PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between William Barker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ash Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barker's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, The Way of the Fist - Five Finger Death Punch. Ash Thomas has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Barker
vs
Thomas

180 cm
25
182 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

182 cm
28
178 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

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 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, William Barker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ash Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Columbo Gatti and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Barker throws a leg kick
and Thomas counters with a nice uppercut.
Barker misses with a hook
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Barker misses the shot to the body.
Barker moves out of range of the body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas misses with a hook
and Barker counters with a left to the body.
Barker missing with a left hand there. Thomas was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Thomas keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Barker moves out of range as Thomas throws a body kick.

That's two 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.
Barker misses with a leg kick
enabling Thomas to counter with a crisp jab.
Thomas dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Thomas stuffs the takedown attempt from Barker. Barker gets slowly back to his feet.
Barker throws a left and a right that both miss
and Thomas counters with a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barker takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Thomas throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Barker's head.
Thomas is looking to chop away at Barker's legs.
Barker throws a head kick that half lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barker misses with a leg kick
and Thomas counters with a stiff right hand.
A jab from Barker misses.
Thomas throws a leg kick
and Barker counters with a low kick, right behind Thomas 's knee.
Jab, jab by Thomas - just one landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ash Thomas dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Thomas tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thomas misses with a kick to the body.
Barker wants to clinch up but Thomas keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A jab lands there for Barker.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barker throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Thomas scores with a kick to the body.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Thomas thows a leg kick but Barker checks it
and Barker counters with a stiff right hand.
Thomas takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barker moves into range and connects with a jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A low kick from Thomas is predictable there
and Barker counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thomas takes a jab right on the kisser.
Thomas blocks the body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barker stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Thomas.
Barker checks a leg kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Thomas misses the target.

That's four 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.
Thomas throws out a loose jab but Barker uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thomas staying out of range there.
Thomas throws an off balance right hand
and Barker finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A left and a right from Barker both land. Nice combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

William Barker dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Thomas looks for the body kick but Barker saw that one coming.
Barker throws a sloppy body shot
and Thomas connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Barker misses with a shot to the body
and Thomas counters with a lovely shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Good exchange - Thomas coming out on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barker fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Barker fails with the takedown.
A low kick from Barker is predictable there
and Thomas counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Barker avoids the head kick by Thomas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Barker misses
and Thomas counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
William Barker is winning the standup battle so far.
Barker throws a leg kick
and Thomas finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Thomas tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barker was well out of range. Poor timing from Thomas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Thomas getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Barker connects with an inside leg kick.
That kick from Thomas tenderised Barker's leg. Barker is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barker moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Barker throws a leg kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Barker throws a body punch but Thomas moves out of range.
Barker throws a right and a left that Thomas avoids nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ash Thomas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thomas 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29

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