PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zurabi Vakhtangishvili (ranked 1301 p4p, 1410 weight class) and Demassive Thibodeaux (ranked 155 p4p, 166 weight class). Demassive Thibodeaux will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Vakhtangishvili
vs
Thibodeaux

195 cm
26
235
4 - 3 - 0

206 cm
26
274
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Island clothing lite

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Zurabi Vakhtangishvili!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Demassive Thibodeaux!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Michael Johnstone and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thibodeaux misses with a looping left.
Thibodeaux scores with a sloppy right hand. Vakhtangishvili should have avoided that one.

It looks like Zurabi Vakhtangishvili has been cut.
Vakhtangishvili tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Thibodeaux manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Vakhtangishvili is looking to clinch.
Thibodeaux looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Thibodeaux scores with a shot to the body.

Thibodeaux tries to keep at a distance but Vakhtangishvili has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vakhtangishvili throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Nice body punch from Vakhtangishvili - that landed with a thud.
Vakhtangishvili misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Vakhtangishvili misses with a body punch.
Vakhtangishvili lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Demassive Thibodeaux has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vakhtangishvili tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Vakhtangishvili creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Thibodeaux's defenses.
Vakhtangishvili looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Good body shot from Vakhtangishvili.
Vakhtangishvili creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Thibodeaux doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Vakhtangishvili definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Vakhtangishvili looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Thibodeaux misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vakhtangishvili pressing his opponent against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Vakhtangishvili just misses with a elbow thrown towards Thibodeaux's brow.
Thibodeaux blocks the elbow strike.
Thibodeaux pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Thibodeaux tries to land a knee to the head but Vakhtangishvili blocks with his arms.
With the fighters up against the cage, Vakhtangishvili throws an elbow but misses.
Vakhtangishvili tries to work over Thibodeaux's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Thibodeaux fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Vakhtangishvili lands a damaging elbow.

That has opened up Demassive Thibodeaux's cut even more.
Thibodeaux throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vakhtangishvili blocks it with crossed arms.
With the fighters up against the cage, Vakhtangishvili throws an elbow but misses.
Vakhtangishvili tries a body shot but Thibodeaux blocks it.
Thibodeaux throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Thibodeaux taking a breather.
Vakhtangishvili is leaning against Thibodeaux and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Vakhtangishvili throws an elbow but misses.
Nice elbow from Vakhtangishvili.
Thibodeaux takes an elbow to the forehead.

The cut above Demassive Thibodeaux's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Vakhtangishvili tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thibodeaux misses with a hook to the ribs.
Vakhtangishvili throws an elbow that misses.
Vakhtangishvili looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Vakhtangishvili blocks a body shot from Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Thibodeaux is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Vakhtangishvili blocks a body shot from Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux throws a head punch that misses.
Thibodeaux blocks the elbow strike.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vakhtangishvili pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Thibodeaux struggles to land a body shot inside as Vakhtangishvili controls his hands.
Thibodeaux throws a punch but it's blocked by Vakhtangishvili.
Thibodeaux tries to throw a body punch but Vakhtangishvili avoids it by throwing Thibodeaux back against the cage.
Thibodeaux lands with a right to the head.
Thibodeaux blocks a body shot from Vakhtangishvili.
Thibodeaux pushes off an throws an elbow but Vakhtangishvili leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Vakhtangishvili misses with a punch to the body.
Thibodeaux on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Thibodeaux throws an elbow but it misses.
Thibodeaux misses with an elbow over the top.
Vakhtangishvili tries a body shot but Thibodeaux blocks it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Vakhtangishvili.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thibodeaux dodges an elbow strike from Vakhtangishvili.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Thibodeaux just misses with a elbow thrown towards Vakhtangishvili's brow.
Thibodeaux blocks a body shot from Vakhtangishvili.
Thibodeaux makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Vakhtangishvili lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Demassive Thibodeaux's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Thibodeaux looking to throw knees to the head but Vakhtangishvili is blocking nicely.
Vakhtangishvili tries to work over Thibodeaux's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Vakhtangishvili pushes off an throws an elbow but Thibodeaux leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Vakhtangishvili misses with a hook to the ribs.
A short right from Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux throws an elbow that misses.
Vakhtangishvili goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Thibodeaux blocks an elbow strike.
Nice body punch from Vakhtangishvili - that landed with a thud.
Thibodeaux throws an elbow that misses.
Thibodeaux prevents a body shot from Vakhtangishvili.
Thibodeaux misses with a hook from the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux working aggressively here.
Vakhtangishvili throws an elbow but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vakhtangishvili lands an elbow inside that Thibodeaux shrugs off.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Demassive Thibodeaux's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:13 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Zurabi Vakhtangishvili!
A relieved looking Zurabi Vakhtangishvili thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.