PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Thompson (ranked 559 p4p, 401 weight class) and Arturo Vargas (ranked 33 p4p, 21 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Arturo Vargas enters the cage!

Thompson
vs
Vargas

190 cm
36
280
33 - 21 - 0

200 cm
36
270
28 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Shadow Realm Apparel

Conquer
UNDEFEATED

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 21 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ricky Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Arturo Vargas!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Steve Erwin and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thompson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Vargas circles away quickly and effectively.
A jab from Vargas misses.
Thompson is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Vargas bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Thompson misses with a kick to the body.
Thompson throws a right and a left that Vargas avoids nicely.
A little jabbing left from Vargas on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Thompson shoots for a double leg takedown but Vargas sprawls well. He's pushed Thompson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A decent looking cross lands there for Vargas.

It looks like Ricky Thompson has been cut.
Sloppy strikes from Thompson. Those never looked like landing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vargas ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Vargas swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Thompson. Those never looked like landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson misses with a looping left.
Thompson misses with a lunging right hand
and Vargas cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Thompson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Vargas.
Left hook, right uppercut from Thompson.

It looks like Arturo Vargas has been cut.
Vargas moves away from the strike by Thompson.
Vargas wants to counter with a clinch but Thompson pushes him away.
Thompson misses with a right hand
and Vargas counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Thompson wants to land a leg kick but Vargas is out of range.
Vargas doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Vargas keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Thompson.
Vargas let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

Vargas cracks Thompson with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Vargas has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Thompson to stand back up!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thompson scores with a decent looking hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson throws a leg kick
and Vargas counters with a nice body shot.
Thompson is breathing heavily.
Vargas avoids a punch combination nicely.
The crowd cheers as Vargas lands an impressive looking overhand right. Thompson doesn't seem phased though.
Thompson is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Vargas's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.

Thompson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Thompson working the ground and pound but Vargas is defending the strikes.
Thompson throws a strike aimed at the side of Vargas's head but Vargas avoids it well.
Vargas is trying to improve his position.
Thompson misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vargas tries to improve position but can't.
Thompson working the ground and pound but Vargas is defending the strikes.
The ground and pound from Thompson seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Thompson trying to control the action but Vargas is working from the bottom.
Thompson working the body and head with strikes.
An elbow from Thompson crashes against the mat.
Thompson trying to control the position but Vargas is working away.
Thompson misses with the ground and pound.
Thompson working the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson trying to control the action but Vargas is working from the bottom.
Thompson throws a strike aimed at the side of Vargas's head but Vargas avoids it well.
Vargas is letting Thompson control him for a moment.
Thompson working the ground and pound but Vargas is defending the strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thompson throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Vargas works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Thompson not doing much here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Thompson dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Thompson shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Vargas throws an overhand right that lands on Thompson's shoulder, as Thompson tries to avoid the shot.
Some wild striking there from Thompson.
Vargas looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A punch combination from Thompson misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thompson misses with a looping right.
Vargas doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Vargas defending well as Thompson loads up on a big left hand.
Vargas is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Thompson with a body shot.

Thompson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vargas really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Thompson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Thompson trying to control but Vargas is working from the bottom.
Thompson throwing strikes but missing.
Thompson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Vargas utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vargas can do anything to dispel that myth.
Vargas avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thompson throwing strikes but missing.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Vargas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson is fighting to break Vargas's control of his arms but Vargas is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's two 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.
Thompson landing with the ground and pound.
Thompson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Thompson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vargas can do to turn this around?
Thompson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Thompson advances position into side control!
The strikes coming from Thompson are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Thompson throws an elbow but Vargas slips to the side and avoids it well.
Thompson tries to score with some ground and pound. Vargas controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Thompson working the strikes but Vargas uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson lands strikes from half guard.

That has opened up Arturo Vargas's cut even more.
Vargas is staying active underneath Thompson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Thompson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thompson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Thompson lands strikes from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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 thows a huge punch but Vargas dodges it nicely.
Thompson wants to control but Vargas is keeping him busy.
Vargas avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Thompson.
Thompson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Vargas trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Thompson loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Vargas scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Thompson land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Thompson stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ricky Thompson!
Ricky Thompson very nearly forgot to thank Voodoo Nutrition amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.