PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Val Ayala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Lawson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ayala
vs
Lawson

182 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
130 lbs
2 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Val Ayala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thomas Lawson!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Aleksandr Martynov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lawson shoots in and gets a takedown into Ayala's guard.
Ayala wants to stand but Lawson is controlling the position.
Ayala preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lawson is in close to Ayala's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Lawson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ayala throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ayala swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lawson stays in close to Ayala's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawson wants to stand but Ayala has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

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

Lawson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Ayala was covering up waiting for the punch and Lawson finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Ayala looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Lawson has picked Ayala up and slammed him! Ayala can't keep hold of the triangle and Lawson manages to pass to side control!

Lawson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ayala knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Lawson tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawson is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Ayala's shoulder. That is not cool.
Ayala tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lawson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Ayala is trying to buck Lawson off.
Lawson moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ayala is trying to buck Lawson off.
Lawson controls the position from side control.

Lawson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ayala has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Lawson remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Lawson gets a takedown into half guard.
Ayala pushes Lawson off but Lawson dives into side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lawson landing a few strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Lawson dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Lawson closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Ayala quickly recovers to half guard.
Lawson misses with a head shot. Ayala uses the momentum to regain guard.
Lawson trying to control the position from guard on top but Ayala is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lawson stops Ayala from standing up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ayala wants to improve his position but instead Lawson has moved into half guard.
Lawson controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ayala does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ayala is looking to escape.
Lawson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lawson trying to mount his opponent but Ayala defends it.
Lawson looks to land a strike but Ayala avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Lawson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Ayala had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lawson defends it easily.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

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.

Ayala throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Lawson escapes and throws Ayala's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Lawson wants to stand but Ayala is controlling his arm.
Ayala tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lawson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Thomas Lawson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Ayala's face as Lawson controls the position.
Lawson lands an elbow.
Ayala is not content to let Lawson control the position.
Ayala manages to get back to half guard.

Lawson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ayala gets back to full guard.
Ayala trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Lawson won't allow Ayala to get back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Lawson is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Ayala's half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lawson wants to control but Ayala is keeping him busy.

Ayala is defending against the submission attempts here by Lawson.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ayala tries to roll over but Lawson keeps him under control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Lawson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Lawson throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Ayala tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Lawson is in Ayala's guard.
Lawson trying to control but Ayala is working from the bottom.
Ayala keeping full guard, as Lawson tries to pass.
Ayala striking off his back but it's not causing Lawson any problems.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Ayala really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Lawson passes into half guard.
Lawson tries to stand but can't do so whilst Ayala controls his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ayala tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Ayala tries to kick Lawson off but Lawson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Lawson is looking to take a break and control but Ayala is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

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

Lawson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Lawson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Ayala throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawson tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Lawson is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Ayala's shoulder. That is not cool.
Lawson gets to mount! Ayala was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Lawson prevents Ayala from getting the reversal.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ayala is squirming around, avoiding Lawson's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ayala has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
Lawson tries to keep control of the position but Ayala is staying busy.
Ayala trying to get back to his feet but Lawson is in full control for now.
Lawson is trying to stick to Ayala's back but Ayala is turning into Lawson. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Lawson's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Ayala.
Lawson trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Ayala in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawson controlling Ayala's posture.
Lawson lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ayala is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lawson defends well.
Lawson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Lawson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Lawson 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Lawson!
Thomas Lawson decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.