PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Christopher Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samin Ax (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.

Thomas
vs
Ax

170 cm
25
141 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Christopher Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Samin Ax!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Skip Squint and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ax drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Ax trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.

Thomas is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing Ax from controlling successfully.

Thomas working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ax doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ax manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Ax trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.

Thomas is looking for a triangle but Ax pushes his legs off easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ax wants to get up but he can't break Thomas's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ax passes Thomas's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Thomas looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ax lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas gets full guard.
Ax must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ax throwing strikes from guard but Thomas blocks nicely.
Ax tries to free his leg and advance position but Thomas is retaining full guard.

Thomas is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Ax decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Thomas, up you get!

Ax looking to score a takedown here. Thomas is defending well but Ax drives through and ends up in Thomas's guard.

Thomas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ax can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thomas keeping full guard, as Ax tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Thomas had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ax defends it easily.

Thomas is looking for a triangle here but Ax uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Thomas is breathing heavily.

Ax tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Ax looks up at the clock and then as Thomas takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Ax smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Thomas tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Ax presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Thomas is looking to improve his position but Ax isn't that keen on the idea.

Ax get's back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ax shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Ax wants to stand up but Thomas has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Ax trying to mount his opponent but Thomas defends it.

Thomas actively working from the bottom here.
Ax wants to stand up but Thomas has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Thomas is staying active underneath Ax, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ax tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Thomas.

Thomas looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Well, if Ax 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.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
It looks like Ax is going to stand back up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ax stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Thomas to get to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samin Ax dominated that round.
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.

Thomas avoids the body shot from Ax.
Ax is looking to clinch.

Ax looking to score a takedown here. Thomas is defending well but Ax drives through and ends up in Thomas's guard.
Ax trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Thomas escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ax gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Thomas throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Ax avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ax trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Thomas can't keep his opponent in guard - Ax advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Thomas looking for submissions off his back.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ax in particular looking to stall.
Ax trying to control from half guard but Thomas is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ax looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ax scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Thomas looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Thomas has a hand on Ax's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Ax takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Ax tries to control but Thomas wriggling away.
Ax scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Thomas?
Ax can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thomas is looking to escape.
Thomas is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ax looking to secure an arm triangle but Thomas defends it well.
Thomas is looking to improve his position but Ax isn't that keen on the idea.
Ax controlling the pace for now.
Thomas working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is working hard here to advance position.
Ax tries to control but Thomas wriggling away.
Thomas is working to get back to half guard.
Ax trying to control but Thomas is having none of it.
Ax lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ax landing punches.
Thomas manages to regain half guard. Good work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thomas is staying active underneath Ax, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samin Ax showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ax darts in and clinches Thomas up against the cage.
Ax stops a takedown attempt from Thomas.
Thomas is working for takedown but Ax is calmly controlling the position for now.

Ax manages to break the clinch.
Thomas shoots in and drives through. Ax sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Christopher Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ax tries to close the distance and clinch but Thomas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Ax instigates a clinch.

Thomas is fighting off a takedown attempt but Ax is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Thomas to the mat. Thomas regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Ax keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Thomas's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ax is in close to Thomas's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ax working some strikes from top position.
Ax trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thomas can't keep his opponent in guard - Ax advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Ax is working for a submission of some sort.
Thomas gets full guard.

Thomas looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Thomas wants to sweep here but Ax controlling him for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ax got a little sloppy there for a moment and Thomas has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ax has managed to get both his arms back between Thomas's legs - danger averted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ax wants to get up but he can't break Thomas's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ax trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ax won't allow Thomas to sweep him here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ax content to stall in guard here.

Thomas is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ax is aware though and is defending well.
Ax wanted to stand there but Thomas had control of the position.
Ax stands and throws Thomas's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Thomas manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ax trying to pass the guard but Thomas defending well.

Ax decides to stand up.
Ax's corner calls for a 1-2. Ax obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Ax throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Thomas counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Thomas is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Ax is just riding it out for now. Thomas eventually gives up the hold.
Ax is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ax is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Thomas is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Ax has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Thomas is working away from the top position though.
Christopher Thomas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Samin Ax is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ax is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samin Ax comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ax has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samin Ax!