PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kim Hendi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys are coming into the fight with injuries so let's see if that has a bearing on the fight. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hendi
vs
Thomas

185 cm
21
185 lbs
5 - 13 - 0

192 cm
23
194 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

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 5 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kim Hendi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ray Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Thomas.
Hendi fails to land the takedown.
Thomas looks gassed!
Thomas fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Thomas looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Thomas shoots for a double leg takedown but Hendi sprawls well. He's pushed Thomas's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kim Hendi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ray Thomas.
Hendi shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Thomas keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Hendi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thomas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hendi shoots in for a double leg but Thomas sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hendi rushes Thomas and presses him up against the cage.
Hendi is working for takedown but Thomas is calmly controlling the position for now.
Hendi tries to break the clinch but Thomas is controlling the position.

Hendi works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Hendi throws a big elbow that misses.
Hendi controlling from the top position.
Hendi throws a big elbow that misses.
Hendi won't allow Thomas to get back to his feet.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendi tries to close the distance and clinch but Thomas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hendi is looking to clinch.

Hendi forces Thomas back against the cage and clinches.
A bit of stalling here from Hendi.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hendi jumps guard but Thomas turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Hendi has Thomas pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Hendi pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Thomas tumbling to the mat - Hendi dives into Thomas's guard.
Thomas is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas wants to get back to his feet but Hendi is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hendi's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Hendi wants to pass the guard but Thomas is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Kim Hendi just wasn't active enough.
Hendi shoots in looking for a takedown. Thomas tries to sprawl out of it but Hendi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Thomas manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hendi shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Thomas throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Hendi rushes Thomas and presses him up against the cage.
Hendi drops down looking for an ankle pick but Thomas pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hendi shoots in looking for a takedown. Thomas tries to sprawl out of it but Hendi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Thomas manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hendi fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kim Hendi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ray Thomas's cut.
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.

Hendi misses with a takedown attempt - Thomas sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hendi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hendi wants to clinch up but Thomas keeps it at a distance.
Thomas tries to clinch up

and Hendi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hendi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hendi with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Thomas is breathing heavily.
Hendi has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendi trying to mount his opponent but Thomas defends it.

We're going to have a standup here because Kim Hendi wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Hendi shoots in looking for a takedown but Thomas manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hendi's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Hendi fails with an attempt to clinch.

Hendi forces Thomas back against the cage and clinches.
Hendi dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendi seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Hendi is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Thomas pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kim Hendi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hendi breaks from the clinch.

Hendi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Hendi.

Hendi jumps guard.
Hendi wants to get back to his feet but Thomas is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hendi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thomas is one step ahead there.

Thomas avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendi keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.
Hendi is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Thomas being controlled here momentarily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hendi shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense.
Hendi shoots in but no luck this time.
Hendi doesn't manage to clinch there - Thomas circles away.
Hendi shoots in but no luck this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hendi wants to clinch.

Hendi takes the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kim Hendi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ray Thomas's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Hendi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Thomas manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Hendi rushes Thomas and presses him up against the cage.
Hendi holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Thomas changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hendi fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Hendi feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Thomas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hendi slips nicely into half guard.
Thomas trying to control but Hendi postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hendi trying to pass the guard but Thomas defending well.

Hendi wants to work for an arm triangle but Thomas is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Well, if Hendi 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hendi gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Nice sprawl there from Thomas as Hendi shoots in.

Hendi closes the distance and clinches.

Hendi manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Hendi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Thomas trying to control but Hendi is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Hendi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thomas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hendi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Thomas with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hendi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Hendi is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hendi stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Thomas to get to his feet.
Hendi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Hendi instigates a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hendi stalling.
Hendi wants to break free but Thomas has control.
Ray Thomas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kim Hendi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hendi is pushing Thomas up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kim Hendi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hendi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kim Hendi!
A relieved looking Kim Hendi thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.