PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ieuan Thomas (ranked 6095 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lee Baldock (ranked 8100 p4p, 0 weight class). Lee Baldock told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Thomas
vs
Baldock

173 cm
25
164 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
25
150 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ieuan Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Lee Baldock!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Daniel Bishop and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Baldock looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Thomas bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Baldock's head.
Thomas shoots in looking for a takedown but Baldock manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Thomas's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Thomas works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Baldock displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Thomas.
Thomas lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Lee Baldock has been cut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Thomas. Baldock does a little dance to reset his feet.
Baldock looks like he wants to counter punch here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thomas gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Thomas prevents a body shot from Baldock.
Baldock has Thomas pressed against the cage.
Baldock goes for a takedown attempt but Thomas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Thomas pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Baldock moves into the clinch.
Thomas is looking to break free of the clinch but Baldock has double underhooks.
Thomas working hard to break the clinch.
Thomas is trying to pull guard but Baldock has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ieuan Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thomas ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Thomas no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thomas is looking to stand up but Baldock isn't so interested in that idea.
Thomas trying to control the position.
Baldock looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Thomas is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Baldock is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Baldock won't allow Thomas to get back to his feet.
Baldock throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thomas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is controlling Baldock's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Thomas fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Baldock, pushing him back against the cage.
Thomas tries to score a body lock takedown but Baldock shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Baldock pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thomas cracks a nice hook into Baldock's ribs.
Baldock shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense.
Thomas throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Thomas closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Baldock did well to prevent Thomas getting side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thomas escapes and gets back to his feet.

Thomas shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Thomas showed some decent athleticism there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thomas seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Baldock does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Baldock trying to control but Thomas postures up.
Thomas is looking to take a break and control but Baldock is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Thomas stands up from half guard.
Thomas scores with a jab to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thomas throws a leg kick but Baldock moved away.
Thomas digs a good body shot into Baldock's ribs.
Thomas connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Baldock momentarily.

Thomas throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Baldock tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Thomas is in Baldock's guard.
Baldock working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thomas.
Thomas content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thomas throws a strike but Baldock rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Thomas is trying to control the position but Baldock postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baldock won't allow Thomas to get back to his feet.

Thomas scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Thomas is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
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!
Thomas throws a series of punches but Baldock moves out of range.
Baldock is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas lands a nice hook to Baldock's body. Baldock takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Thomas drives through with a takedown into Baldock's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Thomas wants to control from the top but Baldock keeps moving.
Thomas distracts Baldock with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Thomas decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Baldock, up you get!
Baldock should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Thomas lands a two punch combo.
Left hook, right uppercut from Thomas.

Thomas clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Thomas breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas lands a nice shot to the body.
Thomas throws a wild body kick that Baldock sees coming a mile off.
Baldock slips a jab and a cross from Thomas.
Thomas works over Baldock's head and body with a nice combination.
Decent striking displayed by Thomas there.
Thomas throws a right and a left that both miss.
Thomas falls off balance throwing a combination
and Baldock counters with a body kick that stops Thomas in his tracks momentarily.
Ieuan Thomas is winning the standup battle so far.
Thomas scores with a body shot.
Nice takedown defense from Baldock. No joy for Thomas on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Thomas does no damage.
Thomas misses with a double jab.
A bone on bone clash there as Baldock blocks the leg kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Thomas.
Baldock with the counter takedown but Thomas avoids it easily.
Baldock looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thomas is fending him off so far but Baldock persists. Nope, Thomas circles away and we're back to standing.
Thomas comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Thomas shoots for a double leg takedown but Baldock sprawls well. He's pushed Thomas's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ieuan Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck for Baldock with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Baldock walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Thomas wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Baldock throws a sloppy head kick and Thomas moves out of range easily.

Thomas moves into the clinch.
Thomas wants a takedown but no success here.
Baldock fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Thomas is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Thomas drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Baldock gets the underhooks and prevents it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ieuan Thomas dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Lee Baldock's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Thomas dives in for a single leg takedown but Baldock sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Baldock tries for a takedown but Thomas circles away easily
and Thomas counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Baldock dodges the punch combination from Thomas.

Thomas gets a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thomas manages to break the clinch.
Baldock moves forwards but Thomas connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Baldock displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Thomas.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Thomas misses.

Thomas clinches with his opponent.
Thomas tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Baldock smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ieuan Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thomas misses with a series of wild punches.
Baldock changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Baldock misses with a head kick.
Thomas is looking to wear down Baldock with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Thomas looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Thomas throws a good cross that connects.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Thomas jabs Baldock right on the nose. Baldock blinks but takes it well.
Thomas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Thomas tries to bum rush Baldock with a series of wild strikes but Baldock uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Thomas throws a series of punches but Baldock avoids them all with ease.
Baldock checks the leg kick.
Thomas darts in looking for a takedown but Baldock gets double underhooks and turns Thomas into the cage.
Baldock swings for the body but Thomas moves out of range.
Ieuan Thomas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Baldock doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Thomas counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Baldock thinking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas shoots in and bounces Baldock off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Baldock has his feet on Thomas's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Baldock shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Baldock tries to move into range but Thomas moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Baldock's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Thomas connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Baldock scrambles back to his feet.
Thomas connects with a body shot.
Thomas misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thomas digs a good hook to Baldock's body.
Thomas lunges at Baldock with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Baldock's hand.
Thomas will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Thomas wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Ieuan Thomas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Thomas throws a right and a left that both miss.
Baldock throws out a counter right but Thomas avoids it with no problem.
Thomas throws a body shot but no joy.

Baldock gets a clinch.

Thomas breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lee Baldock has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lee Baldock seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baldock looks for a takedown but Thomas sprawls well.
Thomas appears to be looking for a big counter.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ieuan Thomas showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Thomas has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ieuan Thomas!