PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Blaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wayne Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Blaz
vs
Thompson

185 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
203 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Blaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Wayne Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Edson Gomes and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thompson doesn't manage to clinch there - Blaz circles away.
Thompson wants to clinch up but Blaz keeps it at a distance.
Thompson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Blaz gets a takedown into half guard.
Thompson is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Blaz decides to return to a standing position.
Blaz gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Thompson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Blaz!
Thompson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Blaz is looking to escape.
Blaz can't escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blaz trying desperately to get to his feet.
Thompson working the ground and pound effectively.
Thompson tries to control but Blaz wriggling away.
Thompson looking to control and managing it successfully.

Blaz bucks up and throws Thompson to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!

Blaz gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Thompson wants to stand but Blaz is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson trying to control but Blaz is working from the bottom.
Thompson controls from within his opponent's guard.
Thompson wants to stand but Blaz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Blaz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Thompson wants to pass the guard but Blaz is keeping the position.
Thompson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Blaz is proving hard to escape from.

Blaz has his foot on Thompson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Thompson works his way back into a safe position though.
Thompson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Blaz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Blaz being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Blaz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Thompson defends well.
Blaz is breathing heavily.
Thompson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Blaz swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Blaz looking for a guillotine here but Thompson defends easily.
Thompson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thompson wants to clinch up but Blaz keeps it at a distance.
Blaz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A punch combination from Blaz misses.
Thompson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Blaz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Thompson can do anything to dispel that myth.

Blaz gets to his feet. Thompson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Blaz throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Thompson was covering up waiting for the punch and Blaz finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Thompson trying to keep a closed guard but Blaz is proving a slippery customer.
Blaz stopping the sweep attempt from Thompson.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Blaz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Blaz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Thompson wants to stand but Blaz is controlling the position.
Blaz wants to stand but Thompson is controlling his posture from full guard.
Thompson pulls Blaz in close to his closed guard and prevents Blaz from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Thompson with a poor takedown
and Blaz counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Rafael Blaz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thompson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Blaz has his takedown stuffed

and Thompson counters with a takedown into side control.
Blaz gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Thompson is looking for a kimura here.
Wayne Thompson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Thompson prevents Blaz from standing back up.
Thompson trying to control the action but Blaz is working from the bottom.
Thompson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Thompson wants to stand but Blaz has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Blaz looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Thompson controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thompson has his takedown stuffed

so Blaz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rafael Blaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wayne Thompson.

Thompson has his foot on Blaz's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Blaz works his way back into a safe position though.
Thompson looking for a sweep. Not yet Thompson, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Blaz dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Thompson tries to clinch up but Blaz circles away and keeps his distance.
Blaz misses with a double jab

so Thompson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Blaz working for a triangle but Thompson defends it easily.
Blaz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Thompson controls the pace.

Blaz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Blaz wants to get back to his feet but Thompson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Thompson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson wants to pass the guard but Blaz is keeping the position.
Thompson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Blaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

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.
Thompson wants to control from the top but Blaz keeps moving.

Blaz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Thompson is aware though and is defending well.
Thompson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Blaz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Wayne Thompson.
Thompson shoots in and drives through. Blaz sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Blaz but Blaz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Blaz misses with a takedown attempt

and Thompson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Blaz's guard now.
Thompson connects with a couple of short punches.
Thompson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Blaz keeping full guard, as Thompson tries to pass.

Thompson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Blaz is keeping the position for now.
Thompson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Thompson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Thompson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Wayne Thompson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thompson 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wayne Thompson!