PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Binley Crocker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Tolander (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Crocker comes to the cage accompanied by Aint Nothin To F*** With. On his way into the cage it seems that Binley Crocker has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Binley Crocker seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Crocker
vs
Tolander

178 cm
21
165 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

183 cm
23
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Binley Crocker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ben Tolander!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Lou da Vinci and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crocker misses with a two punch combination.
Tolander fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Crocker with a lazy takedown attempt

so Tolander counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Tolander looks gassed!
Tolander throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Crocker works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Tolander trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Crocker keeping moving, preventing Tolander from controlling successfully.
Tolander stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Crocker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Crocker wants to stand and escape but Tolander is having none of it.
Crocker controlling Tolander's posture.
Tolander has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crocker is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Crocker misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Crocker swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tolander fails with an attempt to clinch.
Binley Crocker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Tolander gets a clinch.
Tolander tries to pull guard but Crocker won't allow it.
Tolander with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Crocker wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tolander tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Crocker smiles and moves away.
Binley Crocker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Tolander.
Crocker throws a right hand that Tolander ducks under and follows up with a left that Tolander also avoids with ease.
Crocker is looking to clinch.
Crocker throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Tolander decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Crocker's guard.
Tolander won't allow Crocker to get back to his feet.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Crocker holds on and takes a little breather.
Tolander trying to control but Crocker is working from the bottom.
Crocker working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tolander.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crocker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Crocker is adopting a defensive guard.
Tolander in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tolander trying to control the position from guard on top but Crocker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Crocker lands a right hook to the body.
Crocker lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Crocker tries for a takedown but Tolander sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A right-left combo lands from Crocker.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tolander takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Crocker swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Tolander.
Crocker thuds a left hand into Tolander's body.
Tolander takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Tolander moves out of range of the body kick.
Crocker shoots in but no luck this time.
Tolander circles away from the clinch attempt

and Tolander counters with a shoot takedown. Crocker fights it but they end up in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tolander prevents Crocker from getting back to his feet.
Tolander trying to control but Crocker is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tolander might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Crocker kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Tolander dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A slapping body kick lands there for Crocker.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Crocker.
Crocker moves out of range of the strikes.
Crocker throws a half hearted mid kick.
Tolander clinches but Crocker breaks the clinch
and Crocker counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Crocker tries to clinch there but Tolander circles away.
Crocker lands a nice shot that snaps Tolander's head back.
Tolander walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Crocker avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tolander uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Crocker.
Tolander is breathing heavily.
A decent looking cross lands there for Crocker.
Crocker connects with a body shot.
Crocker misses with a double jab.
Crocker pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Crocker looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tolander misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tolander takes one to the side of the head.
Crocker misses with a body kick.

Crocker closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Crocker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Crocker throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Crocker looks to land a combination but Tolander avoids it well.
Crocker throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Tolander fails in his attempt to clinch.
Crocker throws a combination. Tolander tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Crocker tries to clinch up

so Tolander counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Tolander wants to control from the top but Crocker keeps moving.
Crocker working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tolander.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tolander preventing the sweep.
Tolander trying to control but Crocker is working from the bottom.
Tolander postures up in Crocker's guard and throws a big left but Crocker blocks it.
Tolander trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

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

Tolander stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crocker lands a head shot.

Tolander is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Crocker's half guard.
Crocker wants to control but Tolander is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tolander works his way into full mount!
Tolander looking to finish with strikes here!
Tolander landing shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tolander goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Crocker is on top in guard.
Crocker is looking to stand up but Tolander won't let him.
Crocker trying to control but Tolander is working from the bottom.
Tolander is trying to keep Crocker in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tolander tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ben Tolander will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Tolander displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Crocker.
Tolander tries to clinch there but Crocker circles away.
Crocker fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Crocker shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Tolander as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Binley Crocker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Crocker missing with a left hand there. Tolander was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Tolander has closed the distance and engaged Crocker in a clinch.

Tolander decides to pull guard.
Tolander keeping moving, preventing Crocker from controlling successfully.
Ben Tolander has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tolander working a defensive guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Crocker wants to control from the top but Tolander keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Crocker stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Tolander moves out of range of the body kick.
Crocker bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Tolander's head backwards.
Crocker punishes Tolander's body with a nice straight punch.
Crocker shoots in and drives through. Tolander sprawls well.
Tolander tries to close the distance and clinch up but Crocker swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A head kick misses from Crocker.

Tolander pushes Crocker up against the cage in a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Crocker's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Tolander.
Tolander has Crocker pressed against the cage, preventing Crocker from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Crocker looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Tolander keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Crocker's efforts to push away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tolander tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Crocker smiles and moves away.
Tolander keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Crocker tries to keep at a distance but Tolander has taken the fight into the clinch.
Tolander wants a takedown.
Crocker wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Crocker is trying to break the clinch but Tolander has him pressed against the cage.
Tolander looking to slow down the pace here.

Crocker drags the fight down to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tolander looking to pass the guard.
Tolander looking to sit in guard and control but Crocker gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Crocker gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Binley Crocker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Crocker avoids the head kick by Tolander.
Crocker throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Tolander on the side of the head.
Tolander dodges the punch combination from Crocker.
Tolander moves out of range as Crocker throws a body kick.
Crocker punishes Tolander's body with a nice straight punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tolander moves forwards but Crocker connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Crocker misses with a jab, cross combination.
Crocker throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Tolander avoids a punch combination nicely.
Jab, jab by Crocker - just one landing.
Crocker jabs at Tolander's body.
Crocker misses with a takedown

and Tolander counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Tolander wants to control but Crocker is keeping him busy.
Crocker wants to get back to his feet.
Tolander looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Tolander comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tolander winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Tolander!