PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Le Petit Criss (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alvaro Basurto (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.

Petit Criss
vs
Basurto

164 cm
18
132 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Le Petit Criss!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Alvaro Basurto!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Trevor Gratis and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Basurto moves into the clinch successfully.
Criss gets underhooks to prevent Basurto's takedown attempt.
Criss wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Basurto has him pressed against the cage.
Criss controlling the action here for a moment.
Basurto is trying to break free.

Basurto breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Criss tries a head kick but it misses.

Basurto closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Criss is looking to control Basurto's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Criss avoid being mounted?
Criss is trying is best to control the position here.
Criss trying to control but Basurto postures up.
Basurto thows a huge punch but Criss dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Basurto is pressing down on Criss's thigh, looking to free his foot. Criss is holding on for now.

Criss looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Basurto is pressing down on Criss's thigh, looking to free his foot. Criss is holding on for now.
Basurto stalling.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Criss feints and as Basurto raises his hands in defense, Criss changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Basurto is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Criss looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Criss controls from within his opponent's guard.
Basurto tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Basurto looks gassed!
Criss not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Basurto has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Criss can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Criss pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Basurto is keeping the position for now.
Basurto working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Criss trying to control the position from guard on top but Basurto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Criss wants to stand but Basurto has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Criss seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Basurto looking to control.
Basurto looking for a sweep. Not yet Basurto, not yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Criss shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Criss can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Basurto is looking to escape.
Basurto looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Basurto is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Criss.
Basurto wants to control his opponent's hands but Criss gets his hands free.
Basurto rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Basurto manages to get to full guard.
Basurto lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Criss!
Criss tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Le Petit Criss 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.

Basurto fails with the takedown
and Criss counters with a body kick that stops Basurto in his tracks momentarily.
Criss is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Criss clinches but Basurto breaks the clinch

and Basurto counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Criss looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Criss trying to get back to full guard but Basurto takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Criss wants to hold on but Basurto pushes him away.

Basurto jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Criss manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Basurto tries to advance to mount but can't.
Basurto is breathing heavily.
Criss is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Basurto's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Criss wants to get back to full guard.
Criss regains full guard. Nicely done.
Criss keeping full guard, as Basurto tries to pass.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Criss is on top in guard.
Criss forces his way into half guard.
Criss trying to control the pace.
Basurto wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Criss not doing much here.
Basurto tries to get to full guard but Criss has control of the leg.
Criss wants to take a breather but Basurto is having none of it.
Criss trying to pass the guard but Basurto defending well.
Basurto manages to get to full guard.

Basurto looking for a guillotine here but Criss defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Criss decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Basurto fails with the takedown

and Criss counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Basurto is staying active underneath Criss, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Criss controlling the action here.
Basurto striking from half guard on the bottom.
Criss seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Basurto does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Criss frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Basurto really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Criss wants to control the pace but Basurto is squirming around nicely.
Criss is really struggling to control Basurto but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Criss looking to control and managing it successfully.
Criss wants to control the pace but Basurto is squirming around nicely.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Le Petit Criss just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Basurto gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Le Petit Criss dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Criss gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Basurto counters with a series of strikes. Criss will be more careful next time no doubt.
Le Petit Criss is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Basurto gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Criss looking to pass the guard.
Basurto is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Basurto keeping moving, preventing Criss from controlling successfully.
Basurto looking to control.
Criss trying to control but Basurto is working from the bottom.
Criss wants to pass the guard but Basurto is keeping the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Criss trying to move into half guard but instead Basurto has managed to sweep!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Basurto being controlled here momentarily.
Basurto stops Criss from standing up.
Criss trying to control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Criss looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Basurto!

Criss get's back to his feet.
Basurto tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Criss counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Criss pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Criss rushes Basurto and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Criss pulls Basurto into guard.

Criss has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Basurto can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Criss has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Basurto is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Criss.
Basurto working away.
Criss gets back to half guard.
Basurto is thwarting Criss's attempts to control the position.
Criss wants to improve his position but Basurto is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Basurto wants to work for an arm triangle but Criss is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Criss wants to improve his position but Basurto is controlling well.
Basurto wants to lay and pray for a moment but Criss keeps working.
Criss is looking to improve his position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Criss throws a half hearted mid kick.

Basurto feints and as Criss raises his hands in defense, Basurto changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Basurto trying to control the position from guard on top but Criss is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Criss wants to get back to his feet but Basurto is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Basurto wants to control from the top but Criss keeps moving.
Basurto postures up in Criss's guard and throws a big left but Criss blocks it.
Basurto trying to control the position from guard on top but Criss is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Criss wants to sweep here but Basurto controlling him for the moment.

Criss had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Basurto is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Criss Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Basurto's back instead.
Basurto staying busy and making it hard for Criss to control.

Basurto defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.
Alvaro Basurto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Criss looking for a sweep. Not yet Criss, not yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Le Petit Criss showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Criss has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Le Petit Criss!