PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Craig Thomson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Zwart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thomson kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is If I cant. Craig Thomson had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Thomson
vs
Zwart

202 cm
25
260 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

200 cm
26
271 lbs
8 - 1 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Vandal Fight Boutique (prices $8 - $30)

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 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Craig Thomson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Matt Zwart!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomson misses with a straight right.
Thomson takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Thomson. Zwart does a little dance to reset his feet.
Thomson swats away the attempt to clinch by Zwart.
Thomson's corner calls for a 1-2. Thomson obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Thomson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zwart throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Thomson misses with a looping right.
Zwart throws a low kick but Thomson avoids it.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Thomson checks a leg kick.
Zwart misses with the body kick
and Thomson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Zwart thinking.
Thomson feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Zwarts jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Thomson lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Thomson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zwart lands a nice looking body kick.
Thomson blocks a head kick by Zwart.
Zwart slips a jab from Thomson.
Thomson misses with a straight left.
Zwart tries to work over Thomson's front leg with a kick but Thomson checks it.
Zwart throws a nice inside leg kick.
Thomson throws a predictable looking body shot
and Zwart makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Zwart moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Zwart throws a head kick that misses.
Thomson misses with a body shot
and Zwart counters with a nice leg kick.
A slow jab from Thomson misses its intended target.
Thomson throws a lazy right hand but Zwart sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Zwart wants to clinch.
Zwart misses with a head kick.
Zwart throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Zwart fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Thomson checks it well.
A punch lands to the side of Zwart 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Zwart throws a leg kick
and Thomson counters with a stiff right hand.
Thomson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Thomson blocks the body kick.
Thomson keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Zwart doesn't manage to clinch there - Thomson circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomson misses with a jab to the body
and Zwart counters with a thumping low kick.
Zwart looks for the body kick but Thomson saw that one coming.
A low kick from Zwart misses
and Thomson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A left and a right from Thomson both land. Nice combination.
Thomson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zwart moves away.
Good exchange - Thomson coming out on top.
Zwart scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Thomson missing with a left hand there. Zwart was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Zwart throws a leg kick but Thomson moved away.
Zwart tries to close the distance and clinch but Thomson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zwart swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Thomson throws a jab when Zwart was well out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zwart avoids the body shot from Thomson.
Zwart tries to clinch up.
Zwart throws a leg kick
and Thomson counters with a nice uppercut.
Zwart misses with a body kick.
Thomson is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Thomson avoids the head kick by Zwart.
A head kick by Zwart misses
and Thomson counters with a two punch combo.
Zwart throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thomson misses with a looping left.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thomson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Zwart looks to land a body kick but Thomson moved away.
Thomson avoids a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Thomson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Thomson wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Thomson looks to land a right hand but Zwart moved out of range.
Zwart tries to land a leg kick but Thomson saw it coming and moves away.
Zwart throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Zwart tries to land a leg kick but Thomson saw it coming and moves away.
Thomson has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Zwart.
Thomson moves out of range of the leg kick from Zwart.
Thomson lands a jab to the nose.
Thomson blocks a low kick nicely.
Thomson swings for the body but Zwart moves out of range.
A low kick from Zwart is predictable there
and Thomson counters with a nice body shot.
Thomson misses with a few strikes there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Zwart.
Zwart takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Thomson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Thomson blocks the body kick.
Craig Thomson is winning the standup battle so far.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Zwart.
Zwart ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Zwart moves out of range of the strikes.
Zwart misses with a leg kick
and Thomson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zwart misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zwart delivers a nice body kick.
Zwart throws a leg kick but Thomson sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zwart moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Thomson takes a swing at Zwart's ribcage but misses.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Zwart in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Thomson throws a poor cross that misses
and Zwart counters with a nice leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zwart finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Thomson chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Zwart can pounce on him.
Zwart fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Thomson is out of range.
A jab from Thomson misses.
Thomson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Zwart scores with a push kick.
Thomson misses with a looping left.
Thomson throws a body punch but Zwart moves out of range.
Zwart goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomson throws a looping overhand right but Zwart ducks down to avoid it.
Zwart thumps Thomson with a low kick.
A swing and a miss from Thomson.
Thomson tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Thomson misses with a straight right.

Zwart fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Thomson, pushing him back against the cage.
Zwart scores with a knee to the head.
Zwart using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thomson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Zwart tries a knee to the head but Thomson blocks it.
Thomson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Zwart connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Craig Thomson has been cut.
Zwart connects with a nasty looking knee right to Thomson's face.
Thomson is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Thomson working hard to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thomson breaks the clinch.
Thomson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zwart moves away.
Thomson lands a jab to the nose.
Thomson checks a leg kick.
Thomson looks to land a left hand but Zwart moved out of range nicely.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zwart ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Zwart tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thomson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thomson lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zwart lands with a kick to the temple. Thomson shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
A jab lands there for Thomson.
Zwart takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
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 Craig Thomson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Craig Thomson's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Zwart finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Zwart throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Zwart misses with a kick to the body.
Thomson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Zwart closes the distance and pushes Thomson back into the cage.
Zwart tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zwart lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Zwart scores a nice knee to the body.
Thomson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Zwart throws a knee to the head but misses.
Thomson working hard to break the clinch.
Thomson can't break the clinch.
Thomson has a couple of punches blocked by Zwart.
Thomson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomson misses with the head strike.
Thomson misses with a punch on the inside.
Thomson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Thomson tries to stall but Zwart uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Thomson takes a knee to the side of the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zwart tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Zwart obliges.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zwart missing with knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Zwart.
Zwart unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Zwart looking to throw knees to the head but Thomson is blocking nicely.
Knees to the body from Zwart.
Zwart with a knee to the head.
Thomson takes a knee right on the jaw!
Matt Zwart has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zwart connects with a nasty looking knee right to Thomson's face.
Zwart misses with a knee to the head.
Zwart looking to throw knees to the head but Thomson is blocking nicely.
Zwart tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Thomson is looking to control Zwart's arms but Zwart gets an underhook and turns him. Now Thomson has his back to the cage.
Thomson is trying to push Zwart away but Zwart has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Thomson has had enough of the clinch but Zwart keeps him there for the moment.
Zwart scores with a knee to the head.
Zwart scores a nice knee to the body.
Zwart throws a knee to the head but misses.
Zwart scores a nice knee to the body.
Thomson takes a knee right on the jaw!

Craig Thomson's cut is getting worse.
Zwart lands a nice knee to the body.
Zwart looking to throw knees to the head but Thomson is blocking nicely.
Zwart lands a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zwart with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Thomson takes a knee to the side of the body.
Zwart tries to land a knee to the head but Thomson blocks with his arms.
Zwart misses with a knee to the head.
Zwart scores with a knee to the head.
Thomson misses with a punch on the inside.
Zwart with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Zwart with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Thomson misses with some punches.
Thomson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Zwart.
Thomson working hard to break the clinch.
Zwart scores with a knee to the head.
Thomson is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zwart misses with a knee strike.
Zwart with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Thomson.
Matt Zwart seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Thomson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Thomson misses with the head strike.
Zwart lands a knee to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zwart lands a knee to the head.

Craig Thomson's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Thomson wants to get back to striking at distance but Zwart won't allow it.
Thomson is trying to force a seperation but Zwart has the dominant position.
Thomson can't break the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Zwart tries to land a knee to the head but Thomson blocks with his arms.
Thomson is trying to break the clinch but Zwart has him pressed against the cage.
Zwart throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thomson blocks it with crossed arms.
Zwart throws a knee to the head but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Zwart comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thomson 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Craig Thomson!