PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tyron Thatch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carl Casey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Thatch
vs
Casey

180 cm
25
181 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

193 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tyron Thatch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Carl Casey!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Gregory Folan and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thatch fails to land the takedown.
Thatch shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Casey as he jumps to the side.
Casey tries to counter by closing the distance.

Casey dives in and scores a takedown into Thatch's guard.
Casey controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Casey has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Thatch is proving hard to escape from.
Thatch working a defensive guard but Casey manages to pass into side control anyway.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Casey tries to stand but Thatch is controlling his head.
Thatch tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thatch wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
You can see the frustration on Thatch's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Thatch misses with a takedown

and Casey counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Casey.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tyron Thatch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thatch is trying to pull guard but Casey turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Thatch tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Casey smiles and moves away.
Casey attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Thatch swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Casey counters with a takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casey controlling from side mount.
Thatch is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Casey wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thatch keeps working.

Casey tries for a kimura but Thatch is defending well.
Thatch tries to bench press Casey off him but Casey keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Casey is looking to take a break and control but Thatch is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Casey looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Thatch manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Thatch shoots for a takedown but Casey saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Casey drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Casey wanted to stand there but Thatch had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thatch looking to hit a scissor sweep but Casey is one step ahead there.
Casey wants to pass the guard but Thatch is keeping the position.
Casey is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carl Casey dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Casey misses with a looping left.
Thatch throws a big counter combination but Casey scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Casey clinches up against the cage.
Thatch is trying to pull guard but Casey has him pressed against the cage.
Thatch jumps guard but Casey turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Casey breaks from the clinch.
Thatch closes the distance and lands a one-two.

It looks like Carl Casey has been cut.
Thatch fails with a takedown attempt.
Casey is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tyron Thatch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Casey takes the fight into the clinch.
Casey lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Casey fails to pull guard.
Thatch fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Thatch using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Casey has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Casey is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Casey decides to pull guard.

Thatch stands up and waves to Casey to follow him.
An inside leg kick from Thatch misses.
Casey lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Casey.
Thatch wants to clinch up but Casey keeps it at a distance.
Thatch tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Casey paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thatch misses with a two punch combination.

Casey fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Thatch sprawls well initially but Casey persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casey wants to free his trapped foot but Thatch is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Thatch tries to get to full guard but Casey has control of the leg.
Casey thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Casey wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thatch keeps working.
Casey tries to stand and escape but Thatch is controlling the position.
Casey trying to mount his opponent but Thatch defends it.
Casey is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thatch wants to improve his position but Casey is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Casey trying to control the action but Thatch is working from the bottom.
Thatch trying to hold on to Casey's head to control him but Casey postures up.
Casey is just content to waste time from the top position. Thatch takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Thatch.
Casey wants to counter the offense by Thatch and move into the clinch position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Casey has Thatch up against the cage in a clinch.
Casey stalling the fight.

Casey wants the takedown. Thatch is fighting it off but Casey persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Thatch's guard against the cage.

Thatch manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Thatch closes this distance looking for a takedown but Casey circles away.

Casey rushes Thatch and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

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

Casey shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Thatch napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Thatch tries to buck Casey off but Casey is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carl Casey showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Carl Casey's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Thatch tries to sprawl but Casey drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Casey keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Thatch is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Casey scores with a couple of nice shots.

Casey seems to be looking for submissions.

Thatch looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Casey has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Casey is thwarting Thatch's attempts to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Casey is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thatch desperately trying to maintain half guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Thatch, as that shot connected.

Casey gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Casey tries to pull guard but Thatch won't allow it.

Casey has clasped his hands together around Thatch's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Thatch tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Casey wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casey tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
You can see the frustration on Thatch's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Casey staying calm.
Thatch struggling a bit here.
Thatch taking a bit of punishment here - Casey scoring with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Casey lands a few punches from side control.
You can see the frustration on Thatch's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Thatch takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Casey tries for a kimura but Thatch is defending well.
Thatch wants to control but Casey postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Casey drives through with a takedown into guard.
Casey is standing up over Thatch. Thatch looks to escape but Casey dives into side control.
Thatch is looking to get back to his feet here but Casey is keeping cool and he's managed to take Thatch's back.

Casey is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thatch trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Tyron Thatch has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Carl Casey is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
I really don't envy Thatch right now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Carl Casey comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Casey has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Carl Casey!