PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Swags Middleton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cary Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cary Thompson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Middleton
vs
Thompson

177 cm
26
178 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

165 cm
34
160 lbs
17 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Swags Middleton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 16 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cary Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Joseph Jones and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Middleton misses with the combination.
Nice defenses there by Thompson.
Middleton throws a shot from downtown. Thompson moves away and avoids it.

Thompson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Thompson tries to stall but Middleton uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Middleton drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Thompson gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Thompson prevents a takedown attempt there.

Middleton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Thompson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Thompson connects with a high kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thompson rushes Middleton and presses him up against the cage.
Thompson avoiding damage as Middleton throws knees to the body.
Thompson lands an elbow inside.
Middleton managing to block the knees to the body from Thompson.
Middleton drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Thompson gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Swags Middleton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Middleton tries to pull guard but Thompson won't allow it.

Thompson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Middleton tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Thompson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Thompson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Middleton lands an elbow that stopped Thompson in his tracks for a moment.
Middleton is trying to break free.
Thompson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Middleton's efforts to push away.
Thompson looking to slow down the pace here.
Middleton on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Thompson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson misses with a low kick as Middleton jumps back.
Thompson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Middleton.

Middleton tries to sprawl but Thompson drives through with a takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Middleton is looking to improve his position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Thompson connects with a nice short shot to Middleton's temple.
Middleton is trying to control but can't.
Thompson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Middleton's head.
Middleton is trying to maintain the position but Thompson is very close to passing his half guard.
Thompson is just content to waste time from the top position. Middleton takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Middleton looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Thompson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Middleton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thompson is one step ahead there.
Middleton is trying to keep Thompson in close.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Middleton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

We're going to have a standup here because Swags Middleton wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Middleton misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Middleton misses with a lunging right hand
and Thompson counters with a slapping leg kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Thompson. Middleton shrugs it off though.

Thompson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Thompson connects with a nasty looking knee right to Middleton's face.
Middleton blocks an elbow strike.
Thompson is looking to control Middleton's arms but Middleton gets an underhook and turns him. Now Thompson has his back to the cage.
Middleton avoiding damage as Thompson throws knees to the body.
Thompson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Middleton blocks it with crossed arms.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thompson avoids the elbow strike from Middleton, against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thompson looking to stall.
Thompson tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Middleton is trying to break free.
Middleton is trying to force a seperation but Thompson has the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cary Thompson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Thompson moves into the clinch.
Middleton looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Thompson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Middleton.
Middleton managing to block the knees to the body from Thompson.
Thompson trying to land knees to the body.
Middleton goes for a takedown in the clinch but Thompson prevents it.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Thompson tries a knee to the head but Middleton blocks it.
Middleton is trying to push Thompson away but Thompson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Middleton avoids a wild elbow strike from Thompson.
Thompson throws an elbow that misses.
Thompson gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Middleton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Middleton connects with a looping right hand.
Middleton throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Thompson dives in and grabs Middleton's left leg, looking for a takedown. Middleton pushes down on Thompson's head and hops out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Middleton closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Middleton tries to clinch
and Thompson counters with a body kick.
Swags Middleton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thompson tries to clinch but Middleton is having none of it.
Middleton cracks Thompson with a good jab.
Middleton throws an overhand right that lands on Thompson's shoulder, as Thompson tries to avoid the shot.
Middleton tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Thompson finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Middleton loads up on a big right hand but Thompson slips the punch.
Thompson dodges the punch combination from Middleton.
Thompson lands a head shot.
Middleton misses with a left hand

and Thompson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Middleton.
Thompson trying to land knees to the body.
Middleton throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thompson blocks it with crossed arms.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Thompson gets underhooks to prevent Middleton's takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson with a knee to the head.
Middleton using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thompson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Thompson looking to throw knees to the head but Middleton is blocking nicely.
Thompson missing with knees to the body.
Thompson trying to land knees to the body.
Middleton avoiding damage as Thompson throws knees to the body.
Middleton misses with an elbow over the top.

Thompson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Middleton misses with an uppercut
and Thompson counters with a slapping leg kick.
Middleton moves to clinch but Thompson breaks away
and Thompson finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Middleton swats away the attempt to clinch by Thompson.
Thompson takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Middleton walks into a left hand.
Middleton is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
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!
Middleton misses with a double jab

and Thompson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Thompson.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Thompson just misses with a elbow thrown towards Middleton's brow.
Cary Thompson seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Middleton dodges an elbow strike from Thompson.
Middleton wants to get back to striking at distance but Thompson won't allow it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Middleton as Thompson tries to tie him up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Middleton's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cary Thompson 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!

Thompson closes the distance and clinches.
Thompson throws a knee to the head but misses.

Thompson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Middleton has closed the distance and engaged Thompson in a clinch.
Middleton missing with knees to the body.
Thompson misses with a knee strike.
Thompson lands an elbow just above Middleton 's eye.
Middleton is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Thompson is defending well for now.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Thompson.
Thompson throws a knee to the head but misses.

Middleton's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Good work by Middleton as he checks the leg kick.
Thompson doesn't manage to clinch there - Middleton circles away.
A jab from Middleton misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thompson has closed the distance and engaged Middleton in a clinch.
Thompson avoids the elbow strike from Middleton, against the cage.
Middleton with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Thompson stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Middleton tries to break the clinch but Thompson is controlling the position.
Middleton tries for a takedown. No joy.
Thompson unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Thompson is trying to stall.
Middleton managing to block the knees to the body from Thompson.
Thompson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Middleton blocks it with crossed arms.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Thompson. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

Middleton breaks the clinch.
Middleton throws the left hand but Thompson avoids the punch easily.
Middleton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Thompson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Middleton tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thompson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Middleton manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Thompson lands a nice looking body kick.
Swags Middleton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A solid leg kick lands there for Thompson.

Thompson takes the fight into the clinch.
Middleton wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Middleton wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Thompson has him pressed against the cage.
Middleton on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thompson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Middleton paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Middleton throws the left hand but Thompson avoids the punch easily.
Middleton fails to land the takedown.
Middleton rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Thompson counters with a nice leg kick.
Swags Middleton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Middleton tries to clinch up.

Thompson rushes Middleton and presses him up against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Thompson.
Thompson working Middleton over with knees to the body.
Thompson lands a damaging elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thompson landing knees to the head.
Thompson just leaning against Middleton, taking a breather.
Middleton takes a knee to the side of the body.
Thompson tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Middleton managing to block the knees to the body from Thompson.
Thompson lands a shot to the body.

Thompson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Thompson clinches up against the cage.

Thompson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thompson keeps the fight on the outside.
Middleton tries to clinch there but Thompson circles away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thompson lands a front kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cary Thompson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Thompson 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cary Thompson!
A victorious Cary Thompson thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.