PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Randall Jackson (ranked 882 p4p, 112 weight class) and Long Thai (ranked 1088 p4p, 131 weight class). Jackson comes to the cage accompanied by Deliverance. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Long Thai was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Jackson
vs
Thai

173 cm
25
157 lbs
6 - 5 - 1

178 cm
24
165 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Vegan Gains

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Randall Jackson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Long Thai!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Jackson.
Thai thinks about the counter body kick.
Jackson looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Jackson throws a jab but it's blocked by Thai.
Thai avoids a punch combination nicely.
Jackson takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Jackson has closed the distance and engaged Thai in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jackson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Jackson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Thai lands a knee to the body.
Jackson managing to block the knees to the body from Thai.
Thai landing knees to the head.
Jackson tries to pull guard but Thai forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai trying to land knees to the body.
Jackson jumps guard but Thai stands there with Jackson around his waist. Jackson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Randall Jackson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thai lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Jackson changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Thai fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Jackson dives in for a single leg takedown but Thai sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Thai counters with a body kick.

Jackson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Thai bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Jackson throws a right hand that misses
and Thai counters with a nice uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jackson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Thai shapes to counter with a head kick.
Jackson looks to score with a jab to the body but Thai is just out of range.
Jackson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Thai sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Jackson somewhat.
Jackson backing away here, and Thai unleashes a leg kick that just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jackson shoots for a takedown but Thai saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jackson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Thai looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Thai listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Jackson instigates a clinch.
Jackson avoiding damage as Thai throws knees to the body.
Jackson has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Thai after a bit of a struggle.
Jackson is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Thai gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Thai blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Jackson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Jackson.
Jackson is trying to push Thai away but Thai has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Jackson gets control of Thai's arms and successfully pulls guard. Jackson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Jackson wants to hit a switch here but Thai passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Jackson there!
Thai trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Thai takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Thai can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Jackson is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Thai takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Jackson working to try and regain half guard.
Thai looking to control but Jackson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Jackson really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Long Thai 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.

Thai stuffs the takedown attempt from Jackson. Jackson gets slowly back to his feet.
Thai tries to counter by closing the distance.

Jackson is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Thai's half guard.
Still in half guard, Jackson seems content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thai looks like he's trying to stand up.
Jackson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thai trying to hold on to Jackson's head to control him but Jackson postures up.
Jackson looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Jackson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson wants to control but Thai is keeping him busy.
Long Thai has got the better of the ground game so far.
Thai is looking to control Jackson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thai avoid being mounted?
Thai is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Thai really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Jackson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Thai is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Thai blocking the ground and pound attempt from Jackson.

Thai kicks off Jackson and gets to his feet.

Jackson closes the distance and pushes Thai back into the cage.

Jackson breaks from the clinch.
No joy there for Jackson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thai tries to clinch up but Jackson circles away and keeps his distance.
Jackson lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Jackson tries for a takedown but Thai circles away easily
enabling Thai to counter with a crisp jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thai looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Randall Jackson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jackson misses with an uppercut. Thai saw that one coming.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Jackson.
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!
You can see the frustration on Thai's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Jackson lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Thai defending against the ground and pound.
Jackson looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Thai is avoiding damage well.
Thai tries to bench press Jackson off him but Jackson keeps the position.
Jackson tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Thai tries to improve position but can't.
Thai is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Jackson is controlling him well.
Jackson trying to control the position but Thai is working away.
Thai is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Thai wants to control but Jackson is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Jackson.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Thai can do anything to dispel that myth.
Thai is trying to control but Jackson manages to pass to mount!
Thai is in a horrible position here. Jackson smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Jackson prevents Thai from getting the reversal.
Jackson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Thai wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Jackson.
Jackson lands a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randall Jackson dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Jackson misses with a jab, cross combination.

Thai moves into the clinch.

Jackson manages to pull guard.
Jackson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thai is looking to stand up but Jackson won't let him.
Thai controlling from the top position.
Jackson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Thai manages to get himself to full guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jackson prevents Thai from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson wants to control from the top but Thai keeps moving.
Jackson throwing strikes but missing.
Thai working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jackson.
Jackson is working Thai over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Thai is trying to control the position but Jackson postures up.
Jackson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jackson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Jackson with a nice head shot there.
Jackson throwing strikes from guard but Thai blocks nicely.
Jackson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Jackson throwing strikes from guard but Thai blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jackson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Thai's head.
Thai is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Thai is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Jackson wants to control from the top but Thai keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jackson cracks Thai with a right hand to the side of the head.
Jackson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Thai.
Jackson misses with a series of wild punches.
Jackson sets himself, and Thai steps forward looking for the clinch! Jackson avoids it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Thai defends it nicely.
Jackson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thai swivels and escapes.

Thai has managed to clinch.

Jackson has clasped his hands together around Thai's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

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

Thai pushes Jackson up against the cage in a clinch.
Jackson wants to take the fight to the mat but Thai manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Randall Jackson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thai is pressed up against the cage. Jackson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Thai down to the mat. Thai avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jackson misses with a wild combination.
Thai counters with a body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jackson misses with a double jab
and Thai counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Jackson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thai.
Jackson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Thai tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jackson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thai scores with a nice body kick.
No luck for Jackson with that takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Randall Jackson.
I think Jackson 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Randall Jackson!
Randall Jackson thanked the fans post fight for their support.