PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rick Rypien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ash Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Rypien might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to The Ripper. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Rypien
vs
Thomas

177 cm
23
163 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

182 cm
24
165 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Bling Bling
Blitzkrieg Formula 5000

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rick Rypien!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ash Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Ian Loll and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rypien tests Thomas's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Thomas misses with a two punch combination.
Nice uppercut lands for Thomas. That snapped Rypien's head back.
Rypien tries to close the distance and clinch but Thomas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thomas scores with a body shot.
Rypien swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Rypien darts in and clinches Thomas up against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Rypien.
Rypien misses with a short punch on the inside.
Thomas trying to stall but Rypien improves his position.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Rypien.
Rypien gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
A short left from Thomas.

Thomas manages to break the clinch.
Rypien connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Thomas slips under a jab from Rypien.
Rypien is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Thomas misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas walks into a stiff left hand from Rypien.
Rypien ducks under a wild hook from Thomas.
Thomas throws a nice looking combination but Rypien bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thomas throws a hook to the side of Rypien's head but Rypien sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Thomas fails to land with a series of punches.
Rypien throws a shot from downtown. Thomas moves away and avoids it.

Rypien closes the distance and clinches.

Thomas's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rypien is looking to clinch but Thomas is avoiding it.
Rypien misses with a straight left.
Rypien lands a jab to the head.
Thomas throws a right hand that Rypien ducks under and follows up with a left that Rypien also avoids with ease.
Rypien misses the body punch
and Thomas connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rypien shoots in but Thomas avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Thomas keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rypien is looking to clinch but Thomas is avoiding it.
Thomas darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Rypien misses with a body shot.
Rypien slips a jab and a cross from Thomas.
Rypien swinging wildly here.
Rypien takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Rypien misses with an uppercut.
Rypien lands a slapping body shot.

Rypien closes the distance and pushes Thomas back into the cage.
Rypien working aggressively here.
Thomas lands a right hand.
Thomas blocking some punches.
Rypien has Thomas pressed against the cage.
Rypien swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rypien works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Thomas misses with a punch on the inside.
Rypien lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Rypien is trying to maintain a safe position but Thomas gets an underhook and turns Rypien into the cage.

Rypien breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rypien throws the left hand but Thomas avoids the punch easily.
Rypien throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rypien throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rypien throws an overhand right that lands on Thomas's shoulder, as Thomas tries to avoid the shot.
Rypien slips under a jab from Thomas.
A swing and a miss from Thomas.
Thomas throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rypien looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rypien misses with a combination
and Rypien takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rypien jabs Thomas right on the nose. Thomas blinks but takes it well.
Rypien fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Thomas looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rypien misses with a combination
and Thomas counters with a nice uppercut.
Thomas connects with a single shot there.
Rypien tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rypien uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Thomas.
Thomas uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rypien.
Thomas lands a body shot.
Rypien takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Thomas lands with a cross.

Rypien is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thomas throws a right hand that Rypien ducks under and follows up with a left that Rypien also avoids with ease.
Oh Rypien is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rypien throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rypien throws out a loose jab but Thomas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rypien seems to have got his legs back now.
Rypien misses with a body punch
and Thomas counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Thomas takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ash Thomas will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rypien throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rypien lands a jab.
Thomas keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Thomas throws a jab when Rypien was well out of range.
Thomas throws a hook to the side of Rypien's head but Rypien sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A jab lands there for Rypien.
Thomas takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Rypien misses with a body punch
and Rypien takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ash Thomas seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Thomas connects with a jab and follows up with a big overhand right! Oh that's hurt Rypien! He's out on his feet! Thomas rushes in and drops Rypien with another big right hand, forcing the referee to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Ash Thomas! Ash Thomas retains his lightweight title!