PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tyson Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jim Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Thomas
vs
Smith

182 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
21
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tyson Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jim Smith!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Steve Erwin and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Thomas as Smith shoots in.
Smith fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Tyson Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jim Smith.
Smith gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Thomas.

Smith closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Thomas's guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Thomas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smith is one step ahead there.

Thomas scrambles and gets back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
No luck for Smith with that takedown attempt.
Thomas is looking to clinch.
Smith blocks a head kick by Thomas.
Thomas ducks under a wild hook from Smith.

Smith bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Smith looks winded!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas is trying to control Smith's posture but Smith avoids it.
Thomas manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thomas keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Smith missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thomas controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Smith throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Smith thows a huge punch but Thomas dodges it nicely.
Thomas is trying to stand back up but Smith is controlling him

Thomas looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Smith throwing shots but Thomas is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Thomas's head.
Thomas keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Thomas looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Thomas is controlling Smith's position as best he can from this difficult position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Smith lands a nice short elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Smith throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Thomas works his way to full guard. Good work.
Thomas trying to keep a closed guard but Smith is proving a slippery customer.
Smith is fighting to break Thomas's control of his arms but Thomas is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thomas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Thomas pushes Smith off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Thomas is looking to clinch but Smith is avoiding it.
Smith closes this distance looking for a takedown but Thomas circles away.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thomas closes the distance and clinches up with Smith, looking for a takedown. Thomas pushes Smith against the cage but Smith circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Smith drives through with a takedown into Thomas's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Smith in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Thomas wriggles free and stands up.

Thomas pushes Smith up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Smith has clasped his hands together around Thomas's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Thomas dodges the ground and pound from Smith.
Smith looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Thomas is avoiding damage well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas holds on to Smith's head and controls the position momentarily.
Smith throws a strike aimed at the side of Thomas's head but Thomas avoids it well.
Thomas can't do much from the bottom here.
Smith sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Thomas is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Thomas is trying to control Smith's posture but Smith avoids it.
Check out the look on Smith's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Smith misses with the ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
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Thomas wants to control but Smith postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jim Smith will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Thomas goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Smith tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thomas tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thomas will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Smith.
Smith throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Thomas is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Smith in side control lands a decent elbow.
Smith throws an elbow but Thomas slips to the side and avoids it well.
Smith scores with a couple of short elbows.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith scoring with punches from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thomas manages to work his way to half guard, despite Smith's best efforts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas is looking to escape.
Thomas trying to control but Smith postures up.
Smith thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Smith stops Thomas from getting back to his feet.
Thomas works his way to full guard. Good work.
Jim Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smith works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Smith is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Smith throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Thomas tries to kick Smith off but Smith keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Thomas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Thomas wants to control but Smith is keeping busy.
Smith takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Thomas is trying to stand back up but Smith is controlling him
Smith working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Smith drops an elbow to the side of Thomas's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thomas is trying to stand up here but Smith is controlling him well.
Thomas has hold of Smith's hands but Smith slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Smith thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Thomas's head.
Thomas is trying to stand back up but Smith is controlling him
Smith lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Thomas looks like he's trying to stand up.
Thomas is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Smith scores with a couple of nice shots.
Smith scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Thomas keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Smith throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Smith not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Smith not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Smith missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thomas keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Thomas trying to control here.
Thomas is trying to stand back up but Smith is controlling him
Ground and pound from Smith.
Smith misses with a head shot. Thomas uses the momentum to regain guard.
Thomas utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Thomas.
Smith connects with a couple of short punches.
Smith postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Thomas wriggles free and stands up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smith takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Jim Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thomas as he avoids it easily.

Thomas clinches up with Smith and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Thomas stalks Smith and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Smith's face. Smith staggers backwards, shaken.
Tyson Thomas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Thomas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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 tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Smith manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A left and a right from Thomas both land. Nice combination.
Thomas will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Thomas enables Smith to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Thomas manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Smith throwing strikes from guard but Thomas blocks nicely.
Thomas bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Smith's guard.
Thomas won't allow Smith to get back to his feet.
Smith is looking to stand back up but Thomas counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Smith.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Thomas missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Smith is trying to stand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Smith keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Smith really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Thomas. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Smith is trying to stand up here but Thomas is controlling him well.
Thomas seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Thomas not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith looks like he's trying to stand up.
Thomas is looking to take a break and control but Smith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smith is trying to stand up here but Thomas is controlling him well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Thomas in particular looking to stall.
Smith is trying to stand up here but Thomas is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Tyson Thomas wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Smith fails with a takedown attempt.
Thomas shoots in but no luck this time.
Thomas throws a sloppy head kick and Smith moves out of range easily.
A combination from Thomas does no damage.

Smith drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith scoring with some ground and pound.
Smith throws an elbow that misses. Thomas uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Smith's guard. Nice move by Thomas!
Smith wants to stand up but Thomas is controlling him.

Thomas stands up from Smith's guard - Thomas perhaps looking for a knockout.
Smith fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Thomas avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throws a body kick that misses.
Thomas misses with a two punch combination.

Smith changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Thomas looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Smith working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Thomas is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Thomas is trying to control Smith's posture but Smith avoids it.
Smith lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Thomas down.
Thomas wants to get back to his feet.
Smith is working Thomas over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas wants to control but Smith postures up.
Smith in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Smith tries to advance to mount but Thomas denies him.
Thomas is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Smith asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Tyson Thomas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith lands an elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith landing a few strikes.
Smith working away.
Smith working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Jim Smith is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Smith in side control lands a decent elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jim Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Smith winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jim Smith!