PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Toby Vertongen (ranked 925 p4p, 1542 weight class) and Long Thai (ranked 118 p4p, 201 weight class). Long Thai is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Vertongen
vs
Thai

170 cm
25
155
4 - 3 - 0

178 cm
34
165
19 - 20 - 2

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

Vegan Gains

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Toby Vertongen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 20 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Long Thai!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Chris Edwards and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thai misses with an uppercut
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Vertongen lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Thai with a nice calf kick.
Vertongen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Vertongen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Thai throws a head kick that Vertongen semi-blocks.
A nice leg kick from Thai, right into the meat of the thigh.
Vertongen swats away the attempt to clinch by Thai.
Thai's coach down at Crapollas Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Thai's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
That kick from Vertongen tenderised Thai's leg. Thai is trying to keep his angry face on.
Thai plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Vertongen has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Mentor Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Thai checks a leg kick.
Vertongen throws a good cross that connects.
Thai tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Thai throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai misses the jab.
Thai fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Vertongen is out of range.
Thai misses with a wild body shot.
Vertongen was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Vertongen thows a leg kick but Thai checks it

and Thai counters by moving into the clinch.
Vertongen lands a body shot in the clinch.
Vertongen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Vertongen scores with a shot to the side of Thai's head.
Vertongen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Thai takes a shot to the head.
Thai keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Vertongen's efforts to push away.
Vertongen working aggressively here.
Vertongen taking a breather.
A body shot lands from Thai.
Thai pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Thai prevents a body shot from Vertongen.
Thai has Vertongen pressed against the cage, preventing Vertongen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Thai missing with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thai tries a knee to the head but Vertongen blocks it.

Vertongen breaks from the clinch.
Thai tries a head kick but it misses.
Thai throws a quick inside leg kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Thai tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Vertongen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vertongen lands a couple of elbows.
Vertongen lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Vertongen scoring with some ground and pound.
Thai working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Vertongen.
Vertongen throwing strikes from guard but Thai blocks nicely.
Vertongen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thai works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Vertongen throws a big right hand that misses.
Vertongen is fighting to break Thai's control of his arms but Thai is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vertongen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Vertongen postures up in Thai's guard and throws a big left but Thai blocks it.
Thai looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thai managing to control the position.
Thai utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thai avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thai avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thai has momentary wrist control but Vertongen slips an elbow through the middle.
Thai utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Vertongen throws an elbow that misses. Thai uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Vertongen's guard. Nice move by Thai!

Thai 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vertongen wants to sweep but no luck.
Thai trying to control but Vertongen is working from the bottom.

Vertongen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Thai gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Vertongen keeping moving, preventing Thai from controlling successfully.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Toby Vertongen dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Vertongen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Thai moves into the clinch.
Vertongen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Thai can do to turn this around?

Thai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Vertongen throws a hook but Thai blocks it.
Thai fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Long Thai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Vertongen loads up on a big right hand but Thai slips the punch.
Thai misses with a body kick.
Thai has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Vertongen finds it's way round the side to connect with Thai's head.
Vertongen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Thai throws a leg kick but Vertongen moved away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vertongen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thai.
Vertongen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The fighters circling - Thai throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Vertongen throws a lazy right hand but Thai sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Vertongen sets himself, and Thai steps forward looking for the clinch! Vertongen avoids it this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slapping body kick lands there for Thai.
Thai scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Vertongen throws a hook but Thai blocks it.
Vertongen throws a leg kick but Thai checks it.
Vertongen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Vertongen misses with an attempted mid kick.
Vertongen throws a leg kick but Thai sees it coming and moves out of range.
Thai throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Vertongen on the side of the head.
Vertongen misses with a hook. Thai ducked under it nicely.
Thai misses the shot to the body.
Vertongen wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Thai keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Vertongen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thai manages to avoid it.
Thai throws a sloppy head kick and Vertongen moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vertongen throws a looping overhand right but Thai ducks down to avoid it.
Both fighters circling a little - Thai finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
A slapping body kick lands there for Thai.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thai is looking to clinch.
Thai misses with a kick to the body.
Vertongen throwing a counter right hand but Thai manages to avoid it.
Jab from Thai.

Thai moves into the clinch.
Thai takes a shot to the head.
Thai looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Thai looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Vertongen lands a hook that snaps the head of Thai backwards.
Thai lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Toby Vertongen has been cut.
Vertongen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Toby Vertongen has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Thai pushes off an throws an elbow but Vertongen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Thai tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vertongen avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vertongen tries a body shot but Thai blocks it.
Thai blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Vertongen misses with the head strike.
Thai prevents a body shot from Vertongen.
Thai prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Toby Vertongen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vertongen avoiding damage as Thai throws knees to the body.
Thai misses with a knee strike.
Thai lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A short right from Vertongen on the inside.
Vertongen pushes Thai back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Thai scores with a nice hook to the head.
Thai utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Thai lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Thai throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vertongen avoiding damage as Thai throws knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vertongen misses with the head strike.
Thai throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vertongen misses with a punch on the inside.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Vertongen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vertongen lands with a hook. Thai tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Thai uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Vertongen.
Vertongen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
And Thai responds with a good body kick, but Vertongen manages to step out the way in time.
Thai misses with a head kick.
Vertongen tests Thai's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Vertongen misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Thai counters with a thumping low kick.
Vertongen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Thai. Thai circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Vertongen lands a body shot.
Vertongen wants to slow Thai down by chopping away at his legs.
Long Thai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sloppy strikes from Thai. Those never looked like landing.
Vertongen stuns Thai with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Long Thai will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Toby Vertongen's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Thai.
Thai takes a swing at Vertongen's ribcage but misses.
Vertongen needs to keep his hands up - Thai had a free shot at his head there.
Thai throws a body kick that misses.
Vertongen shoots in and drives through. Thai sprawls well.
Thai moves out of range of the strikes.
Thai tries to counter by closing the distance.
Vertongen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Vertongen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Thai steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Vertongen.
Vertongen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Vertongen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Thai throws out the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thai swings for the body but Vertongen moves out of range.
Vertongen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Thai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Vertongen was well out of range. Poor timing from Thai.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Vertongen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Thai has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Thai darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Thai throws out a loose jab but Vertongen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice uppercut lands for Thai. That snapped Vertongen's head back.
Thai finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Crunch! Thai slams his shin into Vertongen's torso.
Vertongen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Vertongen throws a solid leg kick but Thai takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Vertongen.
Thai dodges the punch combination from Vertongen.
Thai is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Thai tries to score with a low kick but Vertongen moves his leg out of the way.
A low kick lands for Vertongen.
Thai misses the body punch
and Vertongen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thai throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thai wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Vertongen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Vertongen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Thai sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Vertongen somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Toby Vertongen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vertongen cracks a nice hook into Thai's ribs.
Vertongen scores with the left hand. Thai knows he should have avoided that one.
Crunch! Thai slams his shin into Vertongen's torso.
Thai swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thai throws a body kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vertongen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Vertongen misses with an uppercut. Thai saw that one coming.
Vertongen misses with a head kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Vertongen.
Vertongen avoids the head kick by Thai.
Vertongen on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Thai feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Vertongens jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Vertongen throws a lazy uppercut
and Thai counters with a right hand to the body.
Vertongen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Thai on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Thai misses with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thai with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Jab from Vertongen.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vertongen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Vertongen throws a low kick but it's checked well by Thai.
Thai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
As Thai backs away, Vertongen returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Vertongen scores with a jab to the head.
Vertongen fails with a takedown attempt.
Thai tests Vertongen's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Vertongen slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Long Thai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thai 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Long Thai!