PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Christopher Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ron Paul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Thomas
vs
Paul

170 cm
27
141 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

172 cm
26
135 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Fast

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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 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Christopher Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ron Paul!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas leaves Paul with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Thomas shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Paul defends it nicely.
Thomas misses with a straight left.
Paul shoots in for a double leg but Thomas sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Paul is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Thomas throws a chopping leg kick but Paul manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Thomas thows a left - swing and a miss!

Paul closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Paul unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Thomas on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Paul drops down looking for an ankle pick but Thomas pulls his leg out and moves away.
Christopher Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ron Paul.
Paul tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thomas scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Paul wants to improve his position but Thomas is controlling well.
Thomas slips a nice elbow through Paul's hands, connecting with Paul's forehead.
Paul blocking the ground and pound attempt from Thomas.
Thomas scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Thomas working the head and body with strikes.
Thomas stops Paul from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Thomas looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Paul with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Paul has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Thomas is working away from the top position though.
Thomas scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Thomas missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice strikes from Thomas there.
Paul misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Thomas missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thomas throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Paul looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Thomas is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Thomas is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Paul tries to roll over but Thomas keeps him under control.
Thomas is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Paul tries to kick Thomas off but Thomas keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Paul throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paul wants to get back to full guard.
Thomas lands strikes from half guard.

Thomas seems to be looking for submissions.
Nice strikes from Thomas there.
Thomas prevents Paul from standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paul is looking to improve his position.
Paul is pressing down on Thomas's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Thomas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Thomas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Thomas with a flurry of punches that miss.
Thomas postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Paul looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thomas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Paul tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Paul is trying to control the position but Thomas postures up.
Thomas postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Thomas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Paul looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thomas is one step ahead there.
Thomas makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paul wants to stand but Thomas is controlling the position.

Paul throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
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!
Thomas distracts Paul with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Paul utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thomas landing with the ground and pound.
Thomas looking to pass the guard.
Paul looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thomas won't allow Paul to get back to his feet.
Thomas throwing strikes from guard but Paul blocks nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Paul looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thomas is one step ahead there.
Thomas landing some decent shots from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christopher Thomas dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Paul uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thomas.
Thomas shoots in for a double leg but Paul sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Paul closes the distance and clinches.
Paul gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Thomas.
Thomas managing to block the knees to the body from Paul.
Thomas has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Paul avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Christopher Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Paul lands a good knee to the midsection. Thomas won't want to take too many of those.
Paul creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Thomas's defenses.

It looks like Christopher Thomas has been cut.
Paul is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Paul creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Thomas's defenses.
Paul lands an elbow that stopped Thomas in his tracks for a moment.

Thomas is fighting off a takedown attempt but Paul 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.
Paul throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paul wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.
Thomas pulls Paul in to control the position.
Thomas 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.
Paul wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.
Christopher Thomas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Thomas is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Thomas keeping full guard, as Paul tries to pass.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Thomas misses with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thomas shoots in and bounces Paul off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Thomas works over Paul with some ground and pound from guard.
Thomas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Paul working for a triangle but Thomas defends it easily.

Paul looking for a guillotine here but Thomas defends easily.
Thomas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Thomas got a little sloppy there for a moment and Paul has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Thomas has managed to get both his arms back between Paul's legs - danger averted.
Paul looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thomas is one step ahead there.
Thomas lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paul looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thomas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Paul looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thomas with a nice head shot there.
Thomas trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thomas chips away with some ground and pound.
Thomas postures up and lands a big shot to Paul's brow.

Paul throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Paul is breathing heavily.
Thomas wants to pass the guard but Paul is keeping the position.
Thomas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thomas postures up in Paul's guard and throws a big left but Paul blocks it.
Thomas works over Paul with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Paul is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Thomas is aware though and is defending well.
Thomas landing with the ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thomas working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Paul wants to sweep but no luck.
Thomas scoring with some ground and pound.
Paul wants to sweep but no luck.
Thomas stands up over Paul, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Thomas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Thomas is in close to Paul's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Thomas is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Thomas stands up over Paul, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Paul not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thomas tries to free his leg and advance position but Paul is retaining full guard.
Thomas throws a big right hand that misses.
Paul wants to sweep but no luck.
Thomas stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Paul swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Christopher Thomas will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Christopher Thomas's cut.
That's time! Thomas's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. 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.

Thomas misses with a takedown attempt
and Paul counters with a body kick that stops Thomas in his tracks momentarily.
Paul uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Thomas.
Paul moves in looking to clinch but Thomas pushes him off.
Paul fails in his attempt to clinch.
A lazy body kick from Thomas

and Paul counters by clinching up.
Paul stalling in the clinch but Thomas improves position.
Paul landing knees to the body.
Thomas is pressed up against the cage. Paul has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Thomas down to the mat. Thomas avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Thomas defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Paul.
A slow jab from Thomas misses its intended target.
Paul takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Thomas throws a hook but Paul blocks it.
Thomas keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Christopher Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ron Paul.
Paul tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Thomas misses.

Thomas gets a double leg takedown into Paul's guard.
Paul bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thomas's guard.
Thomas wants to sweep here but Paul controlling him for the moment.
Paul wants to pass the guard but Thomas is keeping the position.
Paul trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Thomas wants to sweep but no luck.
Paul trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Paul looking to sit in guard and control but Thomas gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Paul is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Thomas wants to pass the guard but Paul is keeping the position.
Thomas chips away with some ground and pound.
Paul preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
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!
Thomas landing some decent shots from guard.
Thomas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Thomas lands a couple of elbows.
Thomas preventing the sweep.
Paul not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Paul tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Thomas's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Paul is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Thomas throws a strike but Paul rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Paul preventing the sweep.
Paul trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Thomas has his hands on Paul's head, controlling the position.
Paul trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paul trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Paul looking to pass the guard.
Thomas wants to sweep but no luck.
Thomas looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Ron Paul has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Paul preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thomas misses with a straight right.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thomas motions for Paul to come forward. Thomas throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Paul misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thomas misses with a looping right.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Christopher Thomas.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Thomas, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Christopher Thomas!
Christopher Thomas decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.