PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Zachary Crawford (ranked 5527 p4p, 24378 weight class) and Ralph Hignett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hignett has chosen Right Above It as his entrance music. On his way into the cage it seems that Zachary Crawford has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Zachary Crawford seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Crawford
vs
Hignett

183 cm
22
135
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
23
145
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zachary Crawford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ralph Hignett !
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Vladimir Khabensky and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crawford lands an overhand right.
Hignett stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hignett wants it to stay on the feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Crawford avoids the elbow strike from Hignett , against the cage.
Crawford avoids the elbow strike from Hignett , against the cage.

Hignett has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Crawford uses from the top position.
Hignett is pulling down on Crawford's head. It's preventing any offense from Crawford, at least for the moment.

Hignett has his foot on Crawford's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Crawford works his way back into a safe position though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hignett is trying to keep Crawford in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford wants to stand but Hignett is controlling his posture from full guard.
Crawford trying to control the position from guard on top but Hignett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hignett is looking for a triangle but Crawford pushes his legs off easily.
Hignett keeping moving, preventing Crawford from controlling successfully.

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

Hignett gets a clinch.

Hignett lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hignett wants to get back to his feet.
Crawford tries to roll over but Hignett keeps him under control.
Crawford throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Hignett manages to pass to side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hignett is trying to get an arm triangle but Crawford is defending well.
Hignett works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Hignett grinds an elbow into Crawford's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crawford wants to control but Hignett postures up.
Hignett tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Hignett cracks Crawford with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Crawford is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Hignett thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Crawford's head.
Crawford is trying to control but can't.
Hignett is trying to control the action in half guard but Crawford is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Crawford trying to control here.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crawford is looking for a sweep. Hignett is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Crawford tries to kick Hignett off in order to stand up. Hignett Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Crawford manages to get back to half guard.
Crawford wants to control but Hignett is keeping busy and won't allow it.

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

Crawford looking for submissions off his back.
Crawford is breathing heavily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hignett looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Crawford with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ralph Hignett dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Horrible takedown attempt by Crawford or perhaps it was just good defense by Hignett , which made it look bad.
Crawford gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Hignett counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hignett .
Crawford jumps guard but Hignett stands there with Crawford around his waist. Crawford gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zachary Crawford. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hignett lands a left hand.
Crawford wants to get back to striking at distance but Hignett won't allow it.
Hignett digs a right hand underneath Crawford's ribcage. Crawford let out a lung full of air as it connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Hignett takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Hignett is looking for a takedown.
A bit of stalling here from Hignett .

That's one minute gone in the round.

Crawford escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
No luck for Crawford with that takedown attempt.
Decent striking displayed by Hignett there.
Nice takedown defense from Crawford. No joy for Hignett on that attempt.
Hignett tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Crawford swivels and escapes.
Hignett fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hignett misses with a series of wild punches.

Hignett has taken the fight to the clinch.
Crawford really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Crawford wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Crawford drags the fight down to the ground.
Hignett wants to control from the top but Crawford keeps moving.
Hignett scoring with some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hignett 's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Hignett works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Crawford tries to get to full guard but Hignett has control of the leg.
Hignett is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Hignett has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Crawford is trying to maintain the position but Hignett is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hignett keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Hignett lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hignett takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Hignett seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Crawford does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hignett passes to full mount!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Crawford keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Hignett goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Crawford turns into him and now he's in Hignett 's guard.

Hignett has his foot on Crawford's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Crawford works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hignett looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ralph Hignett showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Hignett scores with a jab to the head.

Crawford shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hignett 's guard.
Hignett wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Crawford manages to pass to side control.

Hignett blocking the ground and pound attempt from Crawford.
Hignett tries to roll over but Crawford keeps him under control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hignett is pressing down on Crawford's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Hignett keeping moving, preventing Crawford from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford wants to pass the guard but Hignett is keeping the position.
Crawford wants to stand but Hignett is controlling his posture from full guard.
Hignett looking to control.
Ralph Hignett has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hignett has Crawford pulled in close to control his posture.
Hignett is continuing to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
The adventures of Hignett the control monster continue. Boring.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Crawford looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Hignett is looking to clinch but Crawford is avoiding it.
Crawford feinted with a counter takedown.
Hignett dives in and grabs Crawford's left leg, looking for a takedown. Crawford pushes down on Hignett 's head and hops out.
Crawford lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Hignett shoots in for a double leg but Crawford sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Crawford is looking for a counter combo.
Hignett fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
As Hignett tries to get set, Crawford tries to push him back and clinch up but Hignett manages to avoid the attempt.
Zachary Crawford has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ralph Hignett .
Hignett takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hignett chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Crawford can pounce on him.
Hignett tries to close the distance and clinch but Crawford swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Crawford takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Crawford seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Sloppy strikes from Hignett . Those never looked like landing.
Hignett keeps the fight on the outside.
Crawford tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hignett manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Hignett moves into range and clinches up with Crawford.
Hignett is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Crawford is defending well for now.
Hignett is looking to take this one to the mat.

Crawford's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Crawford shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Crawford postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hignett working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Crawford has passed into half guard!
Hignett is trying to control but can't.
Crawford wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hignett keeps working.
Crawford wants to free his trapped foot but Hignett is holding on for dear life with his legs.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hignett can do anything to dispel that myth.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Crawford is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Hignett doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Crawford.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zachary Crawford showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hignett 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ralph Hignett !