PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Thunder (ranked 2746 p4p, 261 weight class) and Bear Claw (ranked 2820 p4p, 269 weight class). Thunder 's entrance music is Thunderstruck - AcDc. A fine choice. John Thunder had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Thunder
vs
Claw

195 cm
27
260 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

203 cm
26
267 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Sportivité

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Thunder !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bear Claw!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Steve Smith and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Claw stuffs the takedown.
Thunder throws a combination that misses

and Claw holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Claw prevents the takedown attempt.
Thunder wants to break free but Claw has control.
Claw lands an elbow inside.
Thunder is trying to break free.
Claw lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Claw missing with knees to the body.
Thunder looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Claw taking a breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Claw is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Thunder is defending well for now.
Claw wants to stall.
Thunder lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thunder blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Claw is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Thunder is defending well for now.
Claw misses with a hook to the ribs.
Claw has Thunder pressed against the cage, preventing Thunder from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Thunder has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Claw after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Thunder . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Claw is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Thunder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Claw is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Thunder is keeping busy.
Claw trying to land knees to the body.
Thunder managing to block the knees to the body from Claw.
Thunder avoids a wild elbow strike from Claw.
Thunder wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Claw has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Claw throws an elbow that misses.
Claw lands an elbow inside that Thunder shrugs off.
Thunder has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Thunder is trying to break the clinch but Claw is controlling him.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Claw creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Claw can't find room to land a body shot as Thunder controls the action.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Claw takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Claw has Thunder pressed against the cage, preventing Thunder from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Claw misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thunder .
Thunder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunder blocks an elbow strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Thunder has had enough of the clinch but Claw keeps him there for the moment.
Claw lands an elbow that stopped Thunder in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like John Thunder has been cut.
Thunder looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Claw unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Claw comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Thunder avoiding damage as Claw throws knees to the body.
Thunder tries to circle away but Claw has him pinned against the cage.
Thunder prevents a body shot from Claw.
Claw lands a knee to the body.
Claw misses with some punches.
Claw dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Thunder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Claw keeps control of Thunder as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Thunder can't break the clinch.
Claw displaying some good clinch control by pressing Thunder up against the cage.
Claw trying to control the position but instead, Thunder has worked for underhooks and has pushed Claw into the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The referee is keeping an eye on Claw - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bear Claw dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Thunder 's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Claw tries to land a body kick
and Thunder counters with a three punch combo that has Claw backing up. Claw nods at Thunder to acknowledge the strikes.
Thunder throws a head kick but Claw moves out of range.
Thunder throws a half hearted mid kick.
Claw throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
A left lands for Claw.
Thunder lands with a nice combination. Claw backs away looking to recover.
Thunder jabs at Claw's body.
A bone on bone clash there as Thunder blocks the leg kick.
A punch combination from Thunder misses.
Claw tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Thunder counters with a left to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A head kick by Claw misses
and Thunder counters with a stiff right hand.
Claw throws a combination that misses
and Thunder counters with a nice uppercut.
Sloppy strikes from Claw. Those never looked like landing.
Bear Claw seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Claw tries to close the distance and clinch but Thunder swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Claw misses with a combination
and Thunder counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thunder scores with a nice head shot.
Claw tries to clinch up but Thunder circles away and keeps his distance.
It appears Thunder was looking to counter with a kick there.
Thunder moves out of range as Claw throws a body kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Claw lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Thunder has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Thunder and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
A lazy body kick from Claw
and Thunder counters with a right hand to the body.
Thunder moves out of range of the body kick from Claw.
Claw dodges the punch combination from Thunder .
Claw throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Thunder counters with a crisp one two that drops Claw! Thunder thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Claw to his feet! Claw is in big trouble!

It looks like Bear Claw has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Thunder .
Thunder throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thunder tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Claw swivels and escapes.
Bear Claw is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A head kick misses from Thunder .
Claw throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Thunder counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thunder seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Claw.
Claw closes the distance but Thunder moves to the side

and Thunder counters with a crisp one two that drops Claw! Thunder thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Claw to his feet! Claw is in big trouble!

Claw is rocked!

Thunder tries to keep at a distance but Claw has taken the fight into the clinch.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Claw prevents Thunder from breaking the clinch.
Thunder is trying to break the clinch but Claw has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Claw landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Thunder has had enough of the clinch but Claw keeps him there for the moment.
Thunder is trying to force a seperation but Claw has the dominant position.
Claw stalls.
Claw is stalling here.
Thunder effectively controlling the action here.
Claw misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thunder .
Claw misses with an elbow strike.
Bear Claw seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Claw prevents a takedown attempt there.
Claw tries to land knees in the clinch but Thunder avoids the damage to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Claw.
Thunder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Thunder breaks the clinch.
A shot to the body from Claw misses
and Thunder counters with a stiff right hand.

Thunder drops Claw with a beautiful combination! Claw stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Thunder is looking for the KO!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Claw looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Claw explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Claw looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A clash of legs there as Claw blocks the low kick.
A head kick misses from Claw.
Claw swings for the body but Thunder moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Thunder dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Claw connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Claw will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Thunder appears to be looking for a big counter.
Thunder throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Thunder fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Claw misses the shot to the body.
Thunder pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Claw throws a wild body kick that Thunder sees coming a mile off.
Thunder seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Thunder shoots in looking for a takedown but Claw manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Thunder 's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thunder checks a leg kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Claw.
Claw tries to bum rush Thunder with a series of wild strikes but Thunder uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Claw misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Claw connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nice straight punches there by Thunder . You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Thunder .
Claw throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Thunder .
Thunder is looking for a counter combo.

Claw moves into the clinch successfully.
Thunder is trying to push Claw away but Claw has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Claw has Thunder pressed against the cage, preventing Thunder from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Claw blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Thunder wants to get back to striking at distance but Claw won't allow it.
Thunder has had enough of the clinch but Claw keeps him there for the moment.
Claw slows down the pace here.
Claw stalling against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thunder tries to break the clinch but Claw is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Claw is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Claw is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Thunder is keeping busy.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Bear Claw.

Claw forces Thunder back against the cage and clinches.
Claw throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thunder blocks it with crossed arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunder wants to break free but Claw has control.
Claw misses with a hook to the ribs.
Thunder is trying to break the clinch but Claw is controlling him.
Claw gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Thunder .
Thunder prevents a body shot from Claw.
Claw lands an elbow that stopped Thunder in his tracks for a moment.
Claw unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Claw stalling the fight.
Claw looking to slow down the pace here.
Thunder is trying to push Claw away but Claw has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thunder is working for takedown but Claw is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Thunder . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Claw missing with knees to the body.
Claw tries a body shot but Thunder blocks it.
Claw keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Thunder 's efforts to push away.
Claw wants to stall.
Claw misses with a short punch on the inside.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Claw trying to land knees to the body.
Thunder is trying to break the clinch but Claw is controlling him.
Thunder misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Claw.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bear Claw comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Claw has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bear Claw!