PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ash Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Leclair (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leclair has chosen king crimson - 21st century schizoid man as his entrance music. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Thomas
vs
Leclair

182 cm
33
178 lbs
23 - 11 - 0

175 cm
28
183 lbs
16 - 10 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Diamond Nutrition 160q

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 23 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ash Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jean Leclair!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Robert Douchet and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas throws a sloppy head kick and Leclair moves out of range easily.
Thomas lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Leclair throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick misses from Thomas.
Thomas wants to land a leg kick but Leclair is out of range.
Thomas blocks a head kick by Leclair.
Thomas connects with a leg kick. Leclair looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Ash Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thomas throws a head kick that misses.
Thomas lands a head kick!
Leclair scores with a leg kick.
Leclair steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Thomas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leclair swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Thomas lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Thomas thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Leclair if he has to take too many more of those.
Leclair tries to clinch
and Thomas counters with a straight right hand.
Thomas misses with a kick to the body.
Leclair darts in trying to clinch
and Thomas counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thomas scores with a decent looking hook.
Leclair throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas checks a leg kick.
Thomas looks to land a body kick but Leclair moved away.
Thomas takes a jab right on the kisser.
Leclair throws a leg kick that is checked
and Thomas counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Leclair goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Leclair throws a push kick but Thomas slaps the foot to one side.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Thomas checks a leg kick.
Thomas misses with a hook. Leclair ducked under it nicely.
Leclair checks a low kick from Thomas.
A head kick misses from Thomas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leclair moves out of range of the body kick.
Thomas checks a leg kick nicely.
Leclair is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Leclair lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Thomas at a distance.
Leclair blocks the body kick.
Leclair ducks under a wild hook from Thomas.
Thomas looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Leclair tries to clinch up.
Good work by Thomas as he checks the leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Leclair lands a head shot.
A head kick by Thomas misses
and Leclair counters with a leg kick.
Thomas is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Thomas throws the kick towards the body but Leclair avoids it.
Leclair throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thomas shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Leclair throws a leg kick but Thomas checks it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Thomas clinches up against the cage.
Leclair effectively controlling the action here.
Thomas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ash Thomas dominated that round.
That's time! Thomas's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Thomas tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Thomas throws a body kick that misses.
Leclair slips under a jab from Thomas.

Leclair gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Leclair tries to land knees in the clinch but Thomas avoids the damage to the body.
Leclair unloads a knee to the mid-section.
A head punch on the inside from Thomas fails to land.
Leclair trying to stall but Thomas improves his position.
Leclair trying to land knees to the body.
Leclair comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Leclair swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Thomas fails to land.
Leclair is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Thomas is defending well for now.
Leclair taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leclair pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Thomas has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Leclair blocks an uppercut.
Thomas blocks an elbow strike from Leclair.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Thomas.
Leclair lands an elbow that stopped Thomas in his tracks for a moment.
Leclair throws an elbow that misses.
Thomas blocks an elbow strike.
Leclair trying to stall but Thomas improves his position.
A nice left hand lands by Thomas.
Thomas misses with a short punch on the inside.
Leclair leaning against his opponent.
Leclair fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Leclair lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Thomas pushes Leclair back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Leclair misses with a short punch on the inside.
Knees to the body from Leclair.
Thomas stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Thomas is leaning against Leclair and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Leclair leaning his opponent against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thomas is trying to break the clinch but Leclair is controlling him.
Leclair misses with a knee to the head.
Leclair dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Leclair misses with a hook from the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Leclair scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nice body punch from Thomas - that landed with a thud.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leclair blocks a body shot from Thomas.
Leclair is struggling to control the position.
Thomas dodges an elbow strike from Leclair.
Leclair blocks a body shot from Thomas.
Thomas lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Thomas managing to block the knees to the body from Leclair.
Thomas misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Thomas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A shot to the body from Thomas misses
and Leclair makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Thomas really felt that one!
Ash Thomas is winning the standup battle so far.
Leclair fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Thomas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leclair lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Nice defenses there by Thomas.
Thomas throws a leg kick that misses.
Thomas swings widly with a right hand

and Leclair counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Leclair.
Thomas swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Thomas tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Jean Leclair seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The referee calls for Leclair to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thomas tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A short right from Leclair on the inside.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Leclair throws an elbow but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Leclair showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Thomas chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Leclair can pounce on him.
Thomas misses with an uppercut
and Leclair counters with an outside leg kick.
Leclair throws a low kick but Thomas moves out of range easily.
Leclair blocks the body kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Leclair.
Thomas swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Thomas throws a push kick but Leclair slaps the foot to one side.
Good leg kick by Thomas there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Leclair tries to clinch there but Thomas circles away.
A bone on bone clash there as Leclair blocks the leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A lazy body kick from Thomas
and Leclair counters with a left to the body.
Thomas throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Leclair keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Thomas is looking to slow Leclair down with leg kicks.
Leclair plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Leclair is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Leclair is looking to clinch.
Leclair thows a leg kick but Thomas checks it
and Thomas counters with an inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas tries to land a front kick but Leclair steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Thomas lands with a nice body kick.
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 throws a right hand that misses
and Leclair cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Thomas tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Thomas walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Leclair checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Thomas misses with an uppercut.

Leclair gets a clinch.
Thomas misses with a hook to the ribs.
Thomas looking to slow down the pace here.
Thomas has a couple of punches blocked by Leclair.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Thomas blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Leclair lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Thomas.
Thomas slowing the pace effectively.
Leclair stalling.
Thomas stalling the fight.
Leclair avoiding damage.
Leclair throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leclair stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Jean Leclair.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Leclair, right into the meat.
Leclair wants to clinch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Thomas.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Leclair moves in looking to clinch but Thomas pushes him off.

Leclair rushes Thomas and presses him up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ash Thomas.
I think Thomas 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ash Thomas!
In his post fight interview, Ash Thomas started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.