PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between D.D Panda (ranked 3120 p4p, 3137 weight class) and Grand Admiral Thrawn (ranked 433 p4p, 437 weight class). D.D Panda could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Grand Admiral Thrawn's chin.

Panda
vs
Thrawn

150 cm
26
205
8 - 5 - 0

195 cm
25
215
6 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, D.D Panda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Grand Admiral Thrawn!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thrawn connects with a nice looking jab.

Panda gets a double leg takedown into Thrawn's guard.
Thrawn is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Panda tries to free his leg and advance position but Thrawn is retaining full guard.
Panda showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Panda postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Panda slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Panda stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thrawn swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thrawn is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Panda is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Panda stays in close to Thrawn's body and controls the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Panda throws a right hand that misses
and Thrawn counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Panda shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Thrawn looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Panda passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Panda taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thrawn wants to get back to his feet but Panda is dominant here and he's now got Thrawn's back!
Thrawn is in bad spot here.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Thrawn is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Panda trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Thrawn doesn't escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Panda not allowing Thrawn to control his hands.
Panda is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Thrawn looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thrawn tries to escape the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

D.D Panda dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Panda closes the distance and pushes Thrawn back into the cage.
Panda avoiding damage.
Panda trying to control the position but instead, Thrawn has worked for underhooks and has pushed Panda into the cage.
Thrawn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Panda avoids it.
Thrawn misses with a punch on the inside.
Panda taking a breather.
Panda pressing his opponent against the cage.
A hook to the body from Thrawn.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Panda is trying to stall.
Thrawn lands a knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Panda stalling the fight.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by D.D Panda.
Thrawn wants to clinch up but Panda keeps it at a distance.
Thrawn doesn't manage to clinch there - Panda circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thrawn scores with a nice right hand.
Panda fails with the takedown.
Thrawn raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Panda closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

It looks like D.D Panda has been cut.

Panda has managed to clinch.
Still in the clinch, Panda scores with a nice short uppercut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Thrawn.
Thrawn trying to land knees to the body.
Thrawn lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Panda avoiding damage as Thrawn throws knees to the body.
Thrawn makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Thrawn throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Panda blocks it with crossed arms.
Thrawn is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Panda is defending well for now.
Thrawn unloads a knee to the mid-section. Panda lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thrawn misses with a body punch.
Panda managing to block the knees to the body from Thrawn.
Thrawn has a couple of punches blocked by Panda.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Panda trying to stall but Thrawn improves his position.
Thrawn fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Panda pulls guard effortlessly.
Thrawn wanted to stand there but Panda had control of the position.

Panda working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Thrawn doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Thrawn manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Panda escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Thrawn gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Panda is working an open guard so Thrawn takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thrawn fails in his attempt to clinch.
Panda connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Thrawn's hands.

Panda has managed to clinch.
Panda blocking some punches.
Panda's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Panda tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Thrawn just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thrawn with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Panda trying to stall but Thrawn improves his position.
Grand Admiral Thrawn seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Panda tries to pull guard but Thrawn holds him up against the cage and eventually Panda drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for D.D Panda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A bit of stalling here from Panda.
Thrawn lands a body punch.
Thrawn tries a knee to the head but Panda blocks it.
Thrawn misses with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Panda will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Thrawn up against the cage.
Thrawn trying to land knees to the body.
Panda jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Thrawn walks away with a smile on his face. Panda gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Panda uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thrawn.
Thrawn is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Panda gets a double leg takedown into Thrawn's guard.
Panda advances to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Panda with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Thrawn trying to control from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Grand Admiral Thrawn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on D.D Panda's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Thrawn uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Panda.
Panda scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Thrawn is looking to clinch.
Thrawn walks into a stiff left hand from Panda.

Panda pushes Thrawn up against the cage in a clinch.

Panda pulls Thrawn into guard.
Panda keeping moving, preventing Thrawn from controlling successfully.
Thrawn wants to stand but Panda is controlling his posture from full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thrawn being controlled here momentarily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Panda is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Thrawn gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Panda.
Thrawn is looking to get back to his feet here but Panda is keeping cool and he's managed to take Thrawn's back.
Thrawn trying to get back to his feet but Panda is in full control for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thrawn trying to control the hands but Panda won't let him.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

Thrawn is trying to shake Panda off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Panda won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thrawn throws a head kick but Panda moves out of range.
Panda attempts a counter takedown but Thrawn avoids it well and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Stalling in the clinch from Panda.
The referee calls for Panda to work.
Thrawn tries to land knees in the clinch but Panda avoids the damage to the body.
Thrawn misses with a hook from the clinch.
Panda tries to pull guard but Thrawn forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Panda dodges an elbow strike from Thrawn.
Panda is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Thrawn is keeping busy.
Panda is trying to pull guard but Thrawn turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Thrawn.
I was talking to Panda's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thrawn doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Panda avoiding damage as Thrawn throws knees to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Thrawn as Panda tries to tie him up.
Panda tries to pull guard but Thrawn holds him up against the cage and eventually Panda drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for D.D Panda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Panda managing to block the knees to the body from Thrawn.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thrawn pushes off an throws an elbow but Panda leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Thrawn tries to land a knee to the head but Panda blocks with his arms.
Thrawn looking to throw knees to the head but Panda is blocking nicely.
Thrawn misses with a punch to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Panda avoiding damage as Thrawn throws knees to the body.
Thrawn lands with a right to the head.

Panda pulls Thrawn into guard.
Thrawn would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Thrawn must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Panda is working an open guard so Thrawn takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thrawn slaps away a takedown attempt from Panda, before circling back to the center of the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Grand Admiral Thrawn.
I think Thrawn 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Grand Admiral Thrawn!
Grand Admiral Thrawn took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.