PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Claude Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Talib Kweli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thompson comes to the cage accompanied by Goldie - by ASAP Rocky. Kweli has chosen 2Pac - Hit em up as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Thompson
vs
Kweli

170 cm
29
158 lbs
15 - 17 - 0

160 cm
33
152 lbs
16 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Claude Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Talib Kweli!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Gregory Folan and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kweli shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Thompson is looking for a sweep. Kweli is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Thompson has his hands clasped together around Kweli's back. He's all about the action.
Thompson tries to roll over but Kweli keeps him under control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kweli is controlling the pace.
Thompson trying to control here.
Kweli with the ground and pound but Thompson uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Kweli advances position into side control!
Kweli trying to control the action but Thompson is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Thompson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Kweli is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Thompson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Thompson is looking for a sweep.
Kweli scoring with punches from side control.
Thompson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Kweli trying to control the action but Thompson is working from the bottom.
Thompson is looking to regain half guard here but Kweli keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson keeps Kweli under control for a moment.
Thompson is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Kweli off and has taken his back!
Kweli manages to reverse the position and now he's in Thompson's guard. Nice work there by Kweli.
Thompson is trying to keep Kweli in close.

Thompson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Thompson looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Kweli has picked Thompson up and slammed him! Thompson can't keep hold of the triangle and Kweli manages to pass to side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Kweli is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Thompson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Thompson wants to control but Kweli postures up.
Thompson is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson struggling a bit here.
Kweli misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Kweli is looking to take a break and control but Thompson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Kweli is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Thompson has escaped the position, nice work there.
You can see the frustration on Thompson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Thompson defending against the ground and pound.
Kweli working the head and body with strikes.
Thompson is trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kweli tries for a kimura but Thompson is defending well.

Kweli is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Thompson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Thompson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Kweli fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Kweli trying to control the position but Thompson is working away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thompson is looking for a sweep.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thompson manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thompson fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kweli looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Kweli will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Thompson misses with a few strikes there.
Kweli misses with a hook. Thompson ducked under it nicely.
Claude Thompson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thompson scores with a nice strike.
Kweli takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Thompson wants to clinch up but Kweli keeps it at a distance.
Thompson throws a jab but it's blocked by Kweli.
Thompson tests Kweli's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Kweli throws a right hand that Thompson ducks under and follows up with a left that Thompson also avoids with ease.
Thompson leaves Kweli with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kweli is defended easily by Thompson.
Claude Thompson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Talib Kweli.
Thompson throws a nice looking combination but Kweli bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kweli throws a combination that misses
and Thompson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kweli takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Kweli swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sloppy strikes from Thompson. Those never looked like landing.
Thompson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kweli pinned against the cage. Kweli gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Thompson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kweli moves away.
Thompson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Thompson misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thompson is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Thompson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kweli.
Kweli defending well as Thompson loads up on a big left hand.
Kweli uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Thompson.
Thompson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kweli fails with a takedown attempt.
Thompson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kweli manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Thompson.
Claude Thompson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson dodges the punch combination from Kweli.
Thompson misses with a double jab.
Thompson swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Kweli shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Thompson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kweli is looking to take a break and control but Thompson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thompson regains half guard.
Kweli looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Thompson controlling the position well.
Thompson trying to control but Kweli postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kweli content to control rather than advance.

Kweli is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Kweli trying to control from half guard but Thompson is working away.
Thompson trying to control here.
Thompson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Thompson is trying to control the position but Kweli postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Thompson wants to sweep here but Kweli controlling him for the moment.
Thompson managing to control the position.
Thompson has momentary wrist control but Kweli slips an elbow through the middle.
Kweli tries to free his leg and advance position but Thompson is retaining full guard.
Kweli won't allow Thompson to sweep him here.
Kweli landing some decent shots from guard.
Thompson is trying to keep Kweli in close.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Thompson is looking for a triangle but Kweli pushes his legs off easily.
Thompson has Kweli pulled in close to control his posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Claude Thompson dominated that second round.
That's time! Thompson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Kweli throws a series of punches but Thompson avoids them all with ease.
Thompson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Kweli counters with a straight right hand.
Kweli misses with a double jab.
Thompson slips under a jab from Kweli.
Kweli throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Thompson stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Thompson moves out of range as Kweli strikes.
Thompson takes one to the chin there.
Kweli throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Thompson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A combination from Kweli does no damage.
Thompson tries to move into range but Kweli moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Kweli uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Thompson.

Thompson closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Kweli's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kweli pulls Thompson in close to prevent any damage.
Thompson is pushing down on Kweli's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kweli is fighting to maintain full guard but Thompson has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kweli controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Kweli wants to improve his position but Thompson is controlling well.

Kweli looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Thompson has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Thompson cracks Kweli with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Thompson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Thompson working the ground and pound effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kweli is in all sorts of trouble here.
Thompson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kweli hang on?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thompson with a couple of short strikes.
Thompson landing punches.
Thompson lands a big shot there that rocks Kweli but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Thompson cracks Kweli with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Thompson scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Kweli?

Kweli is rocked!
Thompson with a couple of short strikes.
Kweli is still in real trouble! Can Thompson finish him?

Thompson has hold of Kweli's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Kweli manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thompson breaks from Kweli's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Oooooh, big shot lands for Thompson! Kweli is hurt baaadly! Thompson is firing away with more strikes - Kweli is covering up... the ref is warning him to do something. He's just covering up though still and the ref has to step in to end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Claude Thompson!
During a confident post fight interview, Claude Thompson thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.