PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Michael Aalto (ranked 595 p4p, 999 weight class) and Tyson Thompson (ranked 71 p4p, 117 weight class). Michael Aalto had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Aalto
vs
Thompson

177 cm
25
149
11 - 3 - 0

167 cm
25
140
8 - 2 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Savage Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Michael Aalto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Tyson Thompson !
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Summer Carpenter and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A right-left combo lands from Thompson .
Thompson throws a hook to the side of Aalto's head but Aalto sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Aalto avoids the body shot from Thompson .
Aalto tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thompson was well out of range. Poor timing from Aalto.
Aalto throws a head kick that misses.
A nice inside leg kick there by Aalto. That's going to slow Thompson down.
Thompson throws a looping overhand right but Aalto ducks down to avoid it.
Aalto misses with a body shot.
Thompson looks to throw the jab but Aalto is out of range.
Thompson uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Aalto misses with an uppercut
letting Thompson counter with a right hand.
Thompson lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thompson throws a body shot but no joy.
Thompson staying out of range there.
Donk. Thompson catches Aalto right on the button with a cross.
A telegraphed right hand from Aalto misses the target.
Aalto bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Aalto slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson misses with a left hand
and Aalto makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Tyson Thompson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A cross from Aalto lands.
Aalto on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Aalto swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thompson looks to throw the jab but Aalto is out of range.
The crowd cheers as Aalto lands an impressive looking overhand right. Thompson doesn't seem phased though.
Thompson moves away from the strike by Aalto.
Aalto misses with a straight right.
Thompson misses with a lunging right hand
and Aalto counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Aalto looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Thompson misses with a few strikes there.
Aalto swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A slapping leg kick lands for Aalto.

Aalto fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Thompson sprawls well initially but Aalto persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Aalto is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Thompson defends it well.
Aalto passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is trying to escape the mount.
Thompson throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Thompson regains half guard.
Thompson is looking to control Aalto's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Thompson avoid being mounted?
Aalto is looking to pass Thompson 's guard but actually Thompson recovers to full guard.
Aalto wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aalto drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Thompson dives on top into guard.

Thompson controls from within his opponent's guard.
Thompson preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Thompson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Aalto has his foot on Thompson 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Thompson works his way back into a safe position though.
Aalto is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Thompson looking to pass the guard.

Aalto looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Thompson stopping the sweep attempt from Aalto.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tyson Thompson will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Aalto comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Thompson checks a low kick from Aalto.
Thompson has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Aalto.
Aalto slips a straight right by Thompson .
Aalto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thompson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A chopping leg kick lands by Aalto.
Thompson keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

Thompson gets tackled into the cage by Aalto. Aalto maintains the clinch.
Thompson throws a head punch that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Aalto.
Aalto misses with a hook from the clinch.
Aalto's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Aalto jumps guard and drags Thompson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Thompson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Thompson stands and throws Aalto's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aalto tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Thompson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Thompson is looking to take a break and control but Aalto is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Aalto is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Thompson is looking to take a break and control but Aalto is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Michael Aalto overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Aalto tries to improve position but can't.
Michael Aalto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.

Thompson swings around for an armbar but Aalto sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Thompson 's guard.
Aalto wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.
Aalto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Thompson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Aalto defends well.

Aalto has gone for a leg lock! Thompson slips out almost immediately though and dives into Aalto's guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thompson stopping the sweep attempt from Aalto.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aalto keeping full guard, as Thompson tries to pass.
Aalto looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Aalto seems keen to control Thompson 's posture.
Aalto bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thompson 's guard.

Aalto wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.
Aalto is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Thompson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

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.

Thompson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Aalto defends it easily.

Thompson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Aalto wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Aalto dominated that second 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Thompson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Thompson blocks a head kick by Aalto.
Tyson Thompson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thompson tries to bum rush Aalto with a series of wild strikes but Aalto uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Thompson throws a combination that misses
and Aalto counters with a nice body kick.
Aalto pivots, looking for a leg kick but Thompson is out of range and Aalto settles back down.
Thompson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Aalto manages to avoid it.
Thompson throws a lazy uppercut
and Aalto makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Thompson throws the left hand but Aalto avoids the punch easily.
Aalto tries to work over Thompson 's front leg with a kick but Thompson checks it.
Aalto misses with a low kick as Thompson jumps back.
Thompson misses with a wild combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thompson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Aalto circles away quickly and effectively.
Thompson looks to score with a jab to the body but Aalto is just out of range.
A nice leg kick from Aalto, right into the meat of the thigh.
Aalto fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Thompson is out of range.
A countering left hand to the body from Thompson misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson swings for the body but Aalto moves out of range.
Thompson scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Aalto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Aalto misses with a straight right.
Aalto takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Aalto dodges the punch combination from Thompson .
Thompson looks to score with a jab to the body but Aalto is just out of range.
Thompson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Aalto lands a head shot.
A slow jab from Thompson misses its intended target.
Thompson getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Jab, jab by Thompson - just one landing.
Thompson cracks Aalto with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Thompson loads up on a big right hand but Aalto slips the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thompson digs a good hook to Aalto's body.
Thompson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Aalto.
Aalto misses with a low kick.
Aalto looks to throw the jab but Thompson is out of range.
A decent looking cross lands there for Thompson .
Thompson fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Aalto on the side of the head.
Thompson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Aalto tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Aalto comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Aalto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Good work by Thompson as he checks the leg kick.
Thompson swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Thompson misses with a straight left.
That kick from Aalto tenderised Thompson 's leg. Thompson is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aalto misses with a head kick.
Aalto throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Thompson dips to his left and cracks Aalto with an uppercut!
Aalto throws a low kick but it's checked well by Thompson .
Aalto takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Thompson misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thompson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Aalto moves away from the strike by Thompson .
A cross from Thompson lands.
Aalto bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Thompson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Aalto.
Aalto throws a lazy head kick
and Thompson counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Good exchange - Thompson coming out on top.
Thompson lands with a straight right. Aalto didn't see that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thompson misses with a two punch combination.
Thompson connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Aalto momentarily.
A telegraphed right hand from Aalto misses the target.
A cross from Thompson lands.
Aalto misses with a straight right.
Thompson misses with a body shot.
Aalto takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Aalto tries a head kick but it misses.
Aalto is looking to clinch.
Thompson moves out of range of the body kick.
Thompson throws out a counter right but Aalto avoids it with no problem.

Aalto fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Thompson , pushing him back against the cage.
Aalto lands a left hand.
Thompson takes a shot to the head.

Aalto manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Aalto looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Thompson passes into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tyson Thompson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thompson 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tyson Thompson !