PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Muhammad Arslan (ranked 4909 p4p, 6694 weight class) and Derek Craig (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Arslan
vs
Craig

180 cm
26
170
3 - 3 - 0

190 cm
18
175
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Muhammad Arslan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Derek Craig!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Franklyn Lucas and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craig stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Craig wants it to stay on the feet.
Arslan tries a head kick but it misses.

Craig pushes Arslan up against the cage in a clinch.
Craig working aggressively here.
The referee calls for Craig to work.

Craig jumps guard and drags Arslan to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Craig is controlling Arslan's posture.
Arslan lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arslan content to stall in guard here.
Arslan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arslan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Arslan gets to his feet - Craig follows without any prompting.
Arslan tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Craig defends well and Arslan ends up having to push Craig into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Arslan.
Craig jumps guard but Arslan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Craig stalls.
Arslan lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Craig backwards.
Craig pushes off an throws an elbow but Arslan leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Craig pushes off an throws an elbow but Arslan leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Arslan has hold of one of Craig's legs. Craig is fighting the takedown attempt but Arslan gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Craig 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craig working a defensive guard but Arslan passes into half guard.
Craig is refusing to be controlled, as Arslan sits in half guard.
Craig wants to control but Arslan is keeping busy.
Arslan keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Arslan is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Craig sees it coming and defends easily.

Craig kicks Arslan off and gets back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craig is trying to pull guard but Arslan has him pressed against the cage.
Craig using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Craig stops a takedown attempt from Arslan.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Muhammad Arslan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Craig tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Arslan is looking for a takedown.
Craig avoiding damage.
Arslan prevents the takedown attempt.
Craig wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Arslan has him pressed against the cage.
Arslan wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Craig has him pressed against the cage.
Craig lands a shoulder strike.
Craig fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Arslan dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arslan changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Craig fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Arslan throws a body shot but no joy.
Danga de danga de dang - Arslan scores with a four punch combination!

Craig clinches up with Arslan and pushes him back against the cage.
Craig misses with a body punch.

Arslan decides to pull guard.
Craig wants to stand but Arslan is controlling his posture from full guard.
Craig looking to sit in guard and control but Arslan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Craig wants to sweep but no luck.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Muhammad Arslan will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Arslan with the inside leg kick.
Craig tries to clinch but Arslan moves out of range.

Arslan fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Craig, pushing him back against the cage.
Craig lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Craig is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Arslan gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Craig manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Arslan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Arslan.

Arslan closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig tries to land knees in the clinch but Arslan avoids the damage to the body.
Arslan avoiding damage as Craig throws knees to the body.

Arslan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Muhammad Arslan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Craig moves into range and clinches up with Arslan.
Craig keeps control of Arslan as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Craig lands a hook that snaps the head of Arslan backwards.
Craig jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Arslan walks away with a smile on his face. Craig gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Arslan shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Craig manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Arslan won't allow Craig to get back to his feet.
Craig wants to sweep here but Arslan controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arslan stands and throws Craig's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Craig is looking for a sweep.
Craig is trying to work for a sweep but Arslan has mounted him!

Arslan wants to finish this one by submission but Craig is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Arslan.
Arslan looking to finish Craig with some ground and pound. This is bad for Craig!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Arslan jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Craig manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Arslan takes a little break here. Craig wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arslan wants to control but Craig is keeping him busy.
Craig tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Arslan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Arslan in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Arslan is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Craig has escaped the position, nice work there.
Craig wants to control but Arslan postures up.
Craig gets back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Muhammad Arslan dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Arslan tries for a takedown but Craig sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
As Arslan backs off Craig throws a huge counter combo but Arslan manages to avoid it all.
Craig stuffs the takedown attempt from Arslan. Arslan gets slowly back to his feet.

Arslan gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Craig leaning against his opponent.
Craig goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Arslan scores with a shoulder strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Arslan decides to pull guard.
Craig postures up in Arslan's guard and throws a big left but Arslan blocks it.
Arslan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Craig throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Muhammad Arslan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig stands and throws Arslan's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Arslan wants to control but Craig postures up.

Craig has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Arslan closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch on the inside from Craig fails to land.
Craig throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Arslan blocks it with crossed arms.
Arslan tries to pull guard but Craig holds him up against the cage and eventually Arslan drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Muhammad Arslan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Come on Craig - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arslan avoids a wild elbow strike from Craig.
Craig creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Craig just misses with a elbow thrown towards Arslan's brow.
The referee calls for Craig to work.
Craig unloads a knee to the mid-section. Arslan lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Craig breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Craig tries for a takedown but Arslan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Arslan fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Craig sprawls well initially but Arslan persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Craig takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Arslan looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Arslan performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arslan winds up and cracks Craig with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Arslan is working for a submission of some sort.
Arslan is taking a breather. Craig says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

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.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Arslan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Derek Craig has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Muhammad Arslan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Craig really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Arslan. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Craig is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Muhammad Arslan.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Arslan, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Derek Craig!