PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ken Thunder (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Kirby (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Thunder
vs
Kirby

188 cm
25
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 Sydney, Ken Thunder!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Randy Kirby!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Winston Howard and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thunder stuffs the takedown attempt from Kirby. Kirby gets slowly back to his feet.
Kirby misses with a takedown attempt - Thunder sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Kirby has managed to clinch.

Kirby manages to break the clinch.
Kirby dives in and grabs Thunder's left leg, looking for a takedown. Thunder pushes down on Kirby's head and hops out.
Ken Thunder has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Randy Kirby.
Thunder misses with a combination
and Kirby counters with a big head kick but Thunder shrugs it off.
Nice sprawl there from Thunder as Kirby shoots in.
Kirby shoots in and drives through. Thunder sprawls well.
Kirby dodges the punch combination from Thunder.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thunder slaps away a takedown attempt from Kirby, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Oooooh!!! Thunder has knocked Kirby down with a huge combo! Thunder steps away and waves a wobbly Kirby back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

It looks like Randy Kirby has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thunder throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Thunder blocks a head kick by Kirby.

Kirby closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Kirby breaks the clinch.

Kirby closes the distance and pushes Thunder back into the cage.
Kirby keeps control of Thunder as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kirby prevents Thunder from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thunder looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Kirby's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kirby throws a big shot that misses.
Sloppy strikes from Thunder. Those never looked like landing.
Thunder will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Kirby 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.
Thunder is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kirby is controlling him.
Kirby stands and throws Thunder's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Kirby throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunder pushes Kirby away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Kirby gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Thunder is breathing heavily.
Kirby working the ground and pound from side control.

Kirby tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kirby has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Thunder wants to get back to his feet but Kirby drags him back down.
Kirby is looking to take a break and control but Thunder is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kirby just content to control the position.
Kirby wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thunder keeps working.
Thunder is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Kirby asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thunder tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Thunder in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Thunder is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Kirby landing strikes, looking to finish!
Thunder is trying to stand up.
Kirby sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kirby has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kirby moves to back control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Kirby working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Kirby looking for the choke but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Randy Kirby will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Randy Kirby's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Thunder stuffs the takedown.
Kirby tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thunder swivels and escapes.
Kirby will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ken Thunder has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Randy Kirby.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kirby misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kirby tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thunder swivels and escapes.
Thunder throws a right and a left that Kirby avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirby wants to clinch up but Thunder keeps it at a distance.
Kirby fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thunder falls off balance throwing a combination
and Kirby counters with a head kick.
Thunder misses with a two punch combination.
Ken Thunder is winning the standup battle so far.

Kirby moves into range and clinches up with Thunder.
Thunder working hard to break the clinch.
Thunder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thunder tries to circle away but Kirby has him pinned against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thunder looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Kirby escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kirby closes the distance and clinches up with Thunder, looking for a takedown. Kirby pushes Thunder against the cage but Thunder circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ken Thunder is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kirby fails with a takedown attempt.
Thunder misses with a few strikes there.
Thunder throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Kirby holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Kirby's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Thunder defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kirby.
Kirby looks for a takedown but Thunder sprawls well.
Thunder misses with a two punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirby throws a one two combo.
No luck for Kirby with that takedown attempt.
Thunder rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kirby moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kirby misses with a takedown attempt - Thunder sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Randy Kirby seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kirby shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Thunder sprawls well. Thunder wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kirby gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kirby avoids a punch combination nicely.

Kirby has Thunder up against the cage in a clinch.

Kirby gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Randy Kirby has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kirby wants to free his trapped foot but Thunder is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thunder is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Kirby showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Randy Kirby's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kirby has closed the distance and engaged Thunder in a clinch.

Kirby manages to pull guard.
Kirby looking for a sweep. Not yet Kirby, not yet.
Thunder tries to stand but Kirby is controlling from the bottom.
Kirby controlling the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kirby can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kirby tries to strike from the bottom.
Thunder wanted to stand there but Kirby had control of the position.

Kirby working for a triangle but Thunder defends it easily.
Kirby looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirby has a closed guard, preventing Thunder from standing up.
Kirby takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Kirby kicks Thunder off and gets to his feet.
Thunder lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Thunder.
Thunder throws a nice looking combination but Kirby bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ken Thunder is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Kirby clinches.
Thunder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Kirby decides to pull guard.

Kirby looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thunder would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kirby pushes Thunder off and scrambles back to his feet.

Kirby closes the distance and clinches.
Kirby has Thunder pressed against the cage, preventing Thunder from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Kirby has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Thunder avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Thunder can't break the clinch.
Kirby keeps control of Thunder as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Kirby ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Kirby no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

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

Kirby looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunder wanted to stand there but Kirby had control of the position.
Thunder trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Kirby trying to keep a closed guard but Thunder is proving a slippery customer.

Kirby manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Kirby fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thunder has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Kirby.
Thunder swats away the attempt to clinch by Kirby.
Kirby throws a head kick but Thunder moves out of range.
Thunder misses with the combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kirby tries to score a power double leg takedown but Thunder sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kirby somewhat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randy Kirby comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kirby winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Randy Kirby!