PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eben Thorn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pedro Cunha (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.

Thorn
vs
Cunha

194 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
24
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Intelligent

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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 New York, Eben Thorn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pedro Cunha!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Columbo Gatti and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cunha looking to score a takedown here. Thorn is defending well but Cunha drives through and ends up in Thorn's guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Cunha gets to his feet. Thorn looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Thorn misses with a body kick.
Pedro Cunha seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thorn throws a chopping leg kick but Cunha manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

Cunha looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Cunha sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cunha pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thorn is keeping the position for now.
Cunha stops Thorn from standing up.
Thorn wants to get back to his feet but Cunha passes into half guard.
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!
Thorn has hold of Cunha's hands but Cunha slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Thorn is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thorn wants to get back to his feet.
Well, if Cunha is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Cunha decides to stand and escape the position.
Cunha takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Cunha shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Thorn is trying to defend but Cunha finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Cunha prevents Thorn from improving his position.
Cunha slips a nice elbow through Thorn's hands, connecting with Thorn's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cunha landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Thorn looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Thorn is looking to control Cunha's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thorn avoid being mounted?
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thorn trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Thorn wants to hold on but Cunha pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by Cunha.
Thorn in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Cunha controlling the pace for now.
Cunha's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cunha lands with some strikes.
Cunha sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Thorn is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Cunha controlling the position easily from mount.
Thorn wants to control but Cunha is having none of it.
Cunha working Thorn over with strikes here.
Thorn is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cunha looking to control and managing it successfully.
Thorn squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Thorn tries to hold on but Cunha pushes him away.
Cunha has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cunha is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Thorn working to try and regain half guard.
Thorn is breathing heavily.
Cunha tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Let's hope that Cunha has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Cunha dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cunha wants to clinch up but Thorn keeps it at a distance.

Cunha shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Cunha controlling from the full mount.
Pedro Cunha has got the better of the ground game so far.
Thorn tries to lock up and control but Cunha gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cunha controlling the pace for now.
Cunha working the ground and pound effectively.
Cunha controlling from the full mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thorn tries to lock up and control but Cunha gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cunha fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Thorn wants to hold on but Cunha pushes him away.
Cunha manages to capitalize on a mistake by Thorn to take his back!
I really don't envy Thorn right now.
Thorn trying to control but not successfully.

Cunha looking for the RNC.
Cunha has good solid back control here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Cunha is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Cunha is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cunha biding his time, controlling Thorn.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thorn looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Thorn is really stuck here.
Thorn trying to control the hands but Cunha won't let him.

Cunha is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Thorn is defending well though. Cunha let's go of the attempt for now.
Thorn trying to control the action but Cunha just sinks the hooks in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunha controlling from the back.
Thorn trying to control but not successfully.
Thorn is trying to get back to his feet but Cunha has full control of the position and if anything, Thorn has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Thorn trying to control the hands but Cunha breaks the grip.
Cunha has the hooks in. Thorn is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Good control from Cunha.
Thorn is trying to stand back up.
Cunha lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cunha is landing with strikes. Thorn can't take much more of this.
What can Thorn do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Thorn can't escape the position.
Thorn is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Thorn looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Thorn might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cunha is landing with strikes. Thorn can't take much more of this.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Cunha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

A nice leg kick lands there from Thorn.
Thorn circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cunha moves out of range of the body kick from Thorn.
Thorn scores with a spinning back kick!
Cunha shoots in but no luck this time.
Cunha swinging wildly here.
Thorn connects with a leg kick. Cunha looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Thorn.
Cunha takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cunha moves out of range of the body kick.
Cunha throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Thorn there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Thorn scores with a spinning back kick!
Thorn moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Thorn misses with a kick to the body.
Thorn lands with a nice body kick.
Thorn throws a big shot that misses.
Pedro Cunha is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thorn lands a leg kick that knocks Cunha off balance momentarily.
Thorn throws an overhand right that lands on Cunha's shoulder, as Cunha tries to avoid the shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cunha takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Thorn throws a hook but Cunha avoids it easily.
Cunha on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorn cracks the inside of Cunha's front leg.
Thorn takes a swing at Cunha's ribcage but misses.
Thorn dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cunha. That did some damage!
Thorn lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Cunha chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Thorn can pounce on him.
Thorn with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Thorn feints and then cracks Cunha's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Cunha down.
Thorn pushes Cunha away with a front kick.
Cunha's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Nice body kick from Thorn.
Thorn buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Cunha takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Eben Thorn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn throws a wild body kick that Cunha sees coming a mile off.
Thorn scores with a push kick.
Thorn thumps Cunha with a low kick.
Thorn throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Thorn stuffs the takedown.
Good leg kick by Thorn there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Thorn delivers a nice body kick.
Thorn throws the kick towards the body but Cunha avoids it.
Cunha chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Thorn can pounce on him.
Cunha on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Thorn. Thorn obviously looking to wear him down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thorn lands with a nice body kick.
Thorn connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Thorn, right into the meat.
Cunha takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Cunha stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Thorn.
Thorn lands with a thumping leg kick.
Cunha on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thorn throws the kick towards the body but Cunha avoids it.
Cunha on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Eben Thorn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pedro Cunha is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Thorn scores with a kick to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eben Thorn showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cunha 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:28

The fight is ruled a draw!