PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Edgar Poe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicholas Thibeau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thibeau has chosen Amazing - Kanye West as his entrance music. Nicholas Thibeau is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Poe
vs
Thibeau

180 cm
19
140 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

169 cm
23
138 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Edgar Poe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nicholas Thibeau!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Franklyn Lucas and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Poe closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Poe scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Thibeau to see if he's OK.
Thibeau is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poe working the head with strikes.
Thibeau is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Poe asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Thibeau tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Poe working the ground and pound but Thibeau is defending the strikes.
Poe in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Poe working the head with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Poe working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Poe tries for a kimura but Thibeau is defending well.
Poe scores with a couple of short elbows.
Thibeau pushes Poe away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Poe gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Poe is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Thibeau knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Poe tries for a kimura but Thibeau is defending well.
Poe is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Poe working away.
Poe in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Thibeau is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Poe lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Thibeau down.
Poe working the head and body with strikes.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Thibeau bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Thibeau wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Thibeau paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thibeau scores with a decent looking hook.
Poe takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Thibeau wants to clinch.
Poe takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Poe shoots in for a takedown but Thibeau shows good takedown defense.
Thibeau misses with a two punch combination.
Poe really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Poe looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Poe seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Thibeau does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Thibeau is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poe not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Thibeau wants to control but Poe is keeping busy.

Poe is looking for a kimura but Thibeau is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Poe to get the leverage.
Poe is taking a breather. Thibeau says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Poe landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Poe is trying to work for a kimura but Thibeau is defending well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Thibeau lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Poe tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Thibeau cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edgar Poe dominated that round.
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.

Poe rushes Thibeau and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Thibeau takes a knee right on the jaw!
Thibeau misses with the head strike.
Poe fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Poe prevents Thibeau from breaking the clinch.
Thibeau lands a body punch.
Poe lands with a right to the head.
Poe is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Thibeau gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Poe softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Thibeau softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Thibeau stops a takedown attempt from Poe.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edgar Poe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Thibeau can't break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thibeau has had enough of the clinch but Poe keeps him there for the moment.
Poe goes for a takedown attempt but Thibeau pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Thibeau darts in trying to clinch

and Poe counters with a single leg into guard. Thibeau didn't expect that.
Thibeau is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Poe drops back, looking for a kneebar! Thibeau looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Thibeau looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Thibeau!
Poe throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Thibeau tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Poe tries to escape but Thibeau is in control.
You can see the frustration on Poe's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Poe sneaks out the side door and pushes Thibeau away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Nicholas Thibeau is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice takedown defense from Thibeau. No joy for Poe on that attempt.
Poe shoots in for a takedown but Thibeau shows good takedown defense.
Thibeau paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Poe fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Poe fails to land the takedown.
Poe shoots for a takedown but Thibeau saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Poe shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Poe was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Poe 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.
Poe lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Poe unloading with bombs!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thibeau tries to hold on but Poe pushes him away.
Thibeau wants to try and get back to his feet.
Poe scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Poe working for a submission but Thibeau is keeping him at bay.
Poe controlling from mount.
Thibeau tries to hold on but Poe pushes him away.
Poe landing shots from mount.
Poe lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Poe trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Poe avoids the attempt from Thibeau to control.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Poe cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Poe lands with some strikes.
Poe is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Thibeau can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Poe with shots to the head and body - Thibeau looks very uncomfortable down there.
Thibeau is in all sorts of trouble here.
Thibeau wants to control but Poe is having none of it.
Thibeau is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edgar Poe dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Poe looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thibeau is fending him off so far but Poe persists. Nope, Thibeau circles away and we're back to standing.
Thibeau lands with a nice combination. Poe backs away looking to recover.
Thibeau throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Poe fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Thibeau tries to clinch up

and Poe decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Thibeau's guard.
Poe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thibeau is keeping the position for now.
Thibeau is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Poe is controlling him.
Poe scoring with some ground and pound.
Poe wants to control from the top but Thibeau keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Poe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Poe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Poe postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Poe tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice sprawl there from Thibeau as Poe shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Edgar Poe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Poe fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Poe fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Poe shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Thibeau pinned against the cage. Thibeau gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Poe shoots in but Thibeau avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Poe shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thibeau but Thibeau pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Thibeau is looking to clinch but Poe is avoiding it.
Poe shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thibeau as he avoids it easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thibeau looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thibeau misses with a two punch combination.
Poe shoots in and drives through. Thibeau sprawls well.
Thibeau fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Thibeau. No joy for Poe on that attempt.
No joy there for Thibeau, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Thibeau throws a right hand that Poe ducks under and follows up with a left that Poe also avoids with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thibeau keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Poe shoots in and bounces Thibeau off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Thibeau wants to sweep but no luck.
Poe makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Thibeau trying to keep a closed guard but Poe is proving a slippery customer.

Thibeau has his foot on Poe's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Poe works his way back into a safe position though.
Nicholas Thibeau has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poe trying to control the position from guard on top but Thibeau is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Poe will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Thibeau wants to improve his position but instead Poe has moved into half guard.
Edgar Poe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poe is controlling the pace.
Poe not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nice strikes from Poe there.
Poe sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Thibeau defending well though.
Poe thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Thibeau pushes Poe off looking to stand but Poe dives back in and keeps control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edgar Poe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Poe, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight for Edgar Poe!
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight for Edgar Poe!
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight for Edgar Poe!

Edgar Poe wins by unanimous decision!