PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between DJ Cannonier (ranked 3677 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ieuan Thomas (ranked 25773 p4p, 0 weight class). Ieuan Thomas is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Cannonier
vs
Thomas

170 cm
25
147 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Likes comics

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, DJ Cannonier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Ieuan Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, James Ackerman and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cannonier tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thomas swivels and escapes.
Thomas looks to clinch
and Cannonier counters with a stiff right hand.
Thomas is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Thomas clinches up against the cage.
Cannonier trying to land knees to the body.
Cannonier misses with an elbow strike.
Thomas tries to land knees in the clinch but Cannonier avoids the damage to the body.

Thomas successfully pulls guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Thomas throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Cannonier gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cannonier closes the distance and clinches.
Cannonier is trying to break free.
Thomas jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Cannonier walks away with a smile on his face. Thomas gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas slaps away a takedown attempt from Cannonier, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Thomas with a poor takedown
and Cannonier counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Thomas thinking.
Nice takedown defense from Cannonier. No joy for Thomas on that attempt.
DJ Cannonier has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ieuan Thomas.

Cannonier pushes Thomas up against the cage in a clinch.
Cannonier tries to pull guard but Thomas holds him up against the cage and eventually Cannonier drops back down to his feet.
Thomas working aggressively here.
Thomas changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cannonier fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cannonier shoots for a double leg takedown but Thomas sprawls well. He's pushed Cannonier's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thomas is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Cannonier fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cannonier gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Thomas breaks from the clinch.
Thomas avoids the head kick by Cannonier.
Thomas misses with a head kick.
Cannonier throws a wild body kick that Thomas sees coming a mile off.

Cannonier has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cannonier just leaning against Thomas, taking a breather.

Thomas gets control of Cannonier's arms and successfully pulls guard. Thomas will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Thomas throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Thomas is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is trying to control the action in half guard but Cannonier is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Thomas in particular looking to stall.
Thomas is pressing down on Cannonier's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cannonier is holding on for now.
Thomas trying to control from half guard but Cannonier is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Cannonier is trying to maintain the position but Thomas is very close to passing his half guard.
Thomas wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cannonier keeps working.
Cannonier wants to improve his position but Thomas is controlling well.
Cannonier knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Thomas on the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cannonier is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ieuan Thomas will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Thomas tries to keep at a distance but Cannonier has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cannonier wants to get back to striking at distance but Thomas won't allow it.
Cannonier is leaning against Thomas and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Cannonier looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cannonier blocks a body shot from Thomas.
Thomas goes for a takedown attempt but Cannonier pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
DJ Cannonier is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cannonier wants to clinch.
Thomas changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cannonier closes the distance and clinches.
Thomas tries to score a body lock takedown but Cannonier shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cannonier is trying to pull guard but Thomas has him pressed against the cage.
Thomas content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Cannonier tries to land knees in the clinch but Thomas avoids the damage to the body.
Cannonier is working for takedown but Thomas is calmly controlling the position for now.
Thomas wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cannonier wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Thomas has him pressed against the cage.
Thomas goes for a takedown attempt but Cannonier pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
DJ Cannonier has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ieuan Thomas.
A head kick misses from Cannonier.
Cannonier misses with a head kick.
As Cannonier backs off Thomas throws a huge counter combo but Cannonier manages to avoid it all.
Cannonier throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Thomas's waist but Thomas gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cannonier off to one side.
Cannonier looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Thomas throws a big counter head kick but Cannonier avoids it with no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas dives in and grabs Cannonier's left leg, looking for a takedown. Cannonier pushes down on Thomas's head and hops out.
Cannonier throws a low kick but Thomas avoids it.
Thomas is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cannonier sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cannonier scores with a jab.
Cannonier tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Thomas defends well and Cannonier ends up having to push Thomas into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cannonier looks for a takedown but Thomas sprawls well.
Cannonier is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cannonier moves in looking to clinch but Thomas pushes him off.
Cannonier shoots for a double leg takedown but Thomas sprawls well. He's pushed Cannonier's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
DJ Cannonier is winning the standup battle so far.
Thomas uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cannonier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Thomas.
Thomas lands a nice hook to Cannonier's body. Cannonier takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Thomas avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cannonier shoots in and drives through. Thomas sprawls well.
Thomas swings for the body but Cannonier moves out of range.
Thomas fails with a takedown attempt.
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Thomas shapes to counter with a head kick.
Cannonier looks to clinch
and Thomas counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Cannonier with that takedown attempt.
Cannonier tries to clinch up but Thomas circles away and keeps his distance.
Cannonier slips a jab and a cross from Thomas.
Thomas connects with a crisp jab.
Thomas throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Cannonier has closed the distance and engaged Thomas in a clinch.
Thomas being controlled against the cage.

Thomas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cannonier tries to close the distance and clinch but Thomas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ieuan Thomas will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, 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.

Cannonier swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A nice side step and Thomas releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Thomas misses the body punch
and Cannonier counters with a one-two to the body.
Cannonier misses with a takedown attempt - Thomas sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Cannonier gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Cannonier pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Cannonier stalling.

Thomas ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Thomas no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thomas is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cannonier is aware though and is defending well.
Cannonier content to stall in guard here.

Thomas has his foot on Cannonier's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cannonier works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Cannonier throws an elbow that misses. Thomas uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Cannonier's guard. Nice move by Thomas!

Thomas decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Cannonier darts in and clinches Thomas up against the cage.
Thomas lands a nice elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas looking for a takedown.
Thomas takes a knee to the side of the body.
Thomas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
A head punch on the inside from Thomas fails to land.
Cannonier creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Cannonier controlling the action here for a moment.

Thomas jumps into guard, dragging Cannonier to the mat.
Cannonier wants to pass the guard but Thomas is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cannonier wants to stand but Thomas is controlling his posture from full guard.
Thomas is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cannonier wants to control but Thomas passes into side.
Cannonier is looking for a sweep.
Thomas throws a strike aimed at the side of Cannonier's head but Cannonier avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cannonier is looking to get back to his feet here but Thomas is keeping cool and he's managed to take Cannonier's back.
Thomas wants to control but Cannonier is keeping busy.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Cannonier wants to get back to his feet.
DJ Cannonier has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ieuan Thomas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Thomas has his opponent's back but Cannonier is looking to stand. He manages to get to his feet and shakes off Thomas.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ieuan Thomas.
I've got Thomas winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ieuan Thomas!