PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jason Miller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnson Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Miller
vs
Thomas

210 cm
22
175 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

225 cm
22
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jason Miller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Johnson Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Steve Smith and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Thomas looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Miller is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Miller misses with a head kick.
Miller tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Miller wants to clinch.
Miller tries to clinch but Thomas is having none of it.
Miller tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Miller is looking to clinch.
Miller tries to close the distance and clinch but Thomas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thomas throws a lazy right hand but Miller sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Miller tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Miller gets caught flat footed, as Thomas shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Thomas content to stall in guard here.

Thomas stands up and waves to Miller to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thomas takes the fight into the clinch.
Thomas tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Miller smiles and moves away.

Thomas shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Miller is trying to defend but Thomas finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Thomas is pressing down on Miller's thigh, looking to free his foot. Miller is holding on for now.
Thomas controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thomas wants to work for an arm triangle but Miller is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Thomas looks gassed!
Thomas slows the pace down in half guard.
Miller really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Thomas prevents Miller from standing back up.
Thomas keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Thomas lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas is looking for a kimura but Miller is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Thomas to get the leverage.
Thomas lands with a punch from half guard.
Thomas is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Thomas decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miller moves out of range of the strikes.
Miller tries to clinch but Thomas is having none of it.

Thomas closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Thomas decides to stand up, so the ref orders Miller to his feet.
Thomas avoids the head kick by Miller.
Miller throws a head kick but Thomas moves out of range.
Miller tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Thomas counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Thomas tries for a takedown. No joy.
Thomas avoiding damage as Miller throws knees to the body.
Miller misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thomas.
Thomas drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnson Thomas dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Miller tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Thomas counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Thomas tries to free his leg and advance position but Miller is retaining full guard.

Thomas thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Thomas looking to pass the guard.
Thomas prevents Miller from getting back to his feet.
Thomas advances to half guard.
Thomas perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Miller is refusing to be controlled, as Thomas sits in half guard.
Thomas controlling the action here.
Miller knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Thomas on the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas wants to pass to mount but Miller is defending the position.

Thomas is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Miller has managed to free his arm - good work.
Miller avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Thomas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Thomas working Miller over with strikes.
Thomas is controlling the pace.
Miller has hold of Thomas's hands but Thomas slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Thomas controlling the pace.
Miller on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Thomas controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller is trying to stand.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Thomas wants to lay and pray for a moment but Miller keeps working.
Miller tries to kick Thomas off but Thomas keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Thomas is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Thomas wants to pass to mount but Miller is defending the position.
Thomas working Miller over with strikes.

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.
Miller pushes Thomas off looking to stand but Thomas dives back in and keeps control.

Thomas is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Miller is just riding it out for now. Thomas eventually gives up the hold.
Thomas is controlling the pace.
Johnson Thomas has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thomas wants to lay and pray for a moment but Miller keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnson Thomas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Miller tries to clinch

and Thomas counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Thomas tries to pass to full mount but Miller defends it.
Thomas scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Thomas looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Thomas prevents Miller from standing back up.
Thomas keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Thomas working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Thomas stalling.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Miller with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Thomas controlling the action here.

Despite being in the dominant position, Johnson Thomas just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Miller tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thomas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Miller tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Thomas counters with a shoot takedown. Miller fights it but they end up in guard.
Thomas wants to pass the guard but Miller is keeping the position.
Thomas looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thomas decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Miller stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Miller wants it to stay on the feet.
Miller throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Miller swats away the attempt to clinch by Thomas.

Miller moves into the clinch successfully.
Miller trying to land knees to the body.
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 Miller walks away with a smile on his face. Thomas gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller blocks a head kick by Thomas.
Thomas shoots in but Miller avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Jason Miller has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnson Thomas.
Miller tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Thomas counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Thomas.

Thomas stands and steps away. Miller gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Miller moves into the clinch.
Miller keeps control of Thomas as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Thomas fails to pull guard.
A frustrated look appears on Thomas's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Miller misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thomas.
Thomas has Miller pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Miller manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miller misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thomas.
Miller has Thomas pressed against the cage, preventing Thomas from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Miller tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Thomas avoids it.
Thomas on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Thomas is trying to break the clinch but Miller is controlling him.
Thomas tries to break free but Miller pushes him back against the cage.
Miller keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Thomas's efforts to push away.
Miller tries to land knees in the clinch but Thomas avoids the damage to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thomas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Jason Miller has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson Thomas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Thomas managing to block the knees to the body from Miller.
Miller missing with knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnson Thomas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnson Thomas!