged Thiago in a clinch.
Thiago effectively controlling the action here.
Holmes blocks a body shot from Thiago.
Holmes landing knees to the body.
Holmes with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thiago throws a punch but it's blocked by Holmes.
Thiago throws a head punch that misses.
Thiago misses with a punch to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Thiago.
Holmes misses with a knee strike.
Thiago doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Holmes lands with a light punch inside.
Holmes looking to stall.
Holmes stalls.
Thiago avoiding damage as Holmes throws knees to the body.
Thiago is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thiago looking to stall.
Holmes misses with a knee to the head.
Holmes content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Holmes working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Thiago's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Holmes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thiago swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Holmes tries to clinch but Thiago is having none of it.
Thiago delivers a nice body kick.
Thiago avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A head kick misses from Holmes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Thiago comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thiago 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Thiago!
Thiago Thiago decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.