PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russell Ives (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Thomas
vs
Ives

200 cm
22
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
20
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ryan Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Russell Ives!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thomas shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ives as he jumps to the side.
Thomas fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Thomas scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Thomas seems to be working for a kimura but Ives defends the submission attempt.

Thomas wants to work for an arm triangle but Ives is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Thomas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ives wants to get back to his feet.
Thomas wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ives keeps working.
Ives trying to hold on to Thomas's head to control him but Thomas postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Thomas is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ives sees it coming and defends easily.
Thomas is pressing down on Ives's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ives is holding on for now.

Thomas is trying to work for a kimura but Ives is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ives is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas not doing much here.

Thomas stands up from half guard.

Thomas shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ives napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Thomas tries to score with some ground and pound. Ives controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Thomas in side control, throwing shots but Ives defends.

Thomas goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Ives rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Thomas's guard! Nice work there by Ives!
Thomas is breathing heavily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ives wants to get up but he can't break Thomas's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Thomas manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ives tries to hold on but Thomas pushes him away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ives can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ives working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thomas working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Thomas looking to finish with strikes here!

Thomas stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ives scores with a hook to the body. Thomas takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Ives misses with the combination.
Ives misses with a two punch combination.
Ives throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Thomas dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ives throws a body punch but Thomas moves out of range.
Thomas fails in his attempt to clinch.

Oooooh!!! Ives has knocked Thomas down with a huge combo! Ives steps away and waves a wobbly Thomas back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Thomas is rocked!

It looks like Ryan Thomas has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ives throws a right hand that Thomas ducks under and follows up with a left that Thomas also avoids with ease.
Oh Thomas is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Thomas tries to clinch but Ives is having none of it.
Thomas seems to have got his legs back now.
Ives misses with the combination.
Ives looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Thomas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ives misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ives misses with the combination.
Ives misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Thomas gets the takedown into side control.
Ives wants to control but Thomas postures up.
Ives manages to work his way to half guard, despite Thomas's best efforts.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thomas is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Ives has managed to free his arm - good work.
Ives makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ives.
Ryan Thomas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Thomas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Thomas pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ives is keeping the position for now.
Thomas looking to sit in guard and control but Ives gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thomas has a closed guard, preventing Ives from standing up.
Ives trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Thomas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Thomas is working an open guard so Ives takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
A combination from Ives does no damage.
Ives getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Ives scores with a jab to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ives connects with a body shot that sends Thomas's belly button to the back.
Ives fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ives fails to land with a series of punches.
Thomas avoids a punch combination nicely.
A punch combination from Ives misses.

Ives clinches.

Ives pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ives throws a shot to the body.
Thomas shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ives pinned against the cage. Ives gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ives lands a body shot.

Ives drives through and clinches with Thomas against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ives - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Ives breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ives throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ives leaves Thomas with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ives misses with a wild combination.
Ives misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Thomas wants to clinch but Ives slips to the side
enabling Ives to counter with a crisp jab.
Ives connects with a crisp jab.
Ryan Thomas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sloppy strikes from Ives. Those never looked like landing.
Thomas tries to clinch but Ives moves out of range.

Thomas shoots in and gets a takedown into Ives's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thomas looking to sit in guard and control but Ives gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Thomas avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Ives showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ryan Thomas's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Ives misses with the combination.
Ives lands a jab-cross combination.
Russell Ives seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Thomas tries to clinch but Ives moves out of range.
Thomas dodges the punch combination from Ives.

Ives gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Thomas to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Thomas drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ives dives on top into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thomas seems keen to control Ives's posture.
Thomas has a closed guard, preventing Ives from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ives trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Thomas tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ives trying to stand up but can't free himself from Thomas's guard.
Ives is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Ives scoring with some ground and pound.
Ives must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ives connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ives scoring with some ground and pound.
Thomas has a closed guard, preventing Ives from standing up.

Ives decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Ives lands a head shot.
Ives misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ives lands a lovely overhand right.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Ives closes the distance and pushes Thomas back into the cage.
Thomas is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ives pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Ives escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ives rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Thomas moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Thomas lands in his opponent's guard.
Thomas stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ives swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thomas won't allow Ives to get back to his feet.
Thomas sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Thomas tries to free his leg and advance position but Ives is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas is working hard here to advance position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Ryan Thomas.
Ives misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Thomas takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Thomas looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ives is fending him off so far but Thomas persists. Nope, Ives circles away and we're back to standing.
No joy there for Ives, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Ives enables Thomas to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Ives manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Thomas trying to control but Ives is working from the bottom.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ives working a defensive guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Russell Ives comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ives 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Russell Ives!