PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sydney Thift (ranked 2390 p4p, 279 weight class) and John Titor (ranked 2493 p4p, 287 weight class). Titor is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: John Titor-Going To Space. John Titor told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Thift
vs
Titor

183 cm
27
177 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

182 cm
21
175 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sydney Thift!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Titor!
The judges for this bout are Chris Dean, Steve Erwin and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Titor. Thift does a little dance to reset his feet.
John Titor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thift thows a leg kick but Titor checks it
and Titor counters with a nice uppercut.
Titor looks to land a body kick but Thift moved away.
Titor keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Titor throws a body punch but Thift moves out of range.
Titor comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Titor scores with a jab.
Thift gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Titor.
Thift steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Titor. That one must have hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Titor keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Thift tries for a takedown but Titor sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Titor misses with a body shot.
Thift tries to counter with a takedown but Titor is quick to defend against it.
Thift steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Titor.
Thift tries to counter with a takedown but Titor is quick to defend against it.
Titor throws a body kick that misses.
Titor lands with a cross.
Titor throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thift changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thift bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Thift half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Thift takes one on the button.
Titor has worked on his takedown defense in the runup to this fight and it is paying off so far.

Thift gets caught napping as Titor dives in and scores a takedown. Thift manages to retain guard.
Titor being controlled here momentarily.
Titor postures up in Thift's guard and throws a big left but Thift blocks it.
Thift keeping moving, preventing Titor from controlling successfully.
Thift trying to keep a closed guard but Titor is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Titor controls from within his opponent's guard.
Titor throwing strikes from guard but Thift blocks nicely.
Thift is trying to control the position but Titor postures up.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Thift wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Titor works Thift's body with a nice hook.
Thift slips a straight right by Titor.
Thift feinted with a counter takedown.

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.
Titor swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thift fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sydney Thift. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Titor leaves Thift with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Thift is trying hard to land a takedown here. Titor sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Titor connects with a body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Titor lands with an uppercut that bounces Thift off the cage and back into range.
A slow jab from Titor misses its intended target.
Thift appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Titor dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Thift keeps the fight on the outside.
Thift half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Titor connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Thift momentarily.
Thift tries for a takedown but Titor sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Titor has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Titor misses with a looping left.
Thift steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Titor.
Thift attempts a counter takedown but Titor avoids it well and moves away.
Titor lands a jab to Thift's midsection.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Titor just misses with a punch to the body.
Thift drops down looking for a counter takedown but Titor sprawls and moves away.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Titor.
Titor dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Thift. That did some damage!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thift on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Titor jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

Thift gets caught napping as Titor dives in and scores a takedown. Thift manages to retain guard.
Thift trying to keep a closed guard but Titor is proving a slippery customer.
Thift being controlled here, momentarily.
Thift working a defensive guard but Titor manages to pass into side control anyway.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thift can't do much from the bottom here.
Titor is looking to take a break and control but Thift is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thift dodges the ground and pound from Titor.
Thift tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Thift is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Thift tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Titor is looking to take a break and control but Thift is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The strikes coming from Titor are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Titor misses with the ground and pound.
Titor scoring with punches and elbows.
Titor wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thift keeps working.
Thift tries to get back to half guard but can't.

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.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Thift can't do much from the bottom here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thift with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Titor to score with a decent uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Titor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Thift lands with a good body shot.
Titor waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Thift.
Titor throws a lazy head kick

and Thift counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Thift missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Titor bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thift's guard.

Titor must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Thift looking to hit a scissor sweep but Titor is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thift is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Titor content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Titor controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Titor loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Titor not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Thift is on top in guard.

Titor seems keen to control Thift's posture.

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.
Titor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thift.
Titor avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thift won't allow Titor to sweep him here.
Titor is pulling down on Thift's head. It's preventing any offense from Thift, at least for the moment.
Thift working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Thift trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Thift throwing strikes from guard but Titor blocks nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thift lands a jab-cross combination.
Titor swinging wildly here.
Thift changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
John Titor seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Titor scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Sydney Thift has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Titor throws a jab when Thift was well out of range.
Thift feinted with a counter takedown.
Titor cracks Thift with a good jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thift with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Thift is defended easily by Titor.
John Titor is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Nice sprawl there from Titor as Thift shoots in.
Thift on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thift on the wrong end of a nice jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Titor takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Titor.
Well Titor 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 Chris Dean scores the fight 25:30
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Titor!
Our winner, John Titor, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.