PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cody Brinks (ranked 672 p4p, 90 weight class) and Thomas Bolleke (ranked 1305 p4p, 173 weight class). Cody Brinks has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Brinks
vs
Bolleke

185 cm
21
196 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

195 cm
23
191 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cody Brinks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Bolleke!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Hugh Johnson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brinks walks into a straight right hand from Bolleke.
Bolleke misses the shot to the body.
Brinks uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Bolleke has time to react.
Brinks walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Brinks drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Brinks walks into a stiff left hand from Bolleke.
Brinks is looking to chop away at Bolleke's legs.

Brinks takes the fight into the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Brinks.
Bolleke lands with a right to the head.
Bolleke scores with a shot to the side of Brinks's head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Brinks.

Bolleke successfully pulls guard.

Bolleke escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Brinks gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Brinks is fighting to break Bolleke's control of his arms but Bolleke is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Brinks tries to stand but Bolleke is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brinks stopping the sweep attempt from Bolleke.
Bolleke managing to control the position.
Brinks is looking to stand up but Bolleke won't let him.
Bolleke has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Bolleke throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Bolleke throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Brinks has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Bolleke looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Bolleke had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Brinks defends it easily.
Brinks wanted to stand there but Bolleke had control of the position.
Brinks trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bolleke had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Brinks defends it easily.
Brinks wants to stand and escape but instead Bolleke has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brinks is looking to stand up but Bolleke isn't so interested in that idea.
Bolleke is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Bolleke stops Brinks from standing up.
Bolleke controlling from the top position.
Bolleke works over Brinks with some ground and pound from guard.
Bolleke is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bolleke content to stall in guard here.
Bolleke with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bolleke postures up in Brinks's guard and throws a big left but Brinks blocks it.

Bolleke drops back looking for a leg! Brinks is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Brinks manages to kick Bolleke off! Bolleke jumps back into Brinks's guard.
Brinks knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bolleke on the ground.
Brinks keeping full guard, as Bolleke tries to pass.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bolleke slips nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Bolleke dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Brinks misses with a wild body shot.
Bolleke lunges at Brinks with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Brinks's hand.
Brinks feints and then cracks Bolleke's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Bolleke down.
Brinks uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bolleke.
Brinks throws a nice outside leg kick.
Brinks with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Bolleke bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Brinks's head backwards.
Brinks walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Brinks ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Brinks misses with a hook
and Bolleke counters with a nice uppercut.
Brinks has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Bolleke finds it's way round the side to connect with Brinks's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Brinks connects with a single shot there.
Brinks moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Bolleke blocks a jab.
Brinks is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bolleke.
Brinks misses with an uppercut
and Bolleke counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bolleke has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A slow jab from Bolleke misses its intended target.
Brinks gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Bolleke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolleke fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Brinks on the side of the head.
Brinks with a nice cross.
Brinks misses with a wild body shot.
Brinks scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Brinks looks to throw the jab but Bolleke is out of range.
Brinks takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Bolleke throws a body punch but Brinks moves out of range.
Brinks scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Bolleke doesn't seem bothered though.
Bolleke steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Brinks.
Bolleke takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Bolleke throws an overhand right that lands on Brinks's shoulder, as Brinks tries to avoid the shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Brinks looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And Bolleke tries to counter it with a takedown but Brinks pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Brinks ducks under a wild hook from Bolleke.
A solid leg kick lands there for Brinks.
Bolleke might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Brinks tries to close the distance and clinch but Bolleke swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brinks moves away from the strike by Bolleke.
Brinks steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bolleke.
Brinks looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Brinks moves away from the strike by Bolleke.
Bolleke feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Brinkss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Bolleke connects with a nice looking jab.
Brinks moves to clinch but Bolleke breaks away
and Bolleke counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Brinks cracks a nice hook into Bolleke's ribs.
Brinks throws a right hand that misses
and Bolleke counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Bolleke just misses with a punch to the body.
As Bolleke tries to get set, Brinks tries to push him back and clinch up but Bolleke manages to avoid the attempt.
A clash of legs there as Bolleke blocks the low kick.
Bolleke swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Brinks tries a low kick but Bolleke avoids it.
A nice combination there by Bolleke.
Cody Brinks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Brinks wants to land a leg kick but Bolleke is out of range.
Bolleke tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Bolleke throws a looping overhand right but Brinks ducks down to avoid it.
Brinks throws a low kick, looking for Bolleke's leg but Bolleke calmly moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke jabs Brinks right on the nose. Brinks blinks but takes it well.
Bolleke slips a straight right by Brinks.
Bolleke let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Bolleke dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bolleke checks a leg kick nicely.
Brinks works the jab nicely.
Bolleke scores with a crisp jab that stopped Brinks in his tracks.
Good exchange - Bolleke coming out on top.
A low kick from Brinks is predictable there

and Bolleke counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bolleke prevents Brinks from getting back to his feet.
Bolleke cracks Brinks with a solid left hand.
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!
Bolleke advances to half guard.
Brinks keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Bolleke working his ground and pound in the gym.
Bolleke tries to pass the half guard into mount. Brinks knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Brinks is staying active underneath Bolleke, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke throwing shots but Brinks is blocking nicely.
Bolleke working Brinks over with strikes.
Bolleke not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Bolleke sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Brinks defending well though.

Bolleke is looking for a kimura but Brinks is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bolleke to get the leverage.
Nice strikes from Bolleke there.
Bolleke stops Brinks from getting back to his feet.

Bolleke is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Brinks defends it well.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bolleke wants to free his trapped foot but Brinks is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Bolleke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Brinks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bolleke was well out of range. Poor timing from Brinks.
Bolleke scores with a body shot.
Bolleke moves into range and connects with a jab.
Brinks darts in trying to clinch
and Bolleke connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bolleke with a hook.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Brinks.
Bolleke takes a swing at Brinks's ribcage but misses.
Brinks bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Bolleke avoids the body shot from Brinks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brinks tried to score with a low kick but Bolleke checks it.
Brinks waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bolleke.
Brinks is looking to clinch but Bolleke is avoiding it.
Brinks throws the left hand but Bolleke avoids the punch easily.
Brinks ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Bolleke lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Brinks looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brinks misses with an uppercut. Bolleke saw that one coming.
Bolleke is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Brinks with a body shot.
Bolleke lands a glancing blow to the side of Brinks's head.
Brinks is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Bolleke thuds a left hand into Brinks's body.
A telegraphed right hand from Bolleke misses the target.
Brinks defending well as Bolleke loads up on a big left hand.
Brinks is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Bolleke.
A big left from Bolleke misses.
Bolleke misses with a looping left.

Brinks has closed the distance and engaged Bolleke in a clinch.
Bolleke lands with a short shot to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Bolleke fails to land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Brinks.
Brinks doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Bolleke has a couple of punches blocked by Brinks.
Brinks misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bolleke is trying to pull guard but Brinks turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Bolleke working aggressively here.
Cody Brinks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke tries to pull guard but Brinks holds him up against the cage and eventually Bolleke drops back down to his feet.
Bolleke blocks an elbow strike from Brinks.
Brinks prevents a body shot from Bolleke.
Our sources have told us that Brinks has been working on his elbows in the gym.

Bolleke pulls guard successfully.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Brinks tries to stand but Bolleke is controlling from the bottom.
Brinks stopping the sweep attempt from Bolleke.

Brinks avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Bolleke is trying to keep Brinks in close.
Thomas Bolleke has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brinks with a flurry of punches that miss.
Brinks lands a couple of digs.

Bolleke is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Brinks defends well.

Bolleke looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Brinks tries to stand but Bolleke is controlling from the bottom.

Bolleke is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

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.

Bolleke is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Brinks is aware though and is defending well.
Brinks won't allow Bolleke to sweep him here.

Bolleke working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Brinks doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Brinks manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Brinks throwing strikes from guard but Bolleke blocks nicely.
Brinks wants to stand but Bolleke is controlling his posture from full guard.
Brinks is looking to work some ground and pound but Bolleke has wrist control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Bolleke comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Bolleke 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Bolleke!
A very excited looking Thomas Bolleke made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.