PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rodrick Shull (ranked 4371 p4p, 422 weight class) and Matthew Thiel (ranked 5148 p4p, 465 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Shull
vs
Thiel

170 cm
25
162 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
158 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rodrick Shull!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Matthew Thiel!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Daniel Blasius and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shull throws a shot from downtown. Thiel moves away and avoids it.
Thiel now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
A jab from Thiel misses.

Thiel clinches.
Thiel fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shull misses with a hook from the clinch.
Thiel goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Thiel throws a head punch that misses.
Shull blocks an uppercut.
Shull has Thiel pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Thiel manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Thiel tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Shull is looking to control Thiel's arms but Thiel gets an underhook and turns him. Now Shull has his back to the cage.
Thiel cracks Shull with a nice body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thiel lands with a short shot to the head.
Thiel misses with a short punch on the inside.
Thiel has Shull pressed against the cage.
Thiel throws a head punch that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thiel lands a right hand that snaps the head of Shull backwards.

Thiel gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Shull keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Thiel throws a strike but Shull avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Thiel trying to control but Shull is working from the bottom.
Thiel throws a big elbow that misses.
Thiel looking to sit in guard and control but Shull gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Shull is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Thiel 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.
Shull engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thiel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Shull is one step ahead there.
Thiel not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Shull 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.
Shull looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Shull looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shull is working hard here to advance position.
Shull is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Shull preventing the sweep.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Thiel ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Thiel takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Thiel misses with a right hand
and Shull counters with a nice uppercut.
Thiel with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Shull to score with a decent uppercut.
Shull moves away from the strike by Thiel.
Shull swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Shull lands with a good body shot.
Thiel comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thiel lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Thiel lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Nice uppercut lands for Thiel. That snapped Shull's head back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shull lands a nice shot to the body.
Shull misses with a hook
and Shull takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Thiel loads up on a big right hand but Shull slips the punch.

Thiel scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Shull gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Thiel sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Shull defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Thiel dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Shull takes a swing at Thiel's ribcage but misses.
Shull takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Thiel is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Shull's half guard.
Thiel trying to control from Shull's half guard. Shull has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Thiel looking to sit in guard and control but Shull gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Shull pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thiel is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shull controls from within his opponent's guard.
Thiel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shull tries to free his leg and advance position but Thiel is retaining full guard.
Thiel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Shull is one step ahead there.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Thiel can do anything to dispel that myth.
Shull sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Matthew Thiel has got the better of the ground game so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A telegraphed right hand from Shull misses the target.
Thiel throws a good cross that connects.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Shull.
Thiel lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Thiel throws a looping overhand right but Shull ducks down to avoid it.
Thiel misses with a looping left.
Thiel throws the left hand but Shull avoids the punch easily.
Thiel lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Shull scores with a hook to the body. Thiel takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Thiel might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Thiel swings for the body but Shull moves out of range.
Shull keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Thiel.
Thiel tries to move into range but Shull moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Thiel takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Shull just misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shull takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A punch combination from Shull misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shull lands an overhand right.
Shull fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Thiel misses with a hook
enabling Shull to counter with a crisp jab.
Shull throws a right hand that misses
and Thiel counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Shull uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thiel.
Shull throws a body shot but no joy.
Thiel digs a good hook to Shull's body.
A big right from Thiel misses.
A quick step to the side and Shull tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thiel waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Shull.

Thiel rushes Shull and presses him up against the cage.
Shull wants to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Matthew Thiel will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Thiel misses with an uppercut
and Shull counters with a stiff right hand.
Thiel misses with a straight left.
Thiel jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Thiel slips a straight right by Shull.
Thiel misses with a looping left.
Thiel throws an overhand right that lands on Shull's shoulder, as Shull tries to avoid the shot.
Thiel jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Thiel uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Shull.
Thiel lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thiel darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Shull is rocked!
A slow jab from Thiel misses its intended target.
An attempted straight right counter from Shull misses the target.
Oh Shull is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Thiel throws out a loose jab but Shull uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shull seems to have got his legs back now.
Shull lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shull jabs at Thiel's body.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Shull enables Thiel to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Shull manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Thiel preventing the sweep.
Thiel working some strikes from top position.
Thiel wants to control from the top but Shull keeps moving.
Thiel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thiel missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Shull wants to sweep here but Thiel controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thiel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Thiel landing with the ground and pound.
Rodrick Shull has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Thiel accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Shull 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.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Thiel uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Good exchange - Thiel coming out on top.
Nice jab there from Thiel.
Thiel walks forward and throws a big overhand right! Shull drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes! Thiel swarms on him with more punches until the referee wrestles him away from Shull's unconscious body! Wow, that was brutal!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:46 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Matthew Thiel!
Matthew Thiel is the new lightweight champion!