PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Claudio Filho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thau Ching (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Claudio Filho has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Filho
vs
Ching

193 cm
22
220 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

197 cm
22
223 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Claudio Filho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thau Ching!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Edson Gomes and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Filho tries to close the distance and clinch but Ching swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ching blocks a head kick by Filho.
Filho misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Ching instigates a clinch.

Ching turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Filho is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Ching wants to lay and pray for a moment but Filho keeps working.
Ching throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ching wants to control for a moment but Filho uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

Ching decides to stand and escape the position.
Filho wants to clinch

and Ching counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filho is trying to stand up here but Ching is controlling him well.
Filho wants to stand back up but Ching manages to pass into side control.
Filho trying to remain calm as Ching controls from the top position.

Ching is trying to get an arm triangle but Filho is defending well.
Ching looks gassed!
Ching has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Filho squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ching wants to control the pace but Filho is squirming around nicely.
Ching thowing shots but they're missing.

Ching get's back to his feet.
Filho lands a head shot.

It looks like Thau Ching has been cut.
Filho throws a head kick that misses.
Filho pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filho throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Ching closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Ching is looking to take a break and control but Filho is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Filho is trying to get back to his feet.

Ching is trying to get an arm triangle but Filho is defending well.
Ching trying to control the action but Filho is working from the bottom.
Filho knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ching on the ground.
Filho is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Ching asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ching just content to control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A head kick from Filho lands but Ching takes it in his stride.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thau Ching dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Thau Ching's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ching gets the takedown into side control.
Ching is looking to take a break and control but Filho is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Filho wants to get back to his feet but Ching drags him back down.

Ching is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Filho is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Filho is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ching fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Filho is trying to escape the position but Ching is controlling the position.
Filho is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Ching asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Ching is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Filho's shoulder. That is not cool.
Ching cracks Filho with a big right hand but Filho just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Ching decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Filho scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Filho misses with a combination

and Ching counters with a nice double leg into side control. Filho won't be happy with that.
Filho bucks up and tries to throw Ching off but instead Ching has got his back!
Ching lands a shot to the head.
Filho holding both Ching 's hands and preventing any damage.
Ching biding his time, controlling Filho.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ching trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Filho defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Ching struggling to keep hold of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Even with his hooks in, Ching manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Filho is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Filho trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Ching scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Filho is looking for a way out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thau Ching showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Thau Ching's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Ching misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Filho tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ching paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Filho moves into range and clinches up with Ching.

Filho breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Filho stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Filho wants it to stay on the feet.
Ching throws the kick towards the body but Filho avoids it.
Filho throws a head kick that misses.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Ching!
Ching is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Filho.
Filho connects with a high kick.
Filho pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Filho throws a head kick but Ching moves out of range.

Ching scores with a takedown into Filho's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ching gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ching circles away from the clinch attempt.
Filho slaps away a takedown attempt from Ching, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Filho throws a sloppy head kick

and Ching counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Filho!
Filho wants to try and get back to his feet.
Filho is squirming around, avoiding Ching's attempts to control the action.
Filho is trying to stand but he's just given Ching his back.
Filho looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ching keeps control of the position easily here as Filho tries to buck him off.
Ching wants to control the position but Filho frees himself and scrambles - Ching manages to regain control in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ching avoids the head kick by Filho.
Filho misses with a head kick.
Filho avoids the head kick by Ching.

Ching throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Filho was covering up waiting for the punch and Ching finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Filho is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ching is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Claudio Filho has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ching trying to control the position from guard on top but Filho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ching trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thau Ching comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ching 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thau Ching!