PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Doan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrew 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.

Doan
vs
Thomas

180 cm
18
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, James Doan!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Andrew Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Richard Clark and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas misses with a wild body shot.
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Doan fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Doan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thomas tries for a takedown but Doan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Thomas throws a head kick that misses.
Doan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thomas.
Doan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Thomas drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Doan holding on.
Thomas in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Doan is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas working away.

Thomas is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Doan knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Doan tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Thomas presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Doan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Doan wants to hold on but Thomas pushes him away.
Doan is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Thomas is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Doan is squirming around, avoiding Thomas's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Doan keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Thomas controlling the position easily from mount.
Doan swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Doan keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Thomas pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Thomas jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Doan manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Thomas tries for a kimura but Doan is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas decides to stand back up. Thomas steps back and let's Doan get back to his feet.
Thomas chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Doan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Doan is breathing heavily.
Thomas tries for a takedown but Doan circles away easily

and Doan counters with a takedown into side control.
Thomas sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thomas actively working from the bottom here.
Thomas is looking to control Doan's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thomas avoid being mounted?
Ground and pound from Doan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Doan prevents Thomas from improving his position.
Doan stalling.
Doan wants to get back to his feet.
Thomas is trying to control but can't.
Doan is looking to take a break and control but Thomas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
No luck for Thomas with that takedown attempt.
James Doan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andrew Thomas.
Doan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Thomas counters with a head kick. That will keep Doan thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Andrew Thomas will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Doan pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Doan shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Doan wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.
Thomas is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Doan trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Doan working some strikes from top position.
Thomas not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Doan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Doan stands and steps away. Thomas gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Thomas is breathing heavily.
A combination from Thomas does no damage.
Thomas tries to clinch but Doan moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas checks a low kick from Doan.
Doan swats away the attempt to clinch by Thomas.
Thomas shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Doan decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Thomas's guard.
Doan trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.

Doan gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Doan tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thomas swivels and escapes.
Doan tries for a takedown but Thomas sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Doan throws a series of punches but Thomas moves out of range.

Doan clinches up against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Thomas scores with a shot to the side of Doan's head.

Doan has picked Thomas up - he's going for a ride! Doan dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Doan controlling the pace.
Thomas wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Doan throwing shots but Thomas is blocking nicely.
Thomas wants to improve his position but Doan is controlling well.
Thomas is not content to let Doan control the position.
Thomas trying to control here.
Doan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thomas keeps working.
Thomas is trying to control but Doan passes into side control!
Doan lands a few punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Doan taking a breather here.
Thomas is trying to control Doan's posture but Doan avoids it.

Doan stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Nice cross by Doan.
Thomas shoots for a double leg takedown but Doan sprawls well. He's pushed Thomas's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Doan throws a sloppy body shot

and Thomas counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Doan pulls guard effortlessly.
Doan manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Doan tries to control but Thomas wriggling away.
James Doan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Doan fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Doan looking to control but Thomas is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Doan stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Thomas shoots in for a double leg but Doan sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
James Doan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andrew Thomas.
Doan throws a looping overhand right but Thomas ducks down to avoid it.

Doan tries to keep at a distance but Thomas has taken the fight into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thomas is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Thomas decides to pull guard.
Doan stopping the sweep attempt from Thomas.
Thomas is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Doan dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Thomas fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Doan sprawls well initially but Thomas persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Doan is staying active underneath Thomas, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Doan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Thomas.
Thomas is thwarting Doan's attempts to control the position.
Thomas is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Thomas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Thomas scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Thomas stands up and beckons Doan to join him on the feet.
Doan wants to clinch but Thomas slips to the side
and Thomas counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Doan thinking.

Thomas gets the takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Doan is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Doan is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Doan is looking for a sweep. Thomas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Doan manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Doan pushes Thomas off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Doan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Thomas counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Doan shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Doan showed some decent athleticism there.
Doan is looking to take a break and control but Thomas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Doan controlling the action here.
Thomas is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Doan in particular looking to stall.
Thomas throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Thomas keeping hold of Doan's head, controlling as best he can.
Doan is thwarting Thomas's attempts to control the position.
Thomas tries to kick Doan off but Doan keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Doan trying to control from half guard but Thomas is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas tries to get to full guard but Doan has control of the leg.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Doan is looking to clinch but Thomas is avoiding it.

Doan closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Thomas to the mat! Thomas manages to get full guard.
Doan wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.

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

Thomas is looking for a triangle but Doan pushes his legs off easily.
Doan missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing Doan from controlling successfully.
Thomas wants to sweep but no luck.
Thomas has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Doan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Thomas's head.
Doan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thomas throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Doan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thomas is keeping the position for now.
Doan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Thomas's head.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Andrew Thomas.
I think Thomas 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for James Doan!
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight for James Doan!
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight for James Doan!

James Doan wins by unanimous decision!
James Doan is the new welterweight champion!