PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dorsey Thornton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Ruiz Zafon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Thornton
vs
Ruiz Zafon

153 cm
18
193 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

181 cm
18
191 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dorsey Thornton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Carlos Ruiz Zafon!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Daniel Blasius and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zafon lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Zafon swings for the body but Thornton moves out of range.
Zafon lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thornton circles away quickly and effectively.
Zafon lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Zafon throws a series of punches but Thornton moves out of range.
Zafon lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thornton circles away quickly and effectively.
Thornton tries to counter by clinching up but Zafon breaks away and moves out of range.

Thornton drives through and clinches with Zafon against the cage.
Thornton is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Zafon to keep the fight standing.
Thornton tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Zafon just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thornton really is a fat lump.
Zafon wants to get back to striking at distance but Thornton won't allow it.
Thornton lands a nice uppercut.

Thornton decides to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zafon is looking to stand up but Thornton won't let him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thornton pulls Zafon in to control the position.
Zafon trying to stand up but can't free himself from Thornton's guard.
Thornton bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zafon's guard.

Thornton won't allow Zafon to get back to his feet.
Thornton works over Zafon with some ground and pound from guard.

Zafon kicks Thornton off and gets to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zafon swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Thornton.
Thornton misses with a takedown attempt
and Zafon counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dorsey Thornton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thornton ducks right into an uppercut from Zafon.
Zafon uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Thornton has time to react.
Zafon works over Thornton's head and body with a nice combination.
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!

Thornton clinches with his opponent.
Zafon is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Thornton drags the fight down to the ground.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Zafon gets to his feet - Thornton follows without any prompting.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zafon ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thornton moves away.
Thornton tries to counter with a takedown but Zafon is quick to defend against it.
Zafon throws a right and a left that both miss.
Thornton tries to counter by clinching up but Zafon breaks away and moves out of range.
Thornton looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Zafon is fending him off so far but Thornton persists. Nope, Zafon circles away and we're back to standing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zafon. Thornton does a little dance to reset his feet.
Thornton changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Zafon with a body punch. A glancing blow.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Thornton tries to pull guard but Zafon won't allow it.
Thornton tries to pull guard but Zafon holds him up against the cage and eventually Thornton drops back down to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thornton tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Zafon just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thornton misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zafon.
Thornton is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Zafon to keep the fight standing.

Thornton breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zafon scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Thornton tries to move into range but Zafon moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Thornton with a poor takedown
and Zafon counters with a stiff right hand.
Thornton is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zafon throws a series of punches but Thornton avoids them all with ease.
Zafon has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Zafon lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon 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.

Zafon scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Thornton's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Zafon connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Thornton scrambles back to his feet.
Zafon's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Zafon duly obliges.

Thornton is rocked!

It looks like Dorsey Thornton has been cut.

Thornton looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Zafon!

Zafon bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Oh Thornton is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thornton tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Zafon counters with a right hand to the body.
Thornton seems to have got his legs back now.
Thornton avoids a punch combination nicely.
Dorsey Thornton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zafon falls off balance throwing a combination

and Thornton counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Zafon!

Zafon sneaks out the side door and pushes Thornton away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zafon misses with a combination

and Thornton counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Thornton.
Zafon has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Thornton fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Thornton tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Zafon wants to break free but Thornton has control.
Thornton tries to pull guard but Zafon forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dorsey Thornton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thornton tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Zafon just stands there and leans against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thornton tries to pull guard but Zafon won't allow it.
Thornton fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thornton jumps guard but Zafon stands there with Thornton around his waist. Thornton gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Zafon is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Zafon can't break the clinch.
Zafon is trying to break the clinch but Thornton has him pressed against the cage.

Thornton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zafon throws a one two combo.
Zafon scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zafon throws a series of punches but Thornton avoids them all with ease.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thornton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zafon digs a good body shot into Thornton's ribs.
Zafon moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thornton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zafon looks to land a combination. Thornton sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zafon misses with a wild body shot.
Zafon scores with a jab. Thornton acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Carlos Ruiz Zafon is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A jab from Zafon does it's job there.

Thornton gets a takedown into half guard.

Zafon makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dorsey Thornton's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Thornton slips a jab and a cross from Zafon.
Left hook, right uppercut from Zafon.
Zafon rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Thornton moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Zafon fails to land with a series of punches.
Jab from Zafon.
Zafon cracks Thornton with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Thornton moves in looking to clinch but Zafon pushes him off.
Zafon circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thornton dodges the punch combination from Zafon.
Thornton avoids the body shot from Zafon.
Zafon throws a nice looking combination but Thornton bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thornton is looking to clinch but Zafon is avoiding it.
Zafon scores with a jab to the head.
Zafon is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zafon. Thornton does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zafon misses with an uppercut. Thornton saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thornton avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thornton shoots and misses
and Zafon connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Thornton clinches up against the cage.
Zafon tries to circle away but Thornton has him pinned against the cage.
Zafon has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Thornton has Zafon pressed against the cage, preventing Zafon from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Thornton working aggressively here.
Thornton cracks Zafon with a nice body shot.
Zafon takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zafon is trying to break the clinch but Thornton has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thornton escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zafon misses with a series of wild punches.
Carlos Ruiz Zafon is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Zafon scores with a one two! Thornton had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Zafon lands with a straight right. Thornton didn't see that one coming.
Zafon circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zafon swings for the body but Thornton moves out of range.
Thornton tries to counter with a takedown but Zafon is quick to defend against it.
Thornton takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zafon gets caught napping as Thornton dives in and scores a takedown. Zafon manages to retain guard.

Zafon has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Thornton off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Zafon tries to keep at a distance but Thornton has taken the fight into the clinch.
Thornton jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Zafon walks away with a smile on his face. Thornton gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Zafon misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thornton.
Thornton half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Dorsey Thornton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zafon ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Thornton moves away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Carlos Ruiz Zafon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Zafon 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Carlos Ruiz Zafon!