PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Scott Thompson (ranked 3926 p4p, 6110 weight class) and Fotis Vassilakos (ranked 425 p4p, 557 weight class). Thompson kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Redneck Summer - Ben Hudson. Vassilakos has chosen Zorba's Dance as his entrance music. 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.

Thompson
vs
Vassilakos

195 cm
21
275
1 - 1 - 0

192 cm
20
275
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Scott Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Fotis Vassilakos!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vassilakos keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Vassilakos tries a low kick but Thompson avoids it.
Vassilakos avoids the body shot from Thompson.
Vassilakos moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Thompson has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Thompson takes a swing at Vassilakos's ribcage but misses.

Vassilakos tries to keep at a distance but Thompson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vassilakos jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Thompson walks away with a smile on his face. Vassilakos gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Thompson clinches up against the cage.
Vassilakos tries a body shot but Thompson blocks it.
Vassilakos looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Thompson working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Thompson lands a good knee to the midsection. Vassilakos won't want to take too many of those.
Vassilakos goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vassilakos misses with a short punch on the inside.
Vassilakos tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Vassilakos is trying to pull guard but Thompson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Vassilakos goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Vassilakos misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Thompson unloads a knee to the mid-section. Vassilakos lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Thompson lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vassilakos has a couple of punches blocked by Thompson.
Vassilakos looking to slow down the pace here.
Vassilakos looking to slow down the pace here.
Vassilakos takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Fotis Vassilakos has been cut.

Thompson manages to break the clinch.
Thompson just misses with a punch to the body.
Thompson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Vassilakos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Thompson tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Vassilakos manages to circle out of the way.
Vassilakos misses with a head kick.

Thompson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Vassilakos did well to prevent Thompson getting side control.
Vassilakos tries to roll over but Thompson keeps him under control.
Vassilakos moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Thompson with a nice head shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Vassilakos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Vassilakos is looking for a triangle but Thompson pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!

Vassilakos looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thompson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Vassilakos's head.

Vassilakos working for a triangle but Thompson defends it easily.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Vassilakos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson cracks Vassilakos with a solid left hand.

Vassilakos escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Thompson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Vassilakos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is in close to Vassilakos's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Thompson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Thompson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Thompson passes Vassilakos's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Thompson trying to mount his opponent but Vassilakos defends it.
Thompson is thwarting Vassilakos's attempts to control the position.
Thompson controlling the action here.

Vassilakos looking for submissions off his back.

Vassilakos is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Thompson pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vassilakos is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Thompson scores with a couple of nice shots.
Thompson is keen to just control but Vassilakos is a slippery customer.
Vassilakos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Vassilakos is refusing to be controlled, as Thompson sits in half guard.
Vassilakos has hold of Thompson's hands but Thompson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Thompson working Vassilakos over with strikes.
Thompson lands with a punch from half guard.
Thompson wants to advance to full mount but Vassilakos doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Thompson working some strikes from top position.
Thompson 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.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Thompson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Fotis Vassilakos's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Vassilakos lands a nice hook to Thompson's body. Thompson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Thompson has Vassilakos up against the cage in a clinch.
Vassilakos misses with a hook to the ribs.
Thompson using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Thompson using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Thompson is pushing Vassilakos up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Scott Thompson has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Thompson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Thompson stalling in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thompson stalling the fight.

Thompson manages to break the clinch.
An inside leg kick from Vassilakos misses.
Vassilakos takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Thompson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Vassilakos's guard.
Vassilakos is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson trying to control but Vassilakos is working from the bottom.
Thompson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Vassilakos's head.
Vassilakos keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.

Vassilakos escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Thompson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Thompson pushing down on Vassilakos's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Ground and pound from Thompson.
Thompson is trying to control the action in half guard but Vassilakos is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Thompson working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Vassilakos looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Thompson seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Thompson is looking to take a break and control but Vassilakos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Vassilakos has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Thompson is working away from the top position though.
Thompson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vassilakos keeps working.
Thompson winds up and cracks Vassilakos with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are battling for position here. Vassilakos manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Vassilakos looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Thompson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson distracts Vassilakos with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Thompson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Vassilakos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Scott Thompson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Thompson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vassilakos swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Vassilakos working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Thompson has passed into half guard!
Thompson prevents Vassilakos from improving his position.
Thompson wants to control but Vassilakos is keeping him busy.
Ground and pound from Thompson.
Thompson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thompson has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Thompson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Vassilakos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Thompson dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Fotis Vassilakos's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Thompson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Thompson closes the distance and clinches.
Vassilakos has Thompson pushed against the cage.

Thompson gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Vassilakos regains guard.

Vassilakos is looking for a triangle but Thompson pushes his legs off easily.
Thompson passes Vassilakos's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Vassilakos trying to control but Thompson postures up.
Thompson drops an elbow to the side of Vassilakos's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vassilakos is staying active underneath Thompson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Thompson controlling the pace.
Thompson is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Thompson wants to control but Vassilakos is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson wants to pass the guard but Vassilakos is defending well.
Vassilakos moves into full guard.

Vassilakos is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Thompson defends well.
Thompson connects with a couple of short punches.
Vassilakos keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.
Vassilakos has momentary wrist control but Thompson slips an elbow through the middle.
Thompson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vassilakos can do to turn this around?
Thompson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Thompson trying to control but Vassilakos is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vassilakos wants to control but Thompson passes easily into half guard.
Thompson stalling.
Thompson seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Thompson is trying to control. Vassilakos wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Thompson landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Vassilakos trying to control from the bottom.
Thompson is looking to advance position but Vassilakos won't allow it.
Thompson drops an elbow to the side of Vassilakos's head.
Vassilakos has hold of Thompson's hands but Thompson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vassilakos is refusing to be controlled, as Thompson sits in half guard.
Nice strikes from Thompson there.
Thompson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Vassilakos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Thompson wants to pass to mount but Vassilakos is defending the position.
Vassilakos is looking to improve his position.
Thompson passes to full mount!
Thompson looking to finish Vassilakos with some ground and pound. This is bad for Vassilakos!
Thompson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Thompson is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Vassilakos manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Thompson drops an elbow to the side of Vassilakos's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Thompson there.
Thompson stalling away here and it's allowed Vassilakos to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Vassilakos had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Thompson defends it easily.
Thompson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vassilakos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thompson is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Vassilakos is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Thompson is aware though and is defending well.
Fotis Vassilakos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Scott Thompson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thompson wants to control from the top but Vassilakos keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Scott Thompson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Thompson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Scott Thompson!
During a confident post fight interview, Scott Thompson thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.