PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Arnoldo Thomas (ranked 25235 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jure Jelenko (ranked 9046 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Jure Jelenko enters the cage!

Thomas
vs
Jelenko

166 cm
18
151 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

174 cm
18
152 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Arnoldo Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Jure Jelenko!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Paul Tew and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jelenko lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thomas circles away quickly and effectively.
A quick step to the side and Thomas tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Jelenko looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Thomas throws a series of punches but Jelenko avoids them all with ease.
Jelenko misses with a few strikes there.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thomas looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jelenko pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Thomas back to the cage. Jelenko follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Jelenko throws a nice looking combination but Thomas bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thomas throws a nice looking combination but Jelenko bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thomas sets himself, and Jelenko steps forward looking for the clinch! Thomas avoids it this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jelenko misses with a series of wild punches.
Thomas throws a right and a left that both miss.
Jelenko drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Thomas defends it well.
Jelenko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A quick step to the side and Thomas tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jelenko fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Thomas slips a jab and a cross from Jelenko.
Jelenko misses with a combination
and Thomas counters with a series of strikes. Jelenko will be more careful next time no doubt.
Jelenko misses with a few strikes there.
Thomas misses with the combination.
Jelenko steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Thomas.
Thomas misses with the combination.

Jelenko closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Thomas's guard.
Thomas controls Jelenko momentarily but Jelenko frees himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jelenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thomas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Jelenko is controlling him.
Thomas bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Jelenko's guard.

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Jelenko working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Thomas has passed into half guard!
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Thomas in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Thomas is taking a breather. Jelenko says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Thomas looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Jelenko with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Thomas decides to stand and escape the position.
A punch combination from Jelenko misses.
Thomas seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Jelenko tries to bum rush Thomas with a series of wild strikes but Thomas uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas misses with a double jab
and Jelenko counters with a series of strikes. Thomas will be more careful next time no doubt.

Jelenko tries to keep at a distance but Thomas has taken the fight into the clinch.

Thomas manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Jelenko stopping the sweep attempt from Thomas.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing Jelenko from controlling successfully.
Thomas pulls Jelenko in close to prevent any damage.
Jelenko won't allow Thomas to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jure Jelenko will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Jelenko looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Thomas!
Thomas is looking for a sweep.

Thomas sneaks out the side door and pushes Jelenko away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Thomas clinches up against the cage.
Thomas tries to pull guard but Jelenko holds him up against the cage and eventually Thomas drops back down to his feet.

Jelenko breaks from the clinch.
Jelenko moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Jelenko throws a combination that misses
and Thomas counters with a one-two to the body.
Thomas misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Jelenko.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jelenko throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Thomas counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Thomas landing some decent shots from guard.

Thomas got a little sloppy there for a moment and Jelenko has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Thomas has managed to get both his arms back between Jelenko's legs - danger averted.
Jelenko is breathing heavily.
Thomas is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Jelenko wants to stand and escape but Thomas is having none of it.

Thomas is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Thomas stands up and waves to Jelenko to follow him.
Thomas has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Jelenko tenderised Thomas's leg. Thomas is trying to keep his angry face on.
Jelenko swinging wildly here.
Thomas avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thomas is looking for a counter combo.
Jelenko lands a jab-cross combination.
Thomas tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thomas wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jelenko throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Thomas.
Jelenko scores with a one two! Thomas had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Jelenko misses with a wild combination.
Jelenko throws a series of punches but Thomas avoids them all with ease.
Jelenko avoids a punch combination nicely.

Jelenko shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Thomas kicks Jelenko off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Jelenko drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Thomas sneaks out the side door and pushes Jelenko away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Thomas dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Arnoldo Thomas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Thomas darts in and clinches Jelenko up against the cage.

Thomas gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Thomas lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Thomas showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arnoldo Thomas dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Thomas is looking to clinch.
Thomas swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Jelenko counters with a three punch combo that has Thomas backing up. Thomas nods at Jelenko to acknowledge the strikes.
Jelenko misses with a series of wild punches.
Jelenko looks to land a combination but Thomas avoids it well.
It looked like Thomas was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Jelenko tries a low kick but Thomas avoids it.
Thomas throws a big counter combination but Jelenko scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Jelenko swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
It looked like Thomas was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Thomas gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Thomas pulls Jelenko into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thomas wriggles free and stands up.
Jelenko takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thomas throws a leg kick but Jelenko sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jelenko fails to land with a series of punches.
Thomas is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Jelenko.
Jelenko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Jelenko throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Thomas.
Thomas appears to be looking for a big counter.
Jelenko swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Thomas counters with a straight right hand.
Thomas misses with a kick to the body
and Jelenko counters with a three punch combo that has Thomas backing up. Thomas nods at Jelenko to acknowledge the strikes.
Thomas lands with a nice combination. Jelenko backs away looking to recover.
Thomas is looking to clinch but Jelenko is avoiding it.
Jelenko rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Thomas moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Thomas closes the distance and clinches.
Thomas tries to pull guard but Jelenko holds him up against the cage and eventually Thomas drops back down to his feet.
Jelenko prevents the takedown attempt.

Thomas successfully pulls guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thomas is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Thomas is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Jelenko trying to control from the bottom.
Thomas working the head and body with strikes.
Thomas looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Jelenko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Thomas takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jelenko is trying to get back to full guard.
Jelenko trying to control but Thomas postures up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Jelenko trying to control but Thomas postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Thomas is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Thomas's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Thomas is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Thomas controlling the action here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Jelenko misses with a double jab.

Jelenko shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Thomas napping and manages to drive through into side control!

And that's the end of the fight!
Arnoldo Thomas showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Thomas 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28

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