PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bayden Wood Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thuam Chaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chaka is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Heart of a Champion. Thuam Chaka is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Wood Jr
vs
Chaka

178 cm
22
185 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

182 cm
29
179 lbs
13 - 11 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bayden Wood Jr !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Thuam Chaka!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Stewart Dunkirk and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Chaka fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Wood Jr , pushing him back against the cage.
Chaka is trying to break the clinch but Wood Jr is controlling him.

Chaka pulls guard effortlessly.
Wood Jr wants to pass the guard but Chaka is keeping the position.
Wood Jr stopping the sweep attempt from Chaka.
Chaka is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wood Jr is controlling him.
Wood Jr has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Chaka escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Wood Jr gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Chaka escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Wood Jr gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Wood Jr throwing strikes from guard but Chaka blocks nicely.
Chaka working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Wood Jr .

Chaka is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Wood Jr is aware though and is defending well.
We've been hearing good reports from Wood Jr 's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Wood Jr throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Chaka looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Chaka is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Chaka looking for a guillotine here but Wood Jr defends easily.
Wood Jr looking to pass the guard.

Chaka working for a triangle but Wood Jr defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Chaka is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Wood Jr passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chaka works his way to full guard. Good work.

Wood Jr got a little sloppy there for a moment and Chaka has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Wood Jr has managed to get both his arms back between Chaka's legs - danger averted.
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!

Chaka looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Chaka keeping full guard, as Wood Jr tries to pass.

Chaka is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Wood Jr defends well.

Chaka is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Wood Jr defends well.
Chaka keeping moving, preventing Wood Jr from controlling successfully.

Chaka has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Wood Jr can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wood Jr stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chaka swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Chaka has a closed guard, preventing Wood Jr from standing up.
Wood Jr content to stall in guard here.
Wood Jr trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Chaka looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Chaka looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Wood Jr stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chaka swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Wood Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Chaka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Bayden Wood Jr wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Chaka fails with a takedown attempt.
Wood Jr misses with a two punch combination.

Wood Jr closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Chaka did well to prevent Wood Jr getting side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Chaka is looking for a sweep. Wood Jr is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Chaka actively working from the bottom here.

Chaka is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Wood Jr pulls his head out easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Wood Jr prevents Chaka from standing back up.
Wood Jr seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Chaka won't allow Wood Jr to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thuam Chaka dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Wood Jr misses with a looping right.

Chaka looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Chaka sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Wood Jr 's guard.

Chaka is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Wood Jr defends it well.

Chaka is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Wood Jr doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Chaka.
Wood Jr is trying to stand up here but Chaka is controlling him well.

Chaka is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Wood Jr sees it coming and defends easily.

Chaka decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wood Jr moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Wood Jr scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like Thuam Chaka has been cut.
Wood Jr misses with a wild body shot.
Wood Jr closes this distance looking for a takedown but Chaka circles away.
Chaka shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Wood Jr but Wood Jr pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Chaka is looking to clinch but Wood Jr is avoiding it.
Wood Jr throws a right hand that Chaka ducks under and follows up with a left that Chaka also avoids with ease.
Thuam Chaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chaka fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Chaka looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Bayden Wood Jr has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thuam Chaka.
Wood Jr misses with a straight left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Chaka manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Wood Jr on his heels. He'll look to pass Wood Jr 's guard now, I'm sure.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Chaka wants to pass the guard but Wood Jr is keeping the position.
Chaka is breathing heavily.
Wood Jr is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Chaka is controlling him.
Wood Jr wants to sweep here but Chaka controlling him for the moment.
Wood Jr keeping full guard, as Chaka tries to pass.
Thuam Chaka has got the better of the ground game so far.

Chaka drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Wood Jr dives on top into guard.

Chaka has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Wood Jr can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wood Jr trying to control but Chaka is working from the bottom.

Chaka looking for a guillotine here but Wood Jr defends easily.
Wood Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Chaka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chaka avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Wood Jr working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Chaka's head.

Chaka has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Wood Jr can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Chaka escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Wood Jr gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Wood Jr content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chaka bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Wood Jr 's guard.

Chaka stands and steps away. Wood Jr gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Chaka is trying hard to land a takedown here. Wood Jr sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Chaka fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Wood Jr to the ground. Chaka is now in Wood Jr 's guard.

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

Chaka is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Wood Jr is looking to stand up but Chaka isn't so interested in that idea.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Wood Jr looking for a guillotine here but Chaka defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thuam Chaka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Thuam Chaka's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Chaka shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Wood Jr cracks Chaka with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A combination from Wood Jr does no damage.
Chaka dives in for a single leg takedown but Wood Jr sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Chaka tries to pull guard but Wood Jr won't allow it.
Bayden Wood Jr has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thuam Chaka.
Wood Jr looking to slow down the pace here.
Chaka fails to pull guard.
Chaka tries to circle away but Wood Jr has him pinned against the cage.
Wood Jr wants to take the fight to the mat but Chaka manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Wood Jr tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chaka tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Chaka jumps guard but Wood Jr turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Chaka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wood Jr has a couple of punches blocked by Chaka.

Chaka pulls guard effortlessly.

Chaka has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Wood Jr should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Chaka has tightened it up now! Wood Jr should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Thuam Chaka!
During a confident post fight interview, Thuam Chaka thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.