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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Thornton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicholas Zona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!
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| 177 cm
25
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0 |
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168 cm
21
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin |
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Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Aaron Thornton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Nicholas Zona!
The judges for this bout are , and .
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thornton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Zona fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Thornton sprawls well initially but Zona persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Thornton kicks off Zona and gets to his feet.
Thornton misses with a jab, cross combination.
Zona shoots for a takedown but Thornton saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sloppy strikes from Thornton. Those never looked like landing.
Thornton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zona moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Thornton throws a head kick that misses
and Zona counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Thornton!
Thornton really wants to buck Zona off and get back to his feet.
Zona throws some wild stikes that Thornton manages to avoid easily.
Thornton squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Thornton is breathing heavily.
Zona working for a guillotine from mount but Thornton is in no mood to give up.
Zona can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thornton is looking to escape.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Zona working Thornton over with strikes here.
Thornton is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Zona tries to control but Thornton wriggling away.
Zona putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Zona looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Thornton squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Zona can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thornton is looking to escape.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Thornton is trying to stand.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Zona is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Thornton to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Thornton shrugs it off.
Zona won't let Thornton get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Zona lands with some strikes.
Thornton squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Thornton trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Thornton bucks Zona off and manages to get back to his feet!
Thornton throws a lazy head kick
and Zona counters with a leg kick.
A head kick by Thornton misses
and Zona counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Zona.
Thornton wants to get back to his feet but Zona passes into half guard.
Thornton is trying to stand.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thornton wants to stand back up but Zona manages to pass into side control.
Zona wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thornton keeps working.
Zona decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Thornton swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
so Zona counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Thornton uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Thornton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
No joy there for Thornton, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Zona shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Zona showed some decent athleticism there.
Thornton is looking to escape.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thornton manages to escape and get back to his feet!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Thornton lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
A head kick misses from Thornton.
Zona closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Thornton has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Zona's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zona closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Thornton did well to prevent Zona getting side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thornton kicks Zona off and gets back to his feet.
A combination from Thornton does no damage.
Thornton throws a lazy head kick
so Zona counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Zona won't allow Thornton to get back to his feet.
Zona is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zona won't allow Thornton to get back to his feet.
Thornton pushes Zona off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Zona looks to land a combination but Thornton avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Nicholas Zona dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!
Zona takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Thornton misses with a double jab
and Zona counters with a nice double leg into side control. Thornton won't be happy with that.
Zona has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Thornton is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Zona asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Zona decides to stand back up. Zona steps back and let's Thornton get back to his feet.
Zona avoids the head kick by Thornton.
Zona looking to score a takedown here. Thornton is defending well but Zona drives through and ends up in Thornton's guard.
Zona prevents Thornton from getting back to his feet.
Zona postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Thornton wants to stand and escape but Zona is having none of it.
Zona looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zona stops Thornton from standing up.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Zona gets to his feet - Thornton follows without any prompting.
Zona fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Thornton, pushing him back against the cage.
Thornton wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Zona breaks the clinch.
Thornton lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Thornton throws a head kick but Zona moves out of range.
Zona tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zona tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thornton paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zona shoots in and drives through. Thornton sprawls well.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zona is defended easily by Thornton.
Thornton pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thornton will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Aaron Thornton is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zona looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zona looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Aaron Thornton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nicholas Zona.
Thornton misses with a head kick.
Sloppy strikes from Thornton. Those never looked like landing.
Zona moves into range and clinches up with Thornton.
Zona breaks the clinch.
Thornton throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
so Zona counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Thornton uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Zona shoots in and drives through. Thornton sprawls well.
Aaron Thornton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Thornton.
Zona closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Thornton wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Zona is looking to take a break and control but Thornton is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thornton throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Zona dives in and grabs Thornton's left leg, looking for a takedown. Thornton pushes down on Zona's head and hops out.
Thornton tries a head kick but it misses.
Zona drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Thornton manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Thornton throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zona.
Thornton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Thornton misses
and Zona counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zona stands up and waves to Thornton to follow him.
Thornton throws a left and a right that both miss
and Zona counters with a single leg into guard. Thornton didn't expect that.
Thornton manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Zona has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Thornton gets caught napping as Zona dives in and scores a takedown. Thornton manages to retain guard.
Zona looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zona stands up from Thornton's guard - Zona perhaps looking for a knockout.
Zona shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thornton but Thornton pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Zona takes a head kick and keeps coming.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zona shoots in but no luck this time.
Zona fails in his attempt to clinch.
Thornton throws a nice head kick!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Nicholas Zona showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!
Thornton throws a right and a left that both miss.
Thornton goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Thornton throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Zona counters with a nice double leg into side control. Thornton won't be happy with that.
Thornton is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Zona asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Thornton taking punishment in the form of punches.
Thornton gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Zona won't let Thornton get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Nicholas Zona has got the better of the ground game so far.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Thornton is bucking up trying to escape but Zona cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thornton is trying to stand up.
Zona with a couple of short strikes.
Thornton is squirming around, avoiding Zona's attempts to control the action.
Zona working Thornton over with strikes here.
Zona with the ground and pound from mount.
Thornton wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Zona.
Thornton wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
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.
Zona lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Thornton bucks up and throws Zona to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Zona has a takedown stuffed.
Sloppy strikes from Thornton. Those never looked like landing.
Zona dodges the punch combination from Thornton.
Zona throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Thornton tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Zona is in Thornton's guard.
Zona prevents Thornton from getting back to his feet.
Zona trying to control but Thornton is working from the bottom.
Zona stands up from Thornton's guard - Zona perhaps looking for a knockout.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thornton misses with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Thornton.
Zona manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Thornton on his heels. He'll look to pass Thornton's guard now, I'm sure.
Thornton wants to stand and escape but Zona is having none of it.
Zona lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Thornton wants to stand up but Zona is controlling him.
Thornton is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Zona dives into side control.
Thornton is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Zona has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thornton tries a head kick but it misses.
Zona looks to land a combination. Thornton sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Zona shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Thornton sprawls well. Thornton wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Zona gets slowly back to his feet.
Thornton tries a head kick but it misses.
Zona fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thornton throws a series of punches but Zona moves out of range.
Zona closes the distance and clinches.
Thornton looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Zona has Thornton pressed against the cage, preventing Thornton from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Thornton wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Thornton wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zona has him pressed against the cage.
Thornton wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thornton is trying to push Zona away but Zona has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Zona breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Aaron Thornton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nicholas Zona is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Thornton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that's the end of the fight!
Nicholas Zona comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Zona winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicholas Zona!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
100% |
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