PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eliod Bunkley Iii (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aznar Thrul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bunkley Iii comes to the cage accompanied by Knocksville Girl. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bunkley Iii
vs
Thrul

185 cm
34
193 lbs
26 - 23 - 1

189 cm
23
194 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition

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 26 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eliod Bunkley Iii!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Aznar Thrul!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bunkley Iii drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Bunkley Iii postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Bunkley Iii connects with a couple of short punches.
Thrul avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Bunkley Iii missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Thrul preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Bunkley Iii looking to pass the guard.
Bunkley Iii advances position into side control!
Thrul has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Bunkley Iii lands an elbow.
We've been hearing good reports from Bunkley Iii'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.
Bunkley Iii connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Thrul some visible discomfort.
Bunkley Iii lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Thrul down.

Bunkley Iii is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Thrul has escaped the position, nice work there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bunkley Iii working the head with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thrul managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Bunkley Iii.
Thrul wants to control but Bunkley Iii postures up.
Bunkley Iii in side control lands a decent elbow.
Sloppy strikes there by Bunkley Iii.
Thrul tries to buck Bunkley Iii off but Bunkley Iii is having none of it.
Bunkley Iii working the ground and pound.
Thrul manages to work his way to half guard, despite Bunkley Iii's best efforts.
Bunkley Iii not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Thrul keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Bunkley Iii drops an elbow to the side of Thrul's head.
Bunkley Iii throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Bunkley Iii passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Thrul!
Thrul throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bunkley Iii prevents Thrul from getting the reversal.
Bunkley Iii throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Bunkley Iii landing strikes, looking to finish!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bunkley Iii is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Thrul can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bunkley Iii lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Thrul hang on?
Thrul throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Bunkley Iii looking to finish Thrul with some ground and pound. This is bad for Thrul!
Bunkley Iii scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Bunkley Iii unloads with some shots from mount but Thrul bucks and avoids them well.
Bunkley Iii lands a couple of good shots and Thrul has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Thrul covering up well and avoiding damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thrul manages to reverse the position and now he's in Bunkley Iii's guard. Nice work there by Thrul.

Bunkley Iii throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Thrul preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thrul's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Bunkley Iii keeping moving, preventing Thrul from controlling successfully.

Bunkley Iii has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Thrul is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Bunkley Iii.
Bunkley Iii manages to work his way to half guard, despite Thrul's best efforts.

Bunkley Iii is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Thrul pulls his head out easily.
Bunkley Iii wants to control but Thrul is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bunkley Iii tries to get to full guard but Thrul has control of the leg.

Bunkley Iii looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bunkley Iii wants to improve his position but Thrul is controlling well.
Bunkley Iii wants to control but Thrul is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Thrul slows the pace down in half guard.

Bunkley Iii actively working from the bottom here.
Bunkley Iii has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Bunkley Iii keeping hold of Thrul's head, controlling as best he can.
Thrul works his way into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eliod Bunkley Iii dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bunkley Iii shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Thrul misses with an attempted mid kick.
Thrul tries to close the distance and clinch but Bunkley Iii swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bunkley Iii tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Thrul manages to circle out of the way.

Bunkley Iii dives in and scores a takedown into Thrul's guard.
Bunkley Iii cracks Thrul with a solid left hand.
Bunkley Iii preventing the sweep.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Bunkley Iii's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bunkley Iii is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Thrul is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Thrul has escaped and now he's on top!

Bunkley Iii is looking for a triangle but Thrul pushes his legs off easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thrul avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Bunkley Iii wants to sweep here but Thrul controlling him for the moment.
Eliod Bunkley Iii overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thrul controlling from the top position.
Thrul preventing the sweep.
Bunkley Iii controls Thrul momentarily but Thrul frees himself.

Bunkley Iii has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Thrul can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Bunkley Iii is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Thrul can do to turn this around?
Thrul wants to control from the top but Bunkley Iii keeps moving.

Bunkley Iii working for a triangle but Thrul defends it easily.
Bunkley Iii is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Thrul looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Bunkley Iii has his foot on Thrul's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Thrul works his way back into a safe position though.
Thrul engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Thrul is continuing to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Thrul has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Thrul looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Bunkley Iii!
Thrul gets to mount! Bunkley Iii was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Bunkley Iii is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Bunkley Iii is looking to get to half guard.
Bunkley Iii tries to hold on but Thrul postures up.
Thrul controlling the pace for now.
Bunkley Iii regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bunkley Iii is looking to improve his position.
Still in half guard, Thrul seems content to control.
Thrul is trying to control the action in half guard but Bunkley Iii is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Bunkley Iii gets back to full guard.

Bunkley Iii escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Thrul gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thrul tries to free his leg and advance position but Bunkley Iii is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Aznar Thrul will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

A jab from Bunkley Iii finds it's way through Thrul's defenses.
Thrul will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Bunkley Iii forces Thrul back against the cage and clinches.
Bunkley Iii tries to throw a body punch but Thrul avoids it by throwing Bunkley Iii back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bunkley Iii.

Bunkley Iii's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bunkley Iii fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bunkley Iii misses with a takedown attempt
and Thrul counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bunkley Iii closes this distance looking for a takedown but Thrul circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eliod Bunkley Iii. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bunkley Iii closes the distance and clinches up with Thrul, looking for a takedown. Bunkley Iii pushes Thrul against the cage but Thrul circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Thrul jabs at Bunkley Iii's body.

Bunkley Iii closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Thrul's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bunkley Iii trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Thrul is trying to keep Bunkley Iii in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bunkley Iii missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Thrul preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Bunkley Iii drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Thrul manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Bunkley Iii has Thrul in his guard.

Bunkley Iii is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Thrul defends well.
Bunkley Iii is trying to keep Thrul in close.

Bunkley Iii had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Thrul defends it easily.
Thrul looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thrul's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Thrul must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Bunkley Iii throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Thrul seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The adventures of Thrul the control monster continue. Boring.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bunkley Iii looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Thrul stays in close to Bunkley Iii's body and controls the position.

Bunkley Iii isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Thrul stacks Bunkley Iii 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 Thrul!
Thrul is looking to take a break and control but Bunkley Iii is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thrul takes a little break here. Bunkley Iii wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Bunkley Iii is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Bunkley Iii looks to move to half guard but instead Thrul has passed into mount! Damn!
Bunkley Iii tries to lock up and control but Thrul gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Thrul controlling his opponent.
Bunkley Iii swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Thrul tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bunkley Iii wants to control but Thrul is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aznar Thrul comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thrul has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

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