PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Billy Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xiao Long Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Li has chosen Dragon Punch! 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
Long Li

170 cm
29
155 lbs
18 - 6 - 1

172 cm
33
150 lbs
17 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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 18 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Billy Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xiao Long Li!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li lands a leg kick that knocks Thompson off balance momentarily.
Thompson throws the kick towards the body but Li avoids it.
Xiao Long Li seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Li takes a swing at Thompson's ribcage but misses.
Li throws out a powerful jab.
Li lands with a good body shot.
Thompson moves away from the strike by Li.
Li misses with a hook. Thompson ducked under it nicely.
Li throws a head kick but Thompson moves out of range.
Thompson dives in and grabs Li's left leg, looking for a takedown. Li pushes down on Thompson's head and hops out.
Thompson displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Li gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Li lands a knee to the head.
Li prevents a body shot from Thompson.
Li cracks Thompson with a nice body shot.
Thompson can't find room to land a body shot as Li controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson throws a punch but it's blocked by Li.
Nice body punch from Thompson - that landed with a thud.
Thompson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Li just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thompson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Thompson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Li lands a good knee to the midsection. Thompson won't want to take too many of those.
Thompson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Thompson jumps guard but Li stands there with Thompson around his waist. Thompson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Billy Thompson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Thompson lands a takedown into guard.
Li keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.
Li pulls Thompson in to control the position.
Thompson trying to move into half guard but instead Li has managed to sweep!
Li preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li pushes down on Thompson's leg and manages to get into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Li is looking for a kimura but Thompson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Li to get the leverage.
Li works his way into side control.
Thompson is looking to regain half guard here but Li keeps moving and retains side control.
Li trying to control the action but Thompson is working from the bottom.
Li might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Thompson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thompson wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Thompson is working hard here to advance position.
Thompson is not content to let Li control the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Thompson tries to buck Li off but Li is having none of it.
Thompson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Thompson is looking for a sweep. Li is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Thompson wants to get back to full guard.
Li with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thompson is refusing to be controlled, as Li sits in half guard.
Thompson trying to hold on to Li's head to control him but Li postures up.
Thompson wants to improve his position but Li is controlling well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Li missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Thompson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Li pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Xiao Long Li will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Li fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Thompson is out of range.
Li lands with an uppercut that bounces Thompson off the cage and back into range.
Thompson takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Li lands with a good body shot.
Danga de danga de dang - Thompson scores with a four punch combination!
The fighters circle momentarily. Li darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Thompson takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Thompson moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Thompson fails with a takedown attempt.
Li fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Thompson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li throws a front kick aimed at Thompson's knee but Thompson avoids it well.
Li swings for the body but Thompson moves out of range.
Li throws a low kick but Thompson moves out of range easily.
Li feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Thompsons jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Li wants to slow Thompson down by chopping away at his legs.
Li throws out a loose jab but Thompson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Xiao Long Li is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Li ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Li throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sloppy strikes from Li. Those never looked like landing.
Li fakes the leg kick and cracks Thompson in the body.
Thompson walks into a stiff left hand from Li.
Li looks to land a body kick but Thompson moved away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li leaves Thompson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A solid leg kick lands there for Li.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thompson doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Li dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Thompson. That did some damage!
Nice body punch from Li.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Li misses with a low kick.
Li looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Li connects with an inside leg kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Li. Thompson shrugs it off though.
Li lands a slapping body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Li.
Li throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Li lands with a thumping leg kick.

Li clinches up against the cage.
Li lands with a short shot to the head.
Thompson avoiding damage as Li throws knees to the body.
Li misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thompson.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Li just misses with a elbow thrown towards Thompson's brow.
Good body shot from Thompson.
Thompson throws a head punch that misses.
Li tries to work over Thompson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Li throws an elbow but it misses.
Thompson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Billy Thompson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Li blocks a body shot from Thompson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Thompson decides to pull guard.
Thompson strikes from his own guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Li won't allow Thompson to sweep him here.
Li's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Li looking to sit in guard and control but Thompson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Li is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thompson distracts Li with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xiao Long Li showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Thompson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Thompson blocks a head kick by Li.
A head kick misses from Li.
Li throws a solid leg kick but Thompson takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Li.
Thompson looks to land a right hand but Li moved out of range.
Li lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Li throws a push kick but Thompson slaps the foot to one side.
Li misses with a two punch combination.
Thompson keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

Thompson scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Billy Thompson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Thompson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Thompson scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Li is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson passes to side control.
Li manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Li wants to control but Thompson is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Thompson is working for a submission of some sort.
Li is concentrating on defense, preventing Thompson from advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li wants to get back to full guard.
Li is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
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.
Thompson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Li's head.

Thompson is working for a submission of some sort.
Li trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Thompson throws some wild stikes that Li manages to avoid easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson avoids the attempt from Li to control.
Thompson working the ground and pound effectively.
Thompson with shots to the head and body - Li looks very uncomfortable down there.
Thompson looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Thompson is landing with some decent strikes but Li is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Thompson tries to control but Li wriggling away.
Li sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Thompson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thompson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Thompson thows a huge punch but Li dodges it nicely.
Li is trying to maintain the position but Thompson is very close to passing his half guard.
Thompson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Li wants to get back to full guard.
Thompson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Li does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Thompson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Li has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Thompson is working away from the top position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Billy Thompson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Li 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight for Xiao Long Li!
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for Xiao Long Li!
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight for Xiao Long Li!

Xiao Long Li wins by unanimous decision!
Our winner, Xiao Long Li, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.