PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Balagot Liu (ranked 1257 p4p, 145 weight class) and Thing Thing (ranked 1016 p4p, 122 weight class). Thing has chosen Thing as his entrance music. Thing Thing is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Liu
vs
Thing

173 cm
20
146 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

150 cm
22
145 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Fast

Urban Fighter

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Balagot Liu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Thing Thing!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Bruno Hogan and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thing blocks a low kick nicely.

Thing shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Liu napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Liu is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Liu takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Liu has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Liu is trying to control Thing's posture but Thing avoids it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Thing wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Liu, who protects the arm well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thing working the head and body with strikes.
Thing cracks Liu with a big right hand but Liu just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Liu's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Thing fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The strikes coming from Thing are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Thing tries for a kimura but Liu is defending well.
Liu avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Thing.

Thing is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Liu is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Liu parries the strikes from Thing easily there. Thing is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Liu to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Thing thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Liu has one of Thing's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.
Thing is working Liu over with some ground and pound from side control.
Thing throws an elbow but Liu slips to the side and avoids it well.
Thing throwing strikes but Liu manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Thing is trying to improve his position.
You can see the frustration on Thing's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thing tries to buck Liu off but Liu is having none of it.
Thing is still trying to improve position.
Liu controls the position.
Thing sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Thing trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Thing looking for submissions off his back.
Thing wants to control but Liu is keeping busy.
Thing is holding on to half guard well.
Thing trying to control here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thing is positioning himself well to prevent Liu advancing to mount.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thing Thing dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Thing keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Liu fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Thing is out of range.
Liu lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Thing has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Thing slips a straight right by Liu.
Thing Thing seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Liu throws a low kick but Thing avoids it.

Thing drives through and clinches with Liu against the cage.

Thing tightens his grip and picks Liu up, before dumping him to the ground. Liu manages to land in guard.

Liu pushes Thing off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Liu goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thing shoots in looking for a takedown but Liu manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Thing's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Thing has a takedown stuffed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Liu - that will leave a mark!
Liu connects with an inside leg kick.

Thing instigates a clinch.

Liu breaks the clinch.
Thing checks a low kick from Liu.
Liu slaps away a takedown attempt from Thing, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Balagot Liu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thing Thing.
Liu lands with a straight right. Thing didn't see that one coming.
Liu circles away from the clinch attempt.
Thing wants to clinch up but Liu keeps it at a distance.
Liu throws a chopping leg kick but Thing manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liu thumps Thing with a low kick.
Liu misses with a low kick as Thing jumps back.
Liu throws a solid leg kick but Thing takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Liu.
Thing looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Liu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thing is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Thing forces Liu back against the cage and clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Liu fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Liu prevents the takedown attempt.
Liu misses with some punches.
Thing is working for takedown but Liu is calmly controlling the position for now.
Thing looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Thing missing with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu prevents the takedown attempt.
Liu swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Thing looking to slow down the pace here.
Liu lands with a short shot to the head.
Thing takes a shot to the head.

Liu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Liu scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Thing throws a leg kick but Liu moved away.
Thing tries to clinch up.
Liu throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Thing.

It looks like Thing Thing has been cut.
Thing doesn't manage to clinch there - Liu circles away.
Thing doesn't manage to clinch there - Liu circles away.
Liu finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Thing throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Liu thinks about countering with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thing shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Balagot Liu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Liu throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Thing with a poor takedown
and Liu counters with an outside leg kick.
Thing is breathing heavily.
Nice uppercut there from Liu.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Liu swings for the body but Thing moves out of range.

Liu lands a big head kick that sends Thing tumbling to the mat! Liu takes a step backwards and waves Thing back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Thing is rocked!

Thing clinches up with Liu and pushes him back against the cage.

Liu breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Balagot Liu is winning the standup battle so far.
Thing looks to throw the jab but Liu is out of range.

Thing gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Thing tries to work over Liu's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Liu tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Thing looking for a takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Balagot Liu dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Thing Thing's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Liu buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Thing doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Liu counter with a right hand.
Liu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Thing.
Liu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Thing fails with an attempt to clinch.
A little feinted left hand from Liu on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Thing shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Liu misses with a double jab.

Thing fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Liu, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thing fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Thing is looking for a takedown.
Balagot Liu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thing Thing.
Liu tries to throw a body punch but Thing avoids it by throwing Liu back against the cage.
Thing drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Liu gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Liu lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Thing backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liu misses with a hook from the clinch.
Thing looking for a takedown.
Liu lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Liu lands a right hand that snaps the head of Thing backwards.
Liu gets underhooks to prevent Thing's takedown attempt.
Thing takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Liu misses with a punch on the inside.
Liu lands with a light punch inside.
Liu throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Things head.
Liu lands an uppercut.
Liu throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Things head.
Thing missing with knees to the body.
Liu fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Liu misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Liu dodges an elbow strike from Thing.
Liu tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Liu working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Liu escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Liu scores with a jab. Thing acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thing throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
As Thing backs away, Liu returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Thing fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Liu checks it well.
An attempted straight right counter from Liu misses the target.
Thing gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Liu counter with a right hand.
Thing misses with a takedown attempt
and Liu counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Thing is still on wobbly legs! Can Liu finish him?
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Liu, right into the meat.
Liu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thing seems to have recovered his senses.
Liu slaps away a takedown attempt from Thing, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Thing has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Liu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu catches Thing with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Thing checks a leg kick.
Liu sets himself, and Thing steps forward looking for the clinch! Liu avoids it this time.
That kick from Liu tenderised Thing's leg. Thing is trying to keep his angry face on.

Thing clinches.
Liu misses with a punch on the inside.
Thing's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Liu softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Liu fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Thing goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Liu tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A short body shot lands from Liu as the two fighters clinch.
Thing is trying to maintain a safe position but Liu gets an underhook and turns Thing into the cage.
Thing pushes off an throws an elbow but Liu leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Liu softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Liu is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A short left from Liu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thing blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Liu pushes Thing back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Liu scores with a shoulder strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Liu scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Liu lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Thing wants to take the fight to the mat but Liu manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Thing stalling in the clinch.
Thing tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Liu avoids it.
Good body shot from Liu.
Liu lands a shot to the body.
Liu tries to work over Thing's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A right hand to the body from Liu.
A hook to the body from Liu.
Liu lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Liu misses with a body punch.
Liu lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A short right from Liu on the inside.
Liu lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Thing backwards.
Liu lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Balagot Liu showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Liu 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Balagot Liu!
Balagot Liu seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
Thing Thing spoke after the fight, saying 'THING!'.