PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gabe Thurgood (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikola Kechman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Thurgood
vs
Kechman

186 cm
26
186 lbs
17 - 6 - 0

180 cm
20
174 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Firebird Designs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gabe Thurgood!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nikola Kechman!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kechman throws a sloppy head kick and Thurgood moves out of range easily.
Thurgood shoots in looking for a takedown. Kechman tries to sprawl out of it but Thurgood keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kechman manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kechman throws a wild body kick that Thurgood sees coming a mile off.
Kechman tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thurgood avoids the head kick by Kechman.
Thurgood attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Thurgood misses with a looping right.
Thurgood takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Kechman throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thurgood swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thurgood missing with a left hand there. Kechman was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Thurgood turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kechman avoids the body shot from Thurgood.
Kechman misses with a combination
and Thurgood makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Thurgood looks to land a right hand but Kechman moved out of range.
Horrible takedown by Thurgood or perhaps it was just good defense by Kechman which made him look bad.
Kechman wants to clinch up but Thurgood keeps it at a distance.

Thurgood closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thurgood has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kechman throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Thurgood closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kechman circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gabe Thurgood. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Thurgood.
Thurgood is breathing heavily.
Thurgood throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kechman throws a body punch but Thurgood moves out of range.
Kechman throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thurgood throws out a loose jab but Kechman uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thurgood throws out a leg kick but Kechman moves out of range and Thurgood only half commits.
Kechman showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Thurgood.
Kechman throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Thurgood takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

It looks like Gabe Thurgood has been cut.
Nikola Kechman is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Thurgood walks into a left hand.
Kechman moves away from the strike by Thurgood.
Kechman thows a body shot but no joy.
Kechman throws a solid leg kick but Thurgood takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kechman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thurgood swings for the body but Kechman moves out of range.
Kechman misses with a looping right.
Nice defenses there by Thurgood.
Kechman with a body punch. A glancing blow.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kechman just misses with a punch to the body.
Thurgood throws out a leg kick but Kechman moves out of range and Thurgood only half commits.
Thurgood keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kechman.
Kechman looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thurgood bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kechman throws a looping overhand right but Thurgood ducks down to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nikola Kechman will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Gabe Thurgood's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Thurgood tries a low kick but Kechman avoids it.
A telegraphed right hand from Kechman misses the target.
Kechman slips under a jab.
Thurgood throws a leg kick which misses Kechman's front leg but catches the back leg as Kechman tries to avoid it.
Kechman throws a right hand that misses
and Thurgood counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Nikola Kechman seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kechman tries to clinch there but Thurgood circles away.
Thurgood blocks a jab.
Kechman moves away from the strike by Thurgood.
An inside leg kick from Thurgood misses.
Kechman throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thurgood looks for the body kick but Kechman saw that one coming.
Kechman throws out a leg kick but Thurgood moves out of range and Kechman only half commits.
Kechman misses with an uppercut.
Thurgood throws a front kick aimed at Kechman's knee but Kechman avoids it well.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Thurgood takes a knee right on the jaw!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Thurgood gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Kechman keeping full guard, as Thurgood tries to pass.
Kechman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thurgood forces his way into half guard.
Thurgood throwing shots but Kechman is blocking nicely.
Kechman is controlling Thurgood's trapped leg to prevent Thurgood from advancing to side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thurgood prevents Kechman from improving his position.
Thurgood is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thurgood missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thurgood wants to pass the guard but Kechman is defending well.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Gabe Thurgood just wasn't active enough.
A leg kick checked by Kechman.
Kechman looks to score with a jab to the body but Thurgood is just out of range.
Kechman doesn't manage to clinch there - Thurgood circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kechman tries a head kick but it misses.
Kechman needs to keep his hands up - Thurgood had a free shot at his head there.
Thurgood connects with a leg kick. Kechman looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Thurgood shoots for a takedown but Kechman saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Thurgood throws a series of punches but Kechman avoids them all with ease.
Thurgood blocks a head kick by Kechman.
Kechman throws a front kick aimed at Thurgood's knee but Thurgood avoids it well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kechman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thurgood with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Good leg kick by Kechman there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gabe Thurgood will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Gabe Thurgood's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Thurgood misses with a hook.
Kechman swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A punch combination from Kechman misses.
Kechman throws a front kick that sends Thurgood stumbling back into the cage.
Thurgood fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Kechman checks it well.
Gabe Thurgood seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kechman uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Thurgood.
Thurgood thows a leg kick but Kechman checks it
and Thurgood takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kechman throws a sloppy head kick and Thurgood moves out of range easily.
Kechman slips a jab from Thurgood.
Thurgood digs a good body shot into Kechman's ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Kechman misses.
Thurgood avoids the head kick by Kechman.
Thurgood blocks a low kick nicely.
A low kick from Thurgood misses
and Kechman counters with a nice low kick that buckles Thurgood's knee momentarily.
Thurgood throws a good cross that connects.
Thurgood throws a lazy right hand but Kechman sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Thurgood throws a low kick but it's checked well by Kechman.
Thurgood throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kechman fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thurgood manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kechman tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Thurgood is able to avoid easily.
Kechman misses with a hook.
Kechman keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Thurgood.
Thurgood avoids a kick to the body.
Kechman avoids the body shot from Thurgood.
Kechman throws a series of punches but Thurgood avoids them all with ease.
Kechman throws a jab when Thurgood was well out of range.
Thurgood throws a leg kick
and Kechman counters with a left and a right that stings Thurgood.
Thurgood misses with a leg kick
and Kechman counters with a solid body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kechman throws a low kick but Thurgood moves out of range easily.
Thurgood fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nikola Kechman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice uppercut there from Kechman.

Thurgood is rocked!
Kechman looks for a left high kick but can't connect. Kechman backs up to catch a breather... no he lunges forward with a huge flying knee that smacks Thurgood's temple! It sends Thurgood violently to the canvas! The crowd goes nuts as Kechman celebrates and the doctors try to help Thurgood!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Flying Knee). Nikola Kechman!