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
3 - 7 - 0

150 cm
19
135 lbs
3 - 2 - 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 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, terry cheese!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Andrew Berry and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Thomas is defended easily by cheese.
Thomas shoots in but no luck this time.
Thomas cracks the inside of cheese's front leg.
Thomas has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
cheese dodges the punch combination from Thomas.

Thomas shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Thomas works his way into side control.
Thomas connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused cheese some visible discomfort.
cheese is trying to control Thomas's posture but Thomas avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
cheese keeping his opponent close.
cheese is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Thomas will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Thomas is stalling here. cheese is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Thomas seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and cheese has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Thomas is looking for a sweep.
Thomas can't do much from the bottom here.
cheese wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thomas keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
cheese tries to advance position but instead Thomas slips a leg back in to half guard.

Thomas looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

cheese is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
cheese will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Thomas.

cheese darts in and clinches Thomas up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

cheese has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Thomas clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Thomas looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

Thomas showing good submission defense here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Thomas is really stuck here.
cheese is looking to control Thomas but Thomas is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Thomas wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
cheese avoiding Thomas 's attempts to control his hands.
Thomas controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
cheese doesn't have the hooks in and Thomas manages to turn into his guard.
Thomas slips nicely into half guard.
cheese is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
cheese is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but terry cheese will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

cheese has his takedown stuffed

and Thomas counters with a nice double leg into guard.
cheese wants to sweep but no luck.

Thomas stands and steps away. cheese gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

cheese bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Thomas is not content to let cheese control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
cheese landing strikes.
cheese controlling the position from side mount.
Thomas wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.

cheese decides to stand back up. cheese steps back and let's Thomas get back to his feet.
cheese darts in trying to clinch

and Thomas counters by moving into the clinch.
Thomas managing to block the knees to the body from cheese.
Thomas lands a nice knee to the body.
cheese misses with a knee strike.

Thomas breaks the clinch.
Thomas shoots in for a takedown but cheese shows good takedown defense.
cheese moves in looking to clinch but Thomas pushes him off.
A punch combination from cheese misses.
cheese tries for a takedown but Thomas circles away easily

and Thomas counters with a nice double leg into guard.
cheese is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
cheese being controlled here, momentarily.
Thomas trying to control but cheese is working from the bottom.
Paul Thomas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

cheese is working an open guard so Thomas takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Thomas shoots in for a double leg but cheese sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Thomas goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
cheese fails with the takedown

and Thomas counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in cheese's guard now.
Paul Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of terry cheese.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thomas wants to pass the guard but cheese is keeping the position.
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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Thomas decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on cheese, up you get!
cheese wants to clinch up but Thomas keeps it at a distance.
cheese misses with a takedown
and Thomas counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
cheese moves in looking to clinch but Thomas pushes him off.
cheese shoots and misses

and Thomas holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
cheese tries to pull guard but Thomas won't allow it.
Thomas lands an elbow inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from cheese.
Thomas pressing his opponent against the cage.

cheese gets control of Thomas's arms and successfully pulls guard. cheese will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Thomas showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
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 keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thomas postures up.
cheese can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Thomas controls the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Thomas dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Thomas leaves cheese with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

cheese closes the distance and pushes Thomas back into the cage.
cheese is trying to break free.
Thomas fails to pull guard.
Thomas blocking some punches.
Thomas fails to pull guard.
Thomas can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
cheese prevents a takedown attempt there.

cheese gets control of Thomas's arms and successfully pulls guard. cheese will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Thomas working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of cheese's head.

cheese looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Thomas passes into half guard.
cheese takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Thomas wants to free his trapped foot but cheese is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
cheese is looking to control Thomas's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can cheese avoid being mounted?
Thomas working cheese over with strikes.
Thomas is trying to control. cheese wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
cheese is trying to maintain the position but Thomas is very close to passing his half guard.
cheese tries to get to full guard but Thomas has control of the leg.
Thomas thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Thomas trying to control from half guard but cheese is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Thomas gets a takedown into half guard.
cheese is trying to maintain the position but Thomas is very close to passing his half guard.
Thomas trying to pass the guard but cheese defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thomas winds up and cracks cheese with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Thomas wants to control but cheese is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
cheese is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Thomas scores with a couple of nice shots.
cheese blocking the ground and pound attempt from Thomas.
cheese is not content to let Thomas control the position.

cheese with the active half guard here but Thomas passes nicely into side control.
Thomas trying to control the action but cheese is working from the bottom.
cheese prevents Thomas from improving position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
cheese is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Thomas's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Thomas not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Thomas controlling the pace.
Thomas prevents cheese from improving his position.
cheese trying to control from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thomas thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed cheese's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Thomas showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Thomas has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28

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