PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Janko Krnjak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Craig Mantil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Krnjak
vs
Mantil

150 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

225 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid 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 London, Janko Krnjak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Craig Mantil!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, James Glass and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Mantil with that takedown attempt.
Krnjak keeps the fight on the outside.
Krnjak takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Horrible takedown by Mantil or perhaps it was just good defense by Krnjak which made him look bad.
Mantil misses with a takedown attempt - Krnjak sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Janko Krnjak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Craig Mantil.

Krnjak darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Mantil is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mantil is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Krnjak wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mantil keeps working.
Krnjak moves into full mount! Mantil won't be happy about that!
Krnjak can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mantil is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantil is in all sorts of trouble here.
Mantil looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Krnjak struggling to keep hold of the position.
Krnjak scores with punches and elbows.
Mantil looking very determined here, making life difficult for Krnjak.
Krnjak doesn't have the hooks in and Mantil manages to turn into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Krnjak is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Mantil stopping the sweep attempt from Krnjak.
Krnjak preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mantil postures up in Krnjak's guard and throws a big left but Krnjak blocks it.
Mantil is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Mantil with a flurry of punches that miss.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Krnjak decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Mantil looks gassed!
Krnjak looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Mantil tries to roll over but Krnjak keeps him under control.
Mantil is trying to stand back up but Krnjak is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krnjak wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mantil keeps working.
Mantil tries to get to full guard but Krnjak has control of the leg.

Mantil looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mantil is looking for a sweep. Krnjak is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Krnjak shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mantil tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Krnjak has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

Krnjak has control of Mantil's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Mantil regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Mantil is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Krnjak trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Janko Krnjak dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mantil tries to clinch up.
Mantil with a lazy takedown attempt

so Krnjak counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Krnjak is looking to work some ground and pound but Mantil has wrist control.
Krnjak trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Krnjak pushing down on Mantil's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Mantil looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Krnjak passes to side control.

Krnjak looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mantil wants to control but Krnjak postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantil is trying to improve his position.
Krnjak wants to control but Mantil is keeping him busy.
Mantil wants to control but Krnjak postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Krnjak tries to clinch up but Mantil circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two 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.
Krnjak changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mantil tries to avoid it but Krnjak manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mantil to the ground. Mantil escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mantil goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Krnjak leaves Mantil with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Krnjak looks to land a combination but Mantil avoids it well.
Mantil shoots in but Krnjak avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Janko Krnjak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Craig Mantil.
Krnjak fails to land with a series of punches.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Mantil!
Krnjak shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mantil as he jumps to the side.
Mantil throws a leg kick

and Krnjak counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mantil is looking to improve his position.
Mantil regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantil looking to control.
Mantil tries to strike from the bottom.

Mantil looking for a guillotine here but Krnjak defends easily.

Krnjak got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mantil has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Krnjak has managed to get both his arms back between Mantil's legs - danger averted.

Mantil looking for subs off his back but Krnjak has passed one foot through into half guard.
Krnjak sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mantil wants to get back to his feet.
Krnjak keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Mantil looking for submissions off his back.

Mantil has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Krnjak escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Krnjak!
Mantil gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Janko Krnjak dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Mantil shoots in for a takedown but Krnjak shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Krnjak will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Krnjak throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Mantil was covering up waiting for the punch and Krnjak finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Mantil working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Krnjak.
Mantil looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Mantil throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Krnjak gets to his feet. Mantil looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A head kick from Mantil lands but Krnjak takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krnjak shoots in for a double leg but Mantil sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Krnjak darts in and clinches Mantil up against the cage.
Mantil lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Krnjak is trying to stall.
Mantil tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Krnjak smiles and moves away.
Krnjak tries to clinch but Mantil is having none of it.
Mantil tries to clinch
and Mantil takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Mantil has managed to clinch.

Krnjak turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Krnjak manages to end up in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mantil throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Mantil manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Krnjak wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mantil keeps working.
Mantil is looking to control Krnjak's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mantil avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mantil is in trouble now - Krnjak has advanced to mount!
Mantil is looking to improve his position but Krnjak isn't that keen on the idea.
Krnjak could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Mantil throwing hammer fists to the chest of Krnjak. What's that going to do exactly?
Krnjak trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Craig Mantil has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantil tries to hold on but Krnjak postures up.
Mantil is desperately trying to improve his position but Krnjak has a good base and remains in mount.
Mantil tries to lock up and control but Krnjak gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mantil sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Mantil looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Mantil punching from the bottom.
Krnjak is pressing down on Mantil's thigh, looking to free his foot. Mantil is holding on for now.

Mantil looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mantil is looking for a sweep. Krnjak is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mantil missing with punches from the bottom.
Janko Krnjak is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Mantil looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Janko Krnjak showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Krnjak, 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Janko Krnjak!