PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Phal Um (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jet Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Um
vs
Thompson

190 cm
27
180 lbs
18 - 7 - 0

183 cm
25
178 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Phal Um!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jet Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Robert Douchet and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thompson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thompson's corner calls for a 1-2. Thompson obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Um misses with a few strikes there.
Thompson's corner calls for a 1-2. Thompson obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Thompson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Um moves away.
Thompson scores with a punch to the head.
Thompson throws a hook to the side of Um's head but Um sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Thompson throws a looping overhand right but Um ducks down to avoid it.
A punch combination from Um misses.
Thompson moves out of range of the strikes.
Um is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Um avoids a punch combination nicely.
Um throws a hook but Thompson avoids it easily.
Thompson connects with a crisp jab.
Um looks for a takedown but Thompson sprawls well.
Um looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A telegraphed right hand from Thompson misses the target.
Thompson throws a looping overhand right but Um ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Um throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Um rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Thompson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Um scores with a shot to the body.

Um rushes Thompson and presses him up against the cage.
Um wants a takedown.

Um has picked Thompson up - he's going for a ride! Um dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Thompson is looking for a sweep. Um is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Um controlling the action here.
Thompson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Um.
Um wants to free his trapped foot but Thompson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Thompson is pressing down on Um's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Um 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.
Um makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Um sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Thompson's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Um wants to take a breather but Thompson is having none of it.
Thompson wants to improve his position but Um is controlling well.
Um throwing shots but Thompson is blocking nicely.
Um is trying to control. Thompson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The fighters are battling for position here. Thompson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Thompson wants to sweep here but Um controlling him for the moment.
Thompson is controlling Um's posture.
Thompson working a defensive guard here.
Um throws and elbow that misses. Thompson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Um's guard. Nice move by Thompson!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson postures up in Um's guard and throws a big left but Um blocks it.
Thompson is looking to advance position but Um has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Um scores with a couple of good head shots there.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Poor strikes thrown by Um there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Um lands a heavy elbow.
Um can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thompson is looking to escape.
Um with shots to the head and body - Thompson looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Um tries to control but Thompson wriggling away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thompson can't escape the position.
Um landing strikes from the mount.
A nice elbow there by Um.
Thompson avoids a series of strikes thrown by Um.
Um scores with a couple of good head shots there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thompson gets back to half guard.
Um throwing shots but Thompson is blocking nicely.
Thompson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Um.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phal Um dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Thompson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Thompson misses with a takedown

and Um counters with a single leg into guard. Thompson didn't expect that.
Um trying to control but Thompson is working from the bottom.
Thompson looking for a sweep. Not yet Thompson, not yet.
Thompson controls Um momentarily but Um frees himself.
Um trying to control the position from guard on top but Thompson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thompson wants to get back to his feet but Um is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Um trying to control but Thompson is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Um misses with an uppercut. Thompson saw that one coming.
Um throws a hook but Thompson avoids it easily.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown but Um shows good takedown defense.
Thompson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Thompson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Um.
Thompson lands a body shot.
Um throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Thompson.
Um wants to clinch.
Um avoids a punch combination nicely.
Um slips under a jab.
Thompson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two 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.

Thompson scores with a takedown into Um's guard.
Um pulls Thompson in close to prevent any damage.
Thompson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Thompson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Um keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.
Thompson throws a strike but Um rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Um throws and elbow that misses. Thompson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Um's guard. Nice move by Thompson!
Thompson distracts Um with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Thompson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Thompson wants to control from the top but Um keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Um is on top in guard.
Um's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Um throws a strike but Thompson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Um working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thompson.
Um is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Um is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Thompson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Um's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Um's back!
Um finds himself mounted whilst avoiding strikes.
Phal Um overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Thompson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Phal Um will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Um gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Thompson lands a jab.
Um keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Um slips a straight right by Thompson.
Thompson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Thompson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Um looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thompson is fending him off so far but Um persists. Nope, Thompson circles away and we're back to standing.
Um uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thompson.
Um slips a jab from Thompson.
Um takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Um takes a jab right on the kisser.
Um tries to clinch but Thompson moves out of range.
Thompson throws a jab but it's blocked by Um.
Thompson lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Nice straight punches there by Um. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Um.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Um works the jab nicely.
Um fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thompson manages to avoid it.
No luck for Um with that takedown attempt.
Thompson fails to land with a series of punches.
Good exchange - Thompson coming out on top.
Um misses with a looping right.
Thompson might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Um moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Thompson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Um manages to avoid it.
Nice sprawl there from Thompson as Um shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Phal Um. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Um throws a right and a left that both miss.
Um avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Um looks to land a combination. Thompson sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Phal Um is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Um swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Thompson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Thompson throws a jab when Um was well out of range.
Thompson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Um was well out of range. Poor timing from Thompson.
Thompson misses the jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Um throws a hook but Thompson blocks it.
Thompson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Um was well out of range. Poor timing from Thompson.
Thompson tries to bum rush Um with a series of wild strikes but Um uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
No joy there for Thompson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Thompson throws a nice looking combination but Um bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Um shoots in and bounces Thompson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Thompson being controlled here, momentarily.
Thompson wants to sweep but no luck.
Um trying to control but Thompson is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Um throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thompson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Um working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Thompson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thompson trying to control the position.
Phal Um is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Um changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Thompson tries to avoid it but Um manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Thompson to the ground. Thompson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Um changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Thompson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Um wants to control but Thompson is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson sneaks back into half guard.
Jet Thompson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thompson is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Thompson wants to improve his position but Um is controlling well.
Um is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jet Thompson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Um has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Phal Um!