PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Paul Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and terry cheese (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Thomas has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Thomas
vs
cheese

175 cm
24
135 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

150 cm
19
135 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, terry cheese!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Sam Margolis and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
cheese stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and cheese wants it to stay on the feet.

cheese scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Thomas managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by cheese.
Thomas tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Thomas taking a bit of punishment here - cheese scoring with strikes.
cheese trying to control the action but Thomas is working from the bottom.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Thomas tries to buck cheese off but cheese is having none of it.
Thomas is trying to control cheese's posture but cheese avoids it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
cheese is looking to clinch but Thomas is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and cheese counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Thomas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but cheese can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
cheese throwing strikes but missing.
cheese is looking to advance position but Thomas has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
cheese really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Thomas won't let cheese get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
cheese working to try and regain half guard.
Thomas looking to control and managing it successfully.
Thomas trying to control but he's not successful this time.
cheese really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Thomas fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
cheese is trying desperately to improve position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thomas unloading with bombs!
cheese is working to get back to half guard.
Thomas sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
cheese wants to control but Thomas is having none of it.
Thomas with shots to the head and body - cheese looks very uncomfortable down there.
Thomas lands with some strikes.
Thomas looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Thomas lands a heavy elbow.
Thomas with good strikes from the mount here!
cheese is trying desperately to improve position.
cheese wants to hold on but Thomas pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paul Thomas will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

cheese rushes Thomas and presses him up against the cage.
Thomas blocking some punches.

Thomas is trying to trip cheese. He has hold of a leg but cheese is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Thomas persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Thomas wants to stand but cheese is controlling his posture from full guard.
Thomas is looking to work some ground and pound but cheese has wrist control.
Thomas looking to pass the guard.
Thomas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
cheese keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.
Thomas stands up over cheese, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas wants to get up but he can't break cheese's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
cheese is trying to control the position but Thomas postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
cheese tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thomas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
cheese tries to clinch up but Thomas circles away and keeps his distance.
cheese changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Thomas tries to avoid it but cheese manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Thomas to the ground. Thomas escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
cheese tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thomas paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Thomas moves into range and clinches up with cheese.
cheese tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Thomas just stands there and leans against the cage.
cheese wants to break the clinch but can't.
Thomas misses with a hook from the clinch.

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

and cheese counters with a takedown into side control.
Thomas is trying to get back to half guard.
cheese is looking to take a break and control but Thomas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
terry cheese has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Thomas is staying active underneath cheese, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
cheese prevents Thomas from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
cheese thows a huge punch but Thomas dodges it nicely.
The fighters are battling for position here. Thomas manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
cheese trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Thomas wants to stand and escape but cheese is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing cheese from controlling successfully.
Thomas will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Thomas looking for a sweep. Not yet Thomas, not yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Thomas avoids a kick to the body.

Thomas shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
cheese's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
cheese is breathing heavily.
Thomas pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
cheese tries to lock up and control but Thomas gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
cheese might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Thomas kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
cheese is squirming around, avoiding Thomas's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas controlling his opponent.
Thomas putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
cheese is looking to improve his position but Thomas isn't that keen on the idea.
The referee warns cheese that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Thomas scores with a couple of good head shots there.
cheese is looking to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Thomas dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

cheese gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Thomas moves into the clinch.

cheese's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Thomas with a poor takedown

and cheese counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Thomas!
Thomas can't escape the position.
Thomas wants to hold on but cheese pushes him away.
Thomas swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Thomas tries to get back to half guard but can't.
cheese can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thomas is looking to escape.
Thomas avoids a series of strikes thrown by cheese.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas tries to buck cheese off but cheese takes his back!
Even with his hooks in, cheese manages to miss with strikes from the back.
cheese doesn't have the hooks in and Thomas manages to turn into his guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
cheese is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
cheese throws a series of punches but Thomas moves out of range.
Thomas dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Thomas wants to clinch

and cheese counters with a shoot takedown. Thomas fights it but they end up in guard.
Thomas has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Thomas controlling the position.
Thomas is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas controlling cheese's posture.
Thomas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
cheese trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.

Thomas pushes cheese off and scrambles back to his feet.
Thomas lands a head kick!
Thomas fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thomas tries to clinch but cheese moves out of range.

cheese rushes Thomas and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Thomas breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
cheese closes the distance and clinches up with Thomas, looking for a takedown. cheese pushes Thomas against the cage but Thomas circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Thomas tries for a takedown but cheese circles away easily

and cheese counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by cheese.

cheese has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Thomas uses from the top position.
Thomas is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
cheese is trying to control the position but Thomas postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

cheese is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
cheese drops down looking for an ankle pick but Thomas pulls his leg out and moves away.
cheese is looking to clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from cheese.

Thomas drives through and clinches with cheese against the cage.
Thomas crunches a lovely knee into cheese's ribcage.
Stalling in the clinch from Thomas.

Thomas breaks from the clinch.

Thomas looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for cheese!
terry cheese has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Paul Thomas 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.
cheese is wriggling around trying to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
terry cheese comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Paul Thomas!