PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Manoel Candelabro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rex Crug (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Candelabro comes to the cage accompanied by Perfect. Crug has chosen Welcome to the jungle as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Candelabro
vs
Crug

225 cm
25
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Manoel Candelabro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rex Crug!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Bruno Hogan and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Candelabro circles away from the clinch attempt.
Candelabro keeps the fight on the outside.
Rex Crug seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Candelabro throws a right hand that Crug ducks under and follows up with a left that Crug also avoids with ease.
Crug tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Crug wants to clinch.
Crug doesn't manage to clinch there - Candelabro circles away.
Candelabro fails with a takedown attempt.
Crug fails with an attempt to clinch.
Candelabro throws a right and a left that both miss.
Candelabro is breathing heavily.
Crug moves in looking to clinch but Candelabro pushes him off.
Candelabro shoots for a takedown but Crug saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro moves out of range.
Candelabro circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro moves out of range.
Candelabro swats away the attempt to clinch by Crug.
Crug fails with an attempt to clinch.
Candelabro scores with a jab.

Crug shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Candelabro is trying to defend but Crug finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Candelabro tries to roll over but Crug keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crug not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Crug tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Candelabro.

Candelabro looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Candelabro won't allow Crug to pass to mount.
Candelabro wants to improve his position but Crug is controlling well.
Crug seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Candelabro does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Crug wants to clinch.
Candelabro keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Crug doesn't manage to clinch there - Candelabro circles away.
Crug fails with an attempt to clinch.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Crug.
Crug wants to clinch up but Candelabro keeps it at a distance.
Crug moves in looking to clinch but Candelabro pushes him off.
Crug moves in looking to clinch but Candelabro pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Crug looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Crug is looking to clinch but Candelabro is avoiding it.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro moves out of range.
Crug wants to clinch up but Candelabro keeps it at a distance.
Crug misses with a takedown

and Candelabro counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Crug's guard now.

Crug manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Crug wants to clinch

and Candelabro counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Crug pushes Candelabro off looking to stand but Candelabro dives back in and keeps control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Candelabro is trying to work for a kimura but Crug is defending well.
Candelabro wants to take a breather but Crug is having none of it.
Candelabro stops Crug from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Crug is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Candelabro's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Candelabro's back!

Crug is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Candelabro knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Candelabro for a finish.

Candelabro manages to stand up with Crug still on his back. Eventually Crug drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Candelabro!
Crug moves in looking to clinch but Candelabro pushes him off.
Crug wants to clinch up but Candelabro keeps it at a distance.

That's four 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.
Candelabro shoots in but Crug avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Manoel Candelabro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro moves out of range.
Crug fails in his attempt to clinch.
Crug is looking to clinch but Candelabro is avoiding it.
Candelabro misses with a body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Crug looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Crug is looking to clinch but Candelabro is avoiding it.
Crug wants to clinch up but Candelabro keeps it at a distance.
Candelabro avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Crug lands a nice leg kick that just misses Candelabro's sensitive parts.
Crug doesn't manage to clinch there - Candelabro circles away.
Crug tries to clinch up but Candelabro circles away and keeps his distance.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro is having none of it.
Candelabro throws a right hand that Crug ducks under and follows up with a left that Crug also avoids with ease.
Crug doesn't manage to clinch there - Candelabro circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manoel Candelabro dominated that 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.

Crug is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Crug misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro is having none of it.
Crug throws a head kick but Candelabro moves out of range.
Crug throws a sloppy head kick and Candelabro moves out of range easily.

Crug clinches up against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Crug.
Crug using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Candelabro has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Candelabro.
Crug looking to throw knees to the head but Candelabro is blocking nicely.
Candelabro is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Crug gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Candelabro has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Crug is trying to keep an underhook but Candelabro manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Crug tries to kick Candelabro off but Candelabro keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Candelabro passes to side control.

Candelabro is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Crug has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crug is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Candelabro is controlling him well.
Crug on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Crug struggling a bit here.
Crug dodges the ground and pound from Candelabro.
Crug struggling a bit here.

Candelabro thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Crug tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Crug is looking to clinch but Candelabro is avoiding it.
Candelabro thuds a left hand into Crug's body.
Candelabro throws a series of punches but Crug avoids them all with ease.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro moves out of range.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Crug tries to close the distance and clinch but Candelabro swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Candelabro really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Candelabro misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Crug tries to clinch up.
Crug misses with the combination.
Candelabro misses with a wild combination.
Manoel Candelabro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Candelabro blocking some punches.
Candelabro tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Crug just stands there and leans against the cage.
A knee to the head by Crug.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Crug pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro is having none of it.
Crug is looking to clinch.
Crug tries to clinch up.
Crug is looking to clinch but Candelabro is avoiding it.
Candelabro will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Crug throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Candelabro misses with a jab, cross combination.
Crug moves in looking to clinch but Candelabro pushes him off.
Crug tries to close the distance and clinch up but Candelabro swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Candelabro darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Crug taking some punishment here, with Candelabro in his half guard.
Candelabro scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crug is not content to let Candelabro control the position.
Crug wants to get back to his feet.
Candelabro wants to take a breather but Crug is having none of it.
Candelabro throwing shots but Crug is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Crug has one foot on Candelabro's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Candelabro fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Manoel Candelabro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Crug tries to close the distance and clinch but Candelabro swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Crug wants to clinch up but Candelabro keeps it at a distance.
Candelabro throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Crug's waist but Crug gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Candelabro off to one side.
Crug is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Candelabro walks forward, straight into a front kick from Crug.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manoel Candelabro dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Crug looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Crug is looking to clinch but Candelabro is avoiding it.
Crug tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Candelabro shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Crug counters with a takedown into side control.
Candelabro has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Crug is looking to take a break and control but Candelabro is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Crug throws a strike aimed at the side of Candelabro's head but Candelabro avoids it well.
Candelabro tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Crug wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Crug scores with a couple of short elbows.
Crug wants to lay and pray for a moment but Candelabro keeps working.
Manoel Candelabro overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Crug misses with the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crug looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Candelabro is avoiding damage well.
Candelabro is trying to get back to half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Crug tries to clinch there but Candelabro circles away.

Crug has closed the distance and engaged Candelabro in a clinch.
Candelabro blocking some punches.

Crug escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice sprawl there from Crug as Candelabro shoots in.
Crug moves in looking to clinch but Candelabro pushes him off.
Crug will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Crug moves in looking to clinch but Candelabro pushes him off.

Crug moves into the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Candelabro.
Candelabro wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Manoel Candelabro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Crug lands a knee to the head.

Crug pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Crug tries to close the distance and clinch but Candelabro swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Crug is looking to clinch but Candelabro is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Candelabro shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Crug but Crug pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Candelabro fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Crug manages to avoid it.
Candelabro shoots and misses

and Crug counters by moving into the clinch.
Crug swings wildly with an uppercut but Candelabro uses good head movement to avoid it.
Crug lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Candelabro misses with a punch to the body.
Crug tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Candelabro is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Candelabro wants to stall.

Crug turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Crug manages to end up in side control.
Crug wants to control but Candelabro is keeping him busy.
Crug wants to stand but Candelabro has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.

Candelabro pushes Crug off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crug is looking to clinch but Candelabro is avoiding it.
Candelabro avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro is having none of it.
Candelabro fails to land with a series of punches.
Crug stuffs the takedown.
Crug is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Crug tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro is having none of it.
Crug tries to clinch but Candelabro is having none of it.
Candelabro tries for a takedown but Crug circles away easily

and Crug counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Crug.

That's four 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.

Crug jumps guard and drags Candelabro to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Crug wants to sweep here but Candelabro controlling him for the moment.
Candelabro's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Candelabro decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Crug, up you get!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Candelabro.

Candelabro wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Crug, who protects the arm well.
Crug really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Candelabro. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Candelabro looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Candelabro blocks the strikes from Crug.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rex Crug comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Candelabro has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manoel Candelabro!