PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Armad Bates (ranked 158 p4p, 413 weight class) and Thomas Hearn (ranked 20 p4p, 55 weight class). Hearn has chosen Professor X - Dave as his entrance music. Thomas Hearn has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Armad Bates's chin.

Bates
vs
Hearn

190 cm
32
183
16 - 12 - 3

185 cm
32
180
20 - 13 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Phoenix

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 12 - 3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Armad Bates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Hearn!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Chris Dean and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hearn keeps the fight on the outside.
Hearn misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bates.
Bates fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hearn throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Bates stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Bates uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hearn.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hearn digs a good body shot into Bates's ribs.
Bates takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Hearn throws a leg kick that is checked
and Bates counters with a stiff right hand.
Hearn checks a low kick from Bates.
Hearn throws out a counter right but Bates avoids it with no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates throws a shot from downtown. Hearn moves away and avoids it.
A countering left hand to the body from Hearn misses.
A left lands for Hearn.
Hearn throws out a loose jab but Bates uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hearn is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Bates rather than just go for the knockout.
Bates misses with a two punch combination.
Hearn throws out a counter right but Bates avoids it with no problem.
Bates lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Bates swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hearn throws out a counter right but Bates avoids it with no problem.
A swing and a miss from Bates.
Bates motions for Hearn to come forward. Bates throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Bates misses with a hook
and Hearn cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice defenses there by Hearn.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bates misses with a hook
and Hearn counters with an outside leg kick.
Hearn with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Hearn scores with a three punch combo!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A looping hook to the body misses from Hearn. Bates does a little dance to reset his feet.
A counter left hand to the body from Bates misses its target.
Bates 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.
Bates misses with a shot to the body
and Hearn counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Bates throws a jab when Hearn was well out of range.
A little jabbing left from Hearn on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Hearn pivots, looking for a leg kick but Bates is out of range and Hearn settles back down.
Hearn tries to bum rush Bates with a series of wild strikes but Bates uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Bates misses with a hook
and Hearn cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hearn scores with a kick to the midsection.
Thomas Hearn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bates throws a hook but Hearn blocks it.
A jab lands there for Bates.
Hearn cracks a nice hook into Bates's ribs.
Bates waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hearn.
Hearn tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bates was well out of range. Poor timing from Hearn.
Bates misses with a series of wild punches.
Hearn with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hearn lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Nice body punch from Hearn.
Bates tries to clinch up.
Hearn lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Bates misses with a hook
and Hearn counters with a good low kick that Bates was not able to check.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hearn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hearn on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Hearn throws an overhand right that lands on Bates's shoulder, as Bates tries to avoid the shot.
Bates thuds a left hand into Hearn's body.
Hearn blocks a jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hearn uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bates.
Jab, jab by Bates - just one landing.
Bates is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hearn.
Hearn lands with a thumping leg kick.
Bates misses with a body shot
and Hearn counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Good shot there by Hearn.
Hearn has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bates throws a body punch but Hearn moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bates displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hearn throws out the jab.
Bates will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hearn misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bates.
Bates takes one to the side of the head.
Bates throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Bates throws a hook but Hearn blocks it.
Hearn only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Bates comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Bates might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Hearn throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bates.
Bates misses with a looping left.
Bates throws a sloppy body shot
and Hearn counters with a stiff right hand.
Thomas Hearn seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bates swings for the body but Hearn moves out of range.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hearn.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hearn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bates manages to avoid it.
Hearn on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Bates takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
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!
Bates keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Hearn will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Bates checks a leg kick nicely.
Bates misses the body punch
and Hearn counters with a nice body shot.
Bates misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hearn.
Hearn only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Bates misses with an uppercut
and Hearn connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hearn misses the body punch
and Bates cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bates takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Bates just misses with a punch to the body.
Bates throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hearn appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Bates throws a body punch but Hearn moves out of range.
Bates lands with an overhand left.
Bates fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hearn manages to avoid it.
Hearn is looking for the big counter here.
Bates misses with a hook to the body
and Hearn makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Bates throws a hook but Hearn avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bates lands a jab.
Hearn scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Hearn throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Bates stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Good exchange - Hearn coming out on top.
Bates blocks a jab.
Hearn misses with a leg kick.
Hearn lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Hearn walks into a stiff left hand from Bates.
Bates throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Thomas Hearn will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bates lands a jab to Hearn's midsection.
Hearn waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bates.
Hearn scores with a jab to the head.
Bates throws a body punch but Hearn moves out of range.
Bates takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Bates takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Bates takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hearn is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Bates scores with a nice strike.
Nice defenses there by Hearn.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates misses with a straight left.
Hearn moves into range and connects with a jab.
Some wild striking there from Bates.
Bates ducks under a wild hook from Hearn.
Bates keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Bates fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hearn sprawls well initially but Bates persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Hearn has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Bates is on him like a limpet, forcing Hearn back against the cage.
Bates lands a body punch in the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hearn misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bates lands with a right to the head.
Hearn misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Hearn fails to land.
A body shot lands from Bates.
Bates misses with a punch to the body.
Hearn can't find room to land a body shot as Bates controls the action.
Good body shot from Bates.
Bates lands a shot to the body.
Bates working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Hearn misses with a punch on the inside.
Bates gets through Hearn's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Bates lands with a right to the head.
Good body shot from Hearn.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bates.
Bates blocks an uppercut.
Hearn working aggressively here.
Bates throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Hearn throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Batess head.
Bates lands a nice shot to the body.
Bates fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bates is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Hearn misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hearn.
Hearn misses with the head strike.
Bates lands a body punch.
Bates is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hearn pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Nice body punch from Bates - that landed with a thud.
A right hand to the body from Bates.
Thomas Hearn is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Bates has clasped his hands together around Hearn's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Hearn is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Hearn bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Bates throws a lazy uppercut
and Hearn counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hearn is looking to slow Bates down with leg kicks.
Hearn misses with a straight right.
Armad Bates has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hearn swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Bates misses the shot to the body.
Bates lunges at Hearn with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Hearn's hand.
Hearn lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Bates walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Hearn uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bates.
Hearn lands with an overhand left.
Bates throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hearn connects with a leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Thomas Hearn.
I've got Hearn winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Hearn!
An out of breath Thomas Hearn thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.