PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Pickel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nemean Athos (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.

Pickel
vs
Athos

190 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

FIGHT19: FIGHTWEAR

Deadly Venom Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thomas Pickel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nemean Athos!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Athos does no damage.
Pickel is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Athos.
Athos throws a right and a left that both miss.
Pickel on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Pickel takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Pickel blocks a head kick by Athos.
Athos misses with a jab, cross combination.
Athos circles away from the clinch attempt.
Athos swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Athos throws a low kick but it's checked well by Pickel.
Athos lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Athos.
Athos misses with the combination.
Athos misses with a series of wild punches.
Athos throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pickel.

Pickel scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Athos tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Athos trying to remain calm as Pickel controls from the top position.
Athos tries to improve position but can't.
I wouldn't like to be where Athos is right now.
Athos tries to buck Pickel off but Pickel is having none of it.

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.
Pickel moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pickel's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Athos is looking for a sweep.
A lull in the action here as Pickel stalls from top position.
Athos tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pickel wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Pickel taking a breather here.
Athos defending against the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Athos tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pickel wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Pickel tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pickel throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Pickel checks the leg kick nicely there.
Athos rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pickel moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Athos throws a right hand that Pickel ducks under and follows up with a left that Pickel also avoids with ease.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Athos!
Pickel tries to clinch but Athos moves out of range.
Pickel wants to clinch up but Athos keeps it at a distance.
Athos misses with a double jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pickel looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pickel tries to clinch there but Athos circles away.
Pickel wants to clinch up but Athos keeps it at a distance.
Athos misses with a two punch combination.
Pickel tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Pickel tries to clinch there but Athos circles away.
Athos scores with a jab. Pickel acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Athos throws a series of punches but Pickel moves out of range.
Athos fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Athos throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pickel.
Pickel avoids a punch combination nicely.
Athos lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Nemean Athos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pickel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Athos swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Athos fails to land with a series of punches.
Athos throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Pickel's waist but Pickel gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Athos off to one side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nemean Athos will probably get the nod.
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.

Some wild striking there from Athos.
Athos swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Athos bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Athos avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Athos swats away the attempt to clinch by Pickel.
No joy there for Athos, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pickel stuffs the takedown.
Athos throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Athos.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Athos clobbers Pickel with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Athos throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pickel.
Pickel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Athos swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Athos throws out a powerful jab.
Pickel tries to clinch but Athos moves out of range.
Athos moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pickel slips a jab and a cross from Athos.
Pickel throws a head kick but Athos moves out of range.
Pickel is looking to clinch but Athos is avoiding it.
Pickel throws a head kick that misses.
Thomas Pickel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Athos lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Athos throws a series of punches but Pickel moves out of range.
Athos fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Athos throws a series of punches but Pickel moves out of range.
Athos circles away from the clinch attempt.
Athos with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Athos swinging wilding here.
Athos throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Pickel fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pickel dodges the punch combination from Athos.
Pickel rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Athos counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pickel slips a jab and a cross from Athos.
Pickel misses with a kick to the body.
Pickel tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Athos counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Athos misses with a series of wild punches.
Athos throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Athos looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Pickel is trying to control the position but Athos postures up.
Athos looking to sit in guard and control but Pickel gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Athos tries to strike from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Athos lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pickel!
Athos landing strikes from the mount and Pickel is in trouble!
Pickel working to try and regain half guard.
Athos scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Pickel?
Athos cracks Pickel with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Pickel is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Athos landing shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Athos with a couple of short strikes.
Pickel in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Athos landing strikes from the mount and Pickel is in trouble!
Athos raining down shots from the mount!
Pickel is trying to escape the mount.
Athos landing strikes, looking to finish!
Athos throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Pickel wants to hold on but Athos pushes him away.
Athos wants to control the pace but Pickel is squirming around nicely.
Pickel is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nemean Athos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Pickel lands a brutal head kick. Athos looks out on his feet and Pickel throws more strikes until the ref is forced to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick and Punches). Thomas Pickel!