PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dominick Thayler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and cody sparks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Thayler
vs
sparks

169 cm
20
172 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
21
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Demonic Drugs

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dominick Thayler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, cody sparks!
The judges for this bout are , and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
sparks goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Thayler looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
sparks fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Thayler tries to clinch up.
sparks tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thayler swats him away and circles back towards the center.
sparks throws a head kick but Thayler moves out of range.
Thayler tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and sparks counters with a nice double leg into guard.
sparks slips nicely into half guard.
sparks seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Thayler does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
sparks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Thayler defending well though.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

sparks clinches with his opponent.
sparks throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Thayler gets underhooks to prevent sparks's takedown attempt.
sparks holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
sparks keeps control of Thayler as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Thayler gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from sparks.
Dominick Thayler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of cody sparks.
sparks has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Thayler avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
sparks wants a takedown but no success here.
sparks tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Thayler just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thayler lands a knee to the head.
Thayler holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Thayler breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

sparks gets caught flat footed, as Thayler shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
sparks trying to keep a closed guard but Thayler is proving a slippery customer.
Thayler has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of sparks is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
sparks manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Thayler manages to get himself to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
sparks trying to control but Thayler is working from the bottom.
sparks trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
sparks in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
sparks wants to get up but he can't break Thayler's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
sparks trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
sparks is looking to work some ground and pound but Thayler has wrist control.
sparks wants to control from the top but Thayler keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
sparks tries to clinch but Thayler moves out of range.
Thayler tries to close the distance and clinch up but sparks swats him away and circles back towards the center.
sparks tries to clinch but Thayler is having none of it.
Thayler lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

sparks wants to clinch

and Thayler counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
sparks regains full guard. Nicely done.
sparks is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Thayler is controlling him.
Thayler postures up.
sparks wants to sweep but no luck.

sparks scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
sparks darts in trying to clinch

and Thayler counters by clinching up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thayler with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Thayler with a knee to the head.
sparks tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Thayler just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thayler scores a nice knee to the body.
sparks wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Thayler has him pressed against the cage.
sparks drops down looking for an ankle pick but Thayler pulls his leg out and moves away.

Thayler drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Thayler avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thayler won't allow sparks to sweep him here.
sparks is trying to control the position but Thayler postures up.
Thayler stopping the sweep attempt from sparks.
sparks not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
sparks is pulling down on Thayler's head. It's preventing any offense from Thayler, at least for the moment.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Thayler takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Thayler avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Thayler.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thayler stands up.

Thayler shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in sparks's guard.
Thayler wants to control from the top but sparks keeps moving.
sparks working a defensive guard here.
Thayler might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Thayler accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dominick Thayler dominated that second round.
That's time! 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.

Thayler blocks a head kick by sparks.
Thayler walks into a jab.
Thayler misses the shot to the body.
Thayler is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dominick Thayler is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
sparks works Thayler's body with a nice hook.
sparks misses with a takedown attempt

and Thayler counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for sparks!
sparks tries to hold on but Thayler postures up.
sparks tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
sparks is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Thayler goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now sparks is on top in guard.
sparks wants to control from the top but Thayler keeps moving.
Dominick Thayler overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
sparks pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thayler is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Thayler manages to escape and get back to his feet.
sparks wants to clinch.
A head kick misses from Thayler.
sparks doesn't manage to clinch there - Thayler circles away.
Thayler could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Thayler shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
sparks misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
sparks trying to hold on to Thayler's head to control him but Thayler postures up.
Thayler content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
sparks is looking to control Thayler's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can sparks avoid being mounted?
Thayler knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for sparks on the ground.

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.
Thayler is trying to control the action in half guard but sparks is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
sparks is trying to maintain the position but Thayler is very close to passing his half guard.
Thayler content to control rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Thayler looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dominick Thayler showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Thayler has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dominick Thayler!