PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jeff Thorn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Willson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Willson's choice of entrance music: Welcome to the Jungle. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Thorn
vs
Willson

203 cm
22
250 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

187 cm
22
230 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jeff Thorn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mike Willson!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Summer Carpenter and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Willson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Thorn knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Willson on the ground.
Thorn avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Willson.

Willson goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Thorn rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Willson's guard! Nice work there by Thorn!
Willson has a closed guard, preventing Thorn from standing up.
Thorn slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Willson has a closed guard, preventing Thorn from standing up.

Thorn avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Thorn avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Willson wants to stand but Thorn is controlling the position.
Thorn trying to control the position from guard on top but Willson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thorn wants to stand but Willson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Willson wants to sweep here but Thorn controlling him for the moment.
Thorn trying to control but Willson is working from the bottom.

Willson has his foot on Thorn's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Thorn works his way back into a safe position though.
Thorn will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Willson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Thorn gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Willson looks gassed!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Thorn accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Thorn looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Willson takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
A slow jab from Thorn misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Willson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Willson lands in his opponent's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Willson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thorn works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Thorn is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Willson is controlling him.
Willson throwing strikes but missing.
Willson working some strikes from top position.
Thorn is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Willson is controlling him.
Willson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Willson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thorn is keeping the position for now.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Willson tries for a takedown but Thorn sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Willson is looking to clinch.
Thorn throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Willson.
Thorn is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Willson.
Nice takedown defense from Thorn. No joy for Willson on that attempt.

That's four 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.
Thorn looks to score with a jab to the body but Willson is just out of range.
Thorn throws a jab when Willson was well out of range.
Willson slips a jab and a cross from Thorn.
Thorn swinging wilding here.
Willson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jeff Thorn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Willson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Thorn as he jumps to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeff Thorn dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Thorn misses the shot to the body.
Willson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The fighters circling - Thorn throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Willson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Willson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Thorn as he jumps to the side.
Jeff Thorn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Willson.
Willson looks for a takedown but Thorn sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Willson.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thorn wants to control but Willson postures up.
Willson throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Willson working the ground and pound but Thorn is defending the strikes.
Thorn is looking for a sweep.

Willson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Willson is breathing heavily.
Thorn is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Willson asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Willson tries to advance to mount but Thorn denies him.

Willson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Thorn is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Thorn thows a body shot but no joy.
Thorn looks to land a right hand but Willson moved out of range.
Thorn looks to score with a jab to the body but Willson is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn misses with a few strikes there.
Thorn throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Thorn throws out a loose jab but Willson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thorn misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thorn misses with a wild body shot.
Willson misses with a takedown attempt - Thorn sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Thorn throws a lazy right hand but Willson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's four 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.
Willson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thorn as he avoids it easily.
Willson looks for a takedown but Thorn sprawls well.
Willson fails to land the takedown.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thorn throws a right and a left that Willson avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mike Willson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Thorn's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Thorn will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Willson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thorn but Thorn pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Thorn misses with the combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Willson takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thorn.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Willson.

Willson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Willson is trying to get an arm triangle but Thorn is defending well.
Willson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Thorn can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Willson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Thorn knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Thorn is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Thorn is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Willson throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Thorn thows a body shot but no joy.
Thorn throws a body punch but Willson moves out of range.
Willson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Jeff Thorn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Willson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn swinging wilding here.
A punch combination from Thorn misses.
Willson slips a jab and a cross from Thorn.
Willson shoots in for a double leg but Thorn sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Thorn stuffs the takedown.

That's four 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.
Willson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Thorn fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jeff Thorn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Willson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Thorn.
Thorn misses with a few strikes there.
Nice sprawl there from Thorn as Willson shoots in.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Willson gets the takedown into side control.

Willson is trying to get an arm triangle but Thorn is defending well.
Thorn can't do much from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Willson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Willson 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!