PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Hall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thompson has chosen All In The Family as his entrance music. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Hall
vs
Thompson

189 cm
23
205 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

197 cm
19
220 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

Crippler's Corner

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Hall!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tony Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Eliza Hachem and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Hall.
Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch but Hall swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thompson wants to clinch up but Hall keeps it at a distance.
Thompson tries to clinch there but Hall circles away.
Thompson takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Hall throws a half hearted mid kick.
Thompson tries to clinch up but Hall circles away and keeps his distance.
Hall swings for the body but Thompson moves out of range.
Thompson wants to clinch up but Hall keeps it at a distance.
Hall throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hall avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hall misses with a two punch combination.
Hall throws a series of punches but Thompson moves out of range.
Thompson is looking to clinch but Hall is avoiding it.
Hall misses with a low kick.
Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch but Hall swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall scores with a punch to the head.

It looks like Tony Thompson has been cut.
Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hall paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thompson tries to clinch up but Hall circles away and keeps his distance.
Thompson tries to clinch but Hall is having none of it.
Hall fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hall throws a series of punches but Thompson avoids them all with ease.
Thompson tries to clinch up but Hall circles away and keeps his distance.
Hall misses with a low kick.
Thompson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hall throws a head kick that misses.
Nice defenses there by Thompson.
Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hall swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hall throws a shot from downtown. Thompson moves away and avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall throws a leg kick which misses Thompson's front leg but catches the back leg as Thompson tries to avoid it.
Hall fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Thompson on the side of the head.
Hall swinging wildly here.
Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hall paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thompson doesn't manage to clinch there - Hall circles away.
Thompson slips a jab and a cross from Hall.

Thompson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hall managing to block the knees to the body from Thompson.
Thompson tries to land a knee to the head but Hall blocks with his arms.
Thompson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hall's efforts to push away.
Thompson connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Ben Hall has been cut.
Thompson stalls.
Thompson putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hall in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall is trying to force a seperation but Thompson has the dominant position.
Hall is trying to break the clinch but Thompson has him pressed against the cage.
The referee calls for Thompson to work.
Thompson tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Knees in the clinch landing for Thompson.

Hall breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thompson doesn't manage to clinch there - Hall circles away.
Hall misses with a body shot.
Thompson takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ben Hall seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hall lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thompson circles away quickly and effectively.
Thompson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hall.
Hall throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thompson chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hall can pounce on him.
Thompson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hall throws a series of punches but Thompson moves out of range.
Thompson wants to clinch.
Hall misses with a looping left.
Thompson avoids the head kick by Hall.

Thompson has managed to clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Thompson - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Knees to the body from Thompson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Hall dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Hall's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hall throws a nice looking combination but Thompson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thompson doesn't manage to clinch there - Hall circles away.
Hall lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thompson circles away quickly and effectively.
Thompson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hall.
Thompson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hall keeps the fight on the outside.
Thompson checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Hall throws a low kick but Thompson avoids it.
A head kick misses from Hall.
Ben Hall is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed right hand from Hall misses the target.
Hall tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thompson was well out of range. Poor timing from Hall.
Hall throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Hall looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A slow jab from Hall misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson tries to clinch there but Hall circles away.
No joy there for Hall, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hall throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Thompson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thompson is looking to clinch but Hall is avoiding it.
Hall misses with a hook.

Thompson closes the distance and clinches.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Hall on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hall can't break the clinch.
Thompson has Hall pressed against the cage, preventing Hall from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hall blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hall letting Thompson take a breather here.
Thompson looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Thompson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hall avoids it.
Thompson with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Thompson is trying to maintain a safe position but Hall gets an underhook and turns Thompson into the cage.
Hall tries to break free but Thompson pushes him back against the cage.

Hall escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hall throws a series of punches but Thompson moves out of range.
Thompson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Thompson wants it to stay on the feet.
Thompson walks into a stiff left hand from Hall.
Hall misses with a double jab.
Thompson tries to close the distance and clinch but Hall swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thompson blocks a low kick nicely.
Hall avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thompson moves in looking to clinch but Hall pushes him off.
Hall tries to bum rush Thompson with a series of wild strikes but Thompson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Thompson dodges the punch combination from Hall.
Thompson avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall throws a series of punches but Thompson moves out of range.
Hall looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Thompson pushes Hall up against the cage in a clinch.
Hall is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Hall blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Thompson just leaning against Hall, taking a breather.
Hall wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thompson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hall's efforts to push away.
Hall has had enough of the clinch but Thompson keeps him there for the moment.
Hall has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Thompson tries to land a knee to the head but Hall blocks with his arms.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Thompson continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Thompson tries to land knees in the clinch but Hall avoids the damage to the body.
Thompson crunches a lovely knee into Hall's ribcage.
Thompson is trying to maintain a safe position but Hall gets an underhook and turns Thompson into the cage.
Thompson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Thompson looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Hall blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hall letting Thompson take a breather here.
Thompson looking to stall.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thompson prevents Hall from breaking the clinch.
Hall tries to break free but Thompson pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Thompson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hall tries to keep at a distance but Thompson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Thompson.
Thompson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Hall wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Thompson is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Thompson.
Thompson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thompson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Thompson connects with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Thompson.
Hall managing to block the knees to the body from Thompson.
Thompson gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Thompson misses with a knee strike.
Thompson stalling in the clinch but Hall improves position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall has had enough of the clinch but Thompson keeps him there for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thompson trying to land knees to the body.
Thompson looking to slow down the pace here.
Thompson lands an elbow just above Hall 's eye.
Thompson using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Thompson misses with a knee strike.

Hall breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thompson tries to clinch there but Hall circles away.
Hall fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Thompson is out of range.
Hall throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hall misses with a series of wild punches.
Tony Thompson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hall misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Thompson is looking to clinch but Hall is avoiding it.
Thompson doesn't manage to clinch there - Hall circles away.
Hall cracks Thompson with an open hand slap.
Thompson fails in his attempt to clinch.
A slow jab from Hall misses its intended target.
Hall avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thompson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thompson doesn't manage to clinch there - Hall circles away.
Thompson tries to clinch but Hall moves out of range.

Thompson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Tony Thompson seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Thompson gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson leaning his opponent against the cage.
Thompson is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Hall is trying to break the clinch but Thompson has him pressed against the cage.
Thompson tries to land a knee to the head but Hall blocks with his arms.
Thompson using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Thompson crunches a lovely knee into Hall's ribcage.
Hall takes an elbow to the temple.
Thompson landing knees to the body.
Thompson landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Hall takes a knee right on the jaw!

Ben Hall's cut is getting worse.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson stalls.
Knees to the body from Thompson.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thompson working Hall over with knees to the body.
Thompson unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hall lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Hall blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Thompson tries to land a knee to the head but Hall blocks with his arms.
Thompson scores with a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Thompson obliges.
Thompson slows down the pace here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thompson lands a damaging elbow.
Thompson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Thompson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thompson 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 27:29
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Thompson!