PBP Commentary

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

Holman
vs
Thomas

180 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

190 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Damion Holman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jacob Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Chad Campbell and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Holman avoids the head kick by Thomas.

Holman tries to sprawl but Thomas drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Thomas is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Holman tries to get to full guard but Thomas has control of the leg.
Thomas wants to pass to mount but Holman is defending the position.
Thomas slows the pace down in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
It looks like Thomas is going to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Thomas is looking to advance position but Holman won't allow it.
Still in half guard, Thomas seems content to control.

Thomas is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Holman is just riding it out for now. Thomas eventually gives up the hold.
Thomas looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Thomas shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Holman trying to control from the bottom.
Thomas sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Thomas stands up and beckons Holman to join him on the feet.

Holman gets tackled into the cage by Thomas. Thomas maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas pulls Holman into guard.
Thomas is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Thomas manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Holman manages to get himself to full guard.

Thomas controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Thomas stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Holman swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Holman working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas controls from within his opponent's guard.
Thomas prevents Holman from getting back to his feet.
Thomas looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Thomas looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Holman!
You can see the frustration on Holman's face as Thomas controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thomas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Holman is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Thomas.

Holman gets caught flat footed, as Thomas shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Thomas trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Thomas controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Holman is trying to control the position but Thomas postures up.
Holman trying to control the position here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holman has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Thomas has passed into side control.
Holman can't do much from the bottom here.
Jacob Thomas has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Holman down.
Thomas tries to stand but Holman is controlling his head.
Thomas lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Holman down.

Thomas wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Holman, who protects the arm well.
Holman is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thomas thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Holman is trying to get back to half guard.
The referee asks Thomas politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Thomas prefers to stall for the moment though.

Thomas looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Thomas working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

Thomas wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Holman, who protects the arm well.
Holman prevents Thomas from improving position.

Thomas working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Thomas tries for a kimura but Holman is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Thomas working away.
Thomas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Thomas tries for a kimura but Holman is defending well.
Thomas wants to stand but Holman has his arm trapped.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Thomas tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Thomas has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thomas scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Holman to see if he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Thomas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Holman has Thomas up against the cage in a clinch.

Thomas pulls Holman into guard.
Thomas trying to control the position here.
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.
Thomas trying to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thomas seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas wants to sweep but no luck.

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

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Thomas moves into the clinch.
Holman wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Thomas is working Holman over against the cage.

That's two 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 doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Thomas has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Holman breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Thomas gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Thomas successfully pulls guard.
Thomas throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Thomas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Holman can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Holman trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas wants to sweep here but Holman controlling him for the moment.
Holman trying to control the position from guard on top but Thomas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Thomas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thomas wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Holman, who protects the arm well.
Holman tries to buck Thomas off but Thomas is having none of it.
Thomas passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Holman!
Holman tries to hold on but Thomas pushes him away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thomas content just to control the position here.
Holman's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jacob Thomas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Thomas 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 25:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 25:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacob Thomas!