PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cyrille Diabate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Diabate
vs
Thomas

199 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Behold The Beast

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Cyrille Diabate!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mark Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Chris Edwards and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diabate tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick misses from Thomas.
Diabate tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Thomas drives through and clinches with Diabate against the cage.
Diabate tries to land knees in the clinch but Thomas avoids the damage to the body.

Thomas jumps guard and drags Diabate to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Thomas is trying to keep Diabate in close.

Thomas is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Thomas stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Thomas is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Thomas's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Thomas shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Thomas prevents Diabate from standing back up.
Still in half guard, Thomas seems content to control.
Thomas stops Diabate from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diabate trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Thomas misses with the combination.
Diabate clobbers Thomas with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Thomas tries to close the distance and clinch up but Diabate swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Diabate throws a leg kick which misses Thomas's front leg but catches the back leg as Thomas tries to avoid it.
Thomas closes this distance looking for a takedown but Diabate circles away.

Diabate moves into range and clinches up with Thomas.
Diabate putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Thomas in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Thomas looks gassed!
Diabate landing knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas managing to block the knees to the body from Diabate.
Diabate tries to break the clinch but Thomas is controlling the position.
Diabate lands an elbow inside.

Diabate breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Diabate throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Diabate lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Thomas takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Diabate moves into the clinch successfully.

Diabate breaks the clinch.
Thomas takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Diabate throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Thomas.
Diabate tries a head kick but it misses.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Diabate.
Thomas throws a sloppy head kick

and Diabate counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Diabate.
Diabate comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diabate escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Diabate is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Diabate tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Diabate scores with a head kick.
Diabate is looking to clinch.
Diabate lands with a right hand.
Diabate is looking to clinch but Thomas is avoiding it.
Diabate lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Thomas at a distance.
Diabate pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Diabate tries to land a front kick but Thomas steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Diabate lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thomas circles away quickly and effectively.
Thomas ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Diabate gets caught flat footed, as Thomas shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diabate wants to get back to his feet but Thomas is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Thomas trying to control but Diabate is working from the bottom.
Thomas stops Diabate from standing up.
Diabate will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Diabate is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Thomas dives into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thomas in side control lands a decent elbow.
Diabate wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thomas decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Thomas wants to free his trapped foot but Diabate is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Diabate wants to get back to his feet.
Thomas wants to control but Diabate is keeping him busy.
Diabate wants to get back to his feet.
Thomas is pressing down on Diabate's thigh, looking to free his foot. Diabate is holding on for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Thomas is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Diabate throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Diabate circles away from the clinch attempt.
Diabate with a hook.

Diabate moves into the clinch.
Diabate tries to circle away but Thomas has him pinned against the cage.
Thomas fails to pull guard.
Diabate comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Diabate is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Diabate lands a knee to the head.
Diabate blocking some punches.

Diabate breaks from the clinch.
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt

and Thomas counters with a shoot takedown. Diabate fights it but they end up in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas wants to pass the guard but Diabate is keeping the position.
Thomas stops Diabate from standing up.

Diabate kicks Thomas off and gets to his feet.
Thomas misses with a combination
and Diabate counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Thomas thinking.
Diabate throws a head kick that Thomas semi-blocks.
Diabate tries to clinch there but Thomas circles away.
Cyrille Diabate is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Thomas takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Diabate closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thomas prevents Diabate from breaking the clinch.
Thomas stalls.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diabate manages to break the clinch.
Thomas throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Diabate finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Diabate throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Diabate scores with a nice head shot.
Thomas throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Diabate's waist but Diabate gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Thomas off to one side.
Diabate lands with a nice body punch.
Diabate is looking to slow Thomas down with leg kicks.
Diabate plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Thomas tries to clinch but Diabate moves out of range.
Diabate lands a nice looking body kick.
Diabate doesn't manage to clinch there - Thomas circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cyrille Diabate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Thomas.
Diabate throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Thomas's head.
Thomas tries to close the distance and clinch but Diabate swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Diabate lands a high kick!
Diabate fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Diabate is looking to clinch.
Diabate lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Diabate buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Good shot there by Diabate.
Cyrille Diabate is winning the standup battle so far.
Diabate lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diabate lands a head kick. Thomas smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Cyrille Diabate is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A nice leg kick lands there from Diabate.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyrille Diabate dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Thomas shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Diabate sprawls well. Diabate wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Thomas gets slowly back to his feet.
Thomas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Decent striking displayed by Diabate there.
Thomas misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Thomas shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Diabate pinned against the cage. Diabate gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
An inside leg kick lands from Diabate.
Thomas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Diabate pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Diabate drives through and clinches with Thomas against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diabate is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Diabate manages to break the clinch.
Thomas takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Diabate connects with a solid leg kick.
A head kick misses from Diabate.
Diabate lands with a nice combination. Thomas backs away looking to recover.
Diabate pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Diabate is looking to slow Thomas down with leg kicks.
Diabate lands with a kick to the temple. Thomas shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Diabate lands with a slapping head kick.
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Danga de danga de dang - Diabate scores with a four punch combination!
Thomas takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diabate lands with a kick to the temple. Thomas shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Diabate moves into range and clinches up with Thomas.
Diabate lands an elbow inside that Thomas shrugs off.
Thomas goes for a takedown in the clinch but Diabate prevents it.
Cyrille Diabate has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Thomas.
Knees in the clinch landing for Diabate.
Diabate has had enough of the clinch but Thomas keeps him there for the moment.
Diabate working hard to break the clinch.
Diabate crunches a lovely knee into Thomas's ribcage.

Diabate's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Diabate moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Diabate connects with a high kick.

Thomas scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Diabate is looking to escape.
Diabate is refusing to be controlled, as Thomas sits in half guard.
Thomas wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diabate pushes Thomas off looking to stand but Thomas dives back in and keeps control.

Diabate manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Diabate avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Diabate fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Diabate lands a two punch combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Diabate throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Thomas shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Diabate manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Thomas wants to pass the guard but Diabate is keeping the position.
Thomas prevents Diabate from getting back to his feet.
Cyrille Diabate is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cyrille Diabate showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Diabate, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cyrille Diabate!