PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Clarence Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cassiano Victor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Victor has chosen Enigma - Hello and welcome as his entrance music. Clarence Thomas had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Thomas
vs
Victor

180 cm
21
170 lbs
11 - 3 - 0

178 cm
21
178 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Clarence Thomas!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cassiano Victor!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Felipe Paraventi and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Victor fails to land the takedown.
Thomas lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

It looks like Cassiano Victor has been cut.
Thomas swings for the body but Victor moves out of range.
Some wild striking there from Thomas.
Victor uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Thomas.
Victor uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Thomas has time to react.
Thomas misses with a looping right.
Thomas swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Victor fails with the takedown.
Thomas tries to close the distance and clinch but Victor swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Victor fails with a takedown attempt.
Clarence Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cassiano Victor.
Thomas misses with a looping left.
Nice takedown defense from Thomas. No joy for Victor on that attempt.
Victor slips under a jab.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Victor.
Thomas takes one to the side of the head.

Victor scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Thomas wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas tries to bench press Victor off him but Victor keeps the position.
Victor advances to full mount.
Thomas is controlling an arm, preventing Victor from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Thomas knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Victor on the ground.

Victor has hold of Thomas's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Thomas manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Victor punching from mount but Thomas doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Victor throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Thomas tries to hold on but Victor postures up.
Thomas is wriggling around trying to escape.

Victor is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Thomas is surviving well by controlling Victor's body position as best he can.
Victor working Thomas over with strikes here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Victor wants to control the pace but Thomas is squirming around nicely.

Victor goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Thomas is on top in guard.
Victor keeping moving, preventing Thomas from controlling successfully.
Victor has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Thomas has passed into side control.
Thomas trying to control the action but Victor is working from the bottom.
Victor is looking for a sweep.
Thomas is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Victor sneaks back into half guard.

Victor looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
It looks like Thomas is going to stand back up.
Thomas trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Thomas decides to return to a standing position.
Thomas throws a nice looking combination but Victor bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thomas uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Victor.
Thomas looks to score with a jab to the body but Victor is just out of range.
Victor swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Thomas.
Thomas looks to land a left hand but Victor moved out of range nicely.
Victor shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thomas as he avoids it easily.
Clarence Thomas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Victor cracks Thomas with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throws a hook but Victor avoids it easily.
Thomas lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Victor circles away quickly and effectively.
Thomas looks to land a right hand but Victor moved out of range.
Thomas fails in his attempt to clinch.

Victor clinches up against the cage.
Victor dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Victor tries for a takedown. No joy.
Victor drops down looking for an ankle pick but Thomas pulls his leg out and moves away.

Victor fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Thomas, pushing him back against the cage.
Victor lands a left hand that snaps the head of Thomas backwards.
Thomas lands a right hand.
Victor tries for a takedown. No joy.
Victor looks gassed!
Victor has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Thomas avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Thomas wants a takedown but no success here.
Thomas misses with a short punch on the inside.
A body shot lands from Victor.

Victor jumps into guard, dragging Thomas to the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Victor is on top in guard.
Thomas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Victor is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cassiano Victor will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Cassiano Victor's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Thomas ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Victor moves away.
Thomas takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Thomas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Thomas displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Victor.
Victor fails with a takedown attempt.
Victor scores with a nice right hand.
Victor moves out of range as Thomas strikes.
Some wild striking there from Thomas.
Thomas waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Victor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thomas tries to clinch but Victor moves away
and Victor counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Thomas misses with a hook. Victor ducked under it nicely.
Victor moves away from the strike by Thomas.

Victor fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Thomas sprawls well initially but Victor persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Victor is keen to just control but Thomas is a slippery customer.
Thomas on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Thomas tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Victor trying to pass the guard but Thomas defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thomas is trying to stand back up but Victor is controlling him
Victor content to control rather than advance.
Thomas is looking to improve his position.

Victor is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Victor seems to be looking for submissions.
Victor is breathing heavily.
Victor stops Thomas from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Thomas's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Thomas duly obliges.
Victor shoots in for a takedown but Thomas shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Clarence Thomas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cassiano Victor.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas scores with the left hand. Victor knows he should have avoided that one.
Victor fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Thomas avoids it really well and circles away.
Victor looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Victor throws a looping overhand right but Thomas ducks down to avoid it.
Some wild striking there from Thomas.
Thomas throws a jab but it's blocked by Victor.
Victor bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Victor shoots for a takedown but Thomas saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Thomas misses with the combination.
Thomas scores with a punch to the head.
Thomas loads up on a big right hand but Victor slips the punch.
Thomas throws a looping overhand right but Victor ducks down to avoid it.
Clarence Thomas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice cross by Victor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Victor darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Victor.
Thomas is trying to control Victor's posture but Victor avoids it.
Victor trying to control the action but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Thomas is trying to control Victor's posture but Victor avoids it.
Thomas pushes Victor away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Victor gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Victor has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Thomas!
Victor tries to control but Thomas wriggling away.
Thomas is bucking up trying to escape but Victor cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Victor is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Thomas tries to hold on but Victor postures up.

Victor looking for a guillotine from mount but Thomas is having none of it.
Victor pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.

Victor is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Thomas has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Thomas holds on for dear life, controlling Victor's posture momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thomas doesn't manage to clinch there - Victor circles away.
Thomas throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Victor looks for a takedown but Thomas sprawls well.
Thomas takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Victor bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Victor moves out of range of the strikes.
Thomas throws a shot from downtown. Victor moves away and avoids it.
Thomas looks to score with a jab to the body but Victor is just out of range.

Victor shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Victor can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thomas is looking to escape.
Victor won't let Thomas get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Victor with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas tries to hold on but Victor postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thomas is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Thomas is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Victor working for a guillotine from mount but Thomas is in no mood to give up.
Thomas trying desperately to get to his feet.

Victor goes for an armbar but Thomas turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Thomas.
Thomas wants to stand but Victor is controlling his posture from full guard.
Victor wants to sweep here but Thomas controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Victor has a closed guard, preventing Thomas from standing up.
Victor tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Victor controls Thomas momentarily but Thomas frees himself.
Thomas won't allow Victor to sweep him here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Victor slips a jab from Thomas.

Thomas gets caught flat footed, as Victor shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Victor postures up in Thomas's guard and throws a big left but Thomas blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Victor prevents Thomas from getting back to his feet.
Victor advances to half guard.

Victor wants to work for an arm triangle but Thomas is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Thomas trying to control from the bottom.
Victor is stalling here. Thomas is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Victor seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Thomas has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
You can see the frustration on Victor's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Victor is trying to get back to half guard.
Thomas wants to stand but Victor is controlling his arm.
Victor is trying to get back to half 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.
Thomas is looking to take a break and control but Victor is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Thomas misses with a telegraphed body shot
letting Victor counter with a right hand.
Victor fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Victor slips a jab and a cross from Thomas.
Thomas jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Victor scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Thomas lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Victor at a distance.
Thomas connects with a jab.

Victor darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Thomas is looking to improve his position.
Thomas is not content to let Victor control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cassiano Victor really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Cassiano Victor's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Thomas thows a left - swing and a miss!
Victor scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Thomas misses with a looping left.
Thomas throws a shot from downtown. Victor moves away and avoids it.
Victor might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Victor slips under a jab from Thomas.

Victor feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Thomas wants to stand and escape but Victor is having none of it.
Victor passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Victor looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Victor tries to advance to mount but can't.
Thomas is looking for a sweep.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Thomas's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Victor wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thomas keeps working.
Thomas wants to control but Victor postures up.
Thomas wants to get back to his feet.
Thomas can't do much from the bottom here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thomas misses with a looping left.
Thomas misses with a straight left.
Thomas looks to land a right hand but Victor moved out of range.

Victor is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Thomas's half guard.
Victor prevents Thomas from standing back up.
Victor uses his free foot to push down on Thomas's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Thomas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Victor takes Thomas's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Thomas is in trouble.

Victor is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Thomas has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Victor has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Thomas taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Victor doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:30 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Cassiano Victor!
Cassiano Victor is the new welterweight champion!