PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sauvage Thibodeaux (ranked 826 p4p, 1268 weight class) and Paul Welch (ranked 118 p4p, 177 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Thibodeaux
vs
Welch

180 cm
23
195
10 - 4 - 0

180 cm
25
185
10 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction

Furnace Performance 🔥
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

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 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sauvage Thibodeaux!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Paul Welch!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Reed Andrews and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Welch throws a series of punches but Thibodeaux avoids them all with ease.
Thibodeaux uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Welch.
Welch lands a jab to the head.
Welch throws a head kick that Thibodeaux semi-blocks.
Welch scores with a three punch combo!
Welch misses with a looping left.
Thibodeaux tries to counter by clinching up but Welch breaks away and moves out of range.
Welch changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Welch lands an overhand right.
Welch misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A jab lands there for Welch.
Welch swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Welch connects with a looping right hand.
Welch swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thibodeaux slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Welch lands a nice hook to Thibodeaux's body. Thibodeaux takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Welch throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Welch throws the left hand but Thibodeaux avoids the punch easily.
Welch lands with an overhand left.
Thibodeaux walks into a straight right hand from Welch.
Welch misses with the combination.
Welch defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Thibodeaux.
Welch looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Thibodeaux's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Welch connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Thibodeaux scrambles back to his feet.
Good standup being displayed there by Welch as he connects with a hook.
Welch gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Thibodeaux counters with a takedown into side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Welch can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Welch is looking to regain half guard here but Thibodeaux keeps moving and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thibodeaux works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

Thibodeaux is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Welch has escaped the position, nice work there.
Welch tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Thibodeaux wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Check out the look on Thibodeaux's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Welch is trying to improve his position.
Thibodeaux lands a few punches from side control.
Welch is trying to get back to half guard.
Welch struggling a bit here.
Thibodeaux lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Welch down.
Thibodeaux cracks Welch with a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welch is looking for a sweep.

Thibodeaux is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Welch is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Welch is looking to regain half guard here but Thibodeaux keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Check out the look on Thibodeaux's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Thibodeaux 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.
Thibodeaux wants to control but Welch is keeping him busy.
Welch is looking to reverse the position.
Thibodeaux working the body and head with strikes.
Thibodeaux content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Thibodeaux has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Thibodeaux throws a strike aimed at the side of Welch's head but Welch avoids it well.
Welch is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thibodeaux trying to control the action but Welch is working from the bottom.
Thibodeaux cracks Welch with a big right hand but Welch just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Thibodeaux takes a little break here. Welch wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

Thibodeaux is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Welch has escaped the position, nice work there.
Welch can't do much from the bottom here.

Thibodeaux is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Welch is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Thibodeaux working away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Welch dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Thibodeaux ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Thibodeaux is looking to counter the offense by Welch and move into the clinch.
Welch with a hook.
Welch has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Welch bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
A nice combination there by Welch.
Welch throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Thibodeaux sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thibodeaux seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Welch works Thibodeaux's body with a nice hook.
Welch pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
As Welch tries to get set, Thibodeaux tries to push him back and clinch up but Welch manages to avoid the attempt.
Welch lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thibodeaux circles away quickly and effectively.
Welch scores with a sloppy right hand. Thibodeaux should have avoided that one.
Welch tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thibodeaux gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Welch counters with a stiff right hand.
Paul Welch is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Welch misses the shot to the body.
Thibodeaux seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Welch does no damage.
Welch throws a lazy uppercut

and Thibodeaux counters by clinching up.
Thibodeaux prevents a body shot from Welch.
Thibodeaux blocking some punches.
Welch misses with a short punch on the inside.

Thibodeaux drags the fight down to the ground.

Thibodeaux is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Welch defends well.
Welch tries to free his leg and advance position but Thibodeaux is retaining full guard.
Welch sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Thibodeaux has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Welch can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Welch wants to control from the top but Thibodeaux keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thibodeaux not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Thibodeaux has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Welch can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Welch trying to control the position from guard on top but Thibodeaux is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thibodeaux trying to control the position here.
Welch wants to control from the top but Thibodeaux keeps moving.
Thibodeaux looking to hit a scissor sweep but Welch is one step ahead there.
Welch trying to control but Thibodeaux is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welch might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Thibodeaux haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Welch is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Thibodeaux has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Welch can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Thibodeaux looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Welch is defending well. Thibodeaux quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Welch has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Thibodeaux celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Sauvage Thibodeaux!
A relieved looking Sauvage Thibodeaux thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.