PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Elias Maxwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy Thunder (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Maxwell
vs
Thunder

223 cm
18
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

150 cm
25
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes comics

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Elias Maxwell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Billy Thunder!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Igor Prikhodko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short right from Maxwell.

Thunder gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Thunder looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Thunder wants to lay and pray for a moment but Maxwell keeps working.
Thunder passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Maxwell!
Thunder should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Thunder in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thunder looking to control but Maxwell is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Thunder takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Thunder trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maxwell wants to hold on but Thunder pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell regains half guard.
Thunder perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Thunder is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Maxwell trying to hold on to Thunder's head to control him but Thunder postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Thunder gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunder tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Maxwell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Thunder pressing his opponent against the cage.
Maxwell is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Thunder to keep the fight standing.
Thunder has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Maxwell avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Thunder tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Maxwell's elbow.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Maxwell is trying to break the clinch but Thunder has him pressed against the cage.
Thunder wants to break free but Maxwell has control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maxwell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Thunder clinches.
Maxwell can't break the clinch.
Maxwell misses with a knee to the head.
Thunder just leaning against Maxwell, taking a breather.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Maxwell being controlled against the cage.

Thunder successfully pulls guard.
Maxwell has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Thunder isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Maxwell stacks Thunder on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Maxwell!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Thunder dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Thunder closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Maxwell as Thunder tries to tie him up.
Thunder lands a left hand.
Thunder working aggressively here.
Maxwell is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Thunder blocks the elbow strike.
Thunder fails to pull guard.
Thunder has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maxwell stops a takedown attempt from Thunder.
Elias Maxwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Billy Thunder.
Thunder tries to stall but Maxwell uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Maxwell breaks the clinch.
Thunder throws a lazy body kick

and Maxwell holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Maxwell manages to break the clinch.

Thunder gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Thunder has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Maxwell avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Thunder - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Maxwell manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Thunder.

Maxwell moves into the clinch successfully.
Thunder avoids a wild elbow strike from Maxwell.
Maxwell wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Thunder has him pressed against the cage.
Thunder jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Maxwell walks away with a smile on his face. Thunder gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Thunder misses with a straight right.
Maxwell will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Billy Thunder is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Thunder rushes Maxwell and presses him up against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thunder keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Maxwell's efforts to push away.
Thunder takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell struggles to land a body shot inside as Thunder controls his hands.
Maxwell is trying to break the clinch but Thunder has him pressed against the cage.
Billy Thunder seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Maxwell jumps into guard, dragging Thunder to the mat.
Maxwell is controlling Thunder's posture.
Thunder postures up.
Thunder content to stall in guard here.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Thunder won't allow Maxwell to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Maxwell slips under a jab.

Thunder takes the fight into the clinch.

Maxwell decides to pull guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thunder wants to control from the top but Maxwell keeps moving.

Thunder avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thunder stands and throws Maxwell's legs to the side, diving into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Billy Thunder will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Thunder takes the fight into the clinch.

Maxwell breaks from the clinch.
Maxwell dives in for a single leg takedown but Thunder sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Thunder jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Maxwell walks away with a smile on his face. Thunder gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Thunder gets tackled into the cage by Maxwell. Maxwell maintains the clinch.
Maxwell managing to block the knees to the body from Thunder.
Thunder tries to pull guard but Maxwell holds him up against the cage and eventually Thunder drops back down to his feet.

Thunder has Maxwell pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Thunder pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Maxwell tumbling to the mat - Thunder dives into Maxwell's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maxwell is working an open guard so Thunder takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Thunder takes the fight into the clinch.

Maxwell manages to break the clinch.

Thunder clinches with his opponent.
Thunder has Maxwell pressed against the cage.
Thunder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thunder jumps guard but Maxwell stands there with Thunder around his waist. Thunder gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Elias Maxwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Billy Thunder.

Maxwell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Thunder clinches.

Maxwell breaks from the clinch.
Maxwell tries for a takedown but Thunder circles away easily

and Thunder counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Maxwell stops a takedown attempt from Thunder.
Maxwell trying to land knees to the body.
Maxwell lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thunder breaks the clinch.
Maxwell dodges the punch combination from Thunder.
Thunder looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Maxwell fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Maxwell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Thunder scores with a shot to the body.
Thunder misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell shoots and misses
and Thunder counters with an inside leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Thunder closes the distance and clinches.
Come on Thunder - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Thunder is trying to break the clinch but Maxwell has him pressed against the cage.
Thunder throws an elbow that misses.
Thunder has had enough of the clinch but Maxwell keeps him there for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maxwell pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Maxwell is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Thunder is keeping busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Billy Thunder comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Thunder has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Billy Thunder!