PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alex Wessing (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grant Crouch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Crouch has chosen Headstrong as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Wessing
vs
Crouch

175 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alex Wessing!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Grant Crouch!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Reed Andrews and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wessing fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Crouch, pushing him back against the cage.

Crouch turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Wessing wants to control but Crouch postures up.

Crouch looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Wessing tries to escape but Crouch is in control.
Wessing can't do much from the bottom here.
Crouch wants to stand but Wessing has his arm trapped.

Wessing throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Crouch darts in trying to clinch

and Wessing holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Wessing jumps guard but Crouch stands there with Wessing around his waist. Wessing gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Crouch's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Crouch tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Wessing just stands there and leans against the cage.
Crouch fails to pull guard.
Wessing jumps guard but Crouch stands there with Wessing around his waist. Wessing gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Wessing tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Wessing. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wessing prevents Crouch from breaking the clinch.
Crouch jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Wessing walks away with a smile on his face. Crouch gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Horrible takedown by Crouch or perhaps it was just good defense by Wessing which made him look bad.

Wessing scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Wessing is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Wessing sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Crouch defending well though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wessing thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Crouch has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Wessing is working away from the top position though.

Wessing decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Wessing throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Crouch was covering up waiting for the punch and Wessing finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Wessing tries to free his leg and advance position but Crouch is retaining full guard.
Crouch looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wessing wants to control from the top but Crouch keeps moving.
Crouch wants to stand up but Wessing is controlling him.
Wessing loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Crouch trying to keep a closed guard but Wessing is proving a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Grant Crouch.

Wessing feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Crouch keeping moving, preventing Wessing from controlling successfully.
Wessing stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Crouch swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wessing's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Wessing won't allow Crouch to get back to his feet.

Alex Wessing has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Good standup being displayed there by Crouch as he connects with a hook.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Crouch changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Wessing fights it off and pushes away nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Wessing dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Wessing walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Crouch jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

Wessing moves into the clinch successfully.
Crouch wants to break the clinch but can't.
Crouch is looking to break free of the clinch but Wessing has double underhooks.
Crouch wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Crouch wants to get back to striking at distance but Wessing won't allow it.

Wessing breaks the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wessing fails with a takedown attempt.

Wessing moves into the clinch.

Wessing pulls Crouch into guard.
Crouch throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wessing has a closed guard, preventing Crouch from standing up.

Wessing is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Wessing is leaning against Crouch and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Wessing wants a takedown.
Crouch tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Wessing just stands there and leans against the cage.
Wessing is pushing Crouch up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Crouch is trying to break the clinch but Wessing has him pressed against the cage.

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.
Wessing is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Crouch lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Wessing goes for a takedown attempt but Crouch pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Wessing. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Crouch dives in and grabs Wessing's left leg, looking for a takedown. Wessing pushes down on Crouch's head and hops out.
Crouch tries to clinch but Wessing moves away

so Wessing counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Crouch really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Wessing. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Crouch escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Wessing gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wessing trying to control but Crouch is working from the bottom.

Wessing stands up from Crouch's guard - Wessing perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wessing tries for a takedown but Crouch sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Crouch misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Grant Crouch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Crouch shoots in but no luck this time.
Crouch shoots in but Wessing avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Wessing shoots in looking for a takedown. Crouch tries to sprawl out of it but Wessing keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Crouch manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Wessing rushes Crouch and presses him up against the cage.

Crouch breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Jab, jab by Crouch - just one landing.
Wessing throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Crouch's waist but Crouch gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Wessing off to one side.
Crouch shoots in and drives through. Wessing sprawls well.
Crouch fails with a takedown attempt.
Crouch scores with a jab to the body.
A head kick from Crouch lands but Wessing takes it in his stride.
Crouch scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Crouch closes this distance looking for a takedown but Wessing circles away.

Wessing looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Wessing wants to pass the guard but Crouch is defending well.
Still in half guard, Wessing seems content to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Wessing dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Crouch swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Wessing.

Wessing dives in and scores a takedown into Crouch's guard.
Wessing throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Wessing wants to pass the guard but Crouch is keeping the position.
Crouch not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Crouch is working an open guard so Wessing takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Wessing shoots for a takedown but Crouch saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Crouch connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lazy left from Crouch finds it's target.
Crouch tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Wessing manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Crouch drives through and clinches with Wessing against the cage.
A body shot lands from Crouch.

Wessing manages to break the clinch.

Wessing fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Crouch, pushing him back against the cage.
Crouch lands with a short shot to the head.
Crouch is trying to break free.
Crouch wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Wessing has him pressed against the cage.
Wessing fails to pull guard.
Crouch fails to pull guard.

Crouch pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Wessing lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Crouch circles away quickly and effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crouch shoots in for a takedown but Wessing shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Crouch tries to clinch up but Wessing circles away and keeps his distance.

Crouch clinches.
Wessing prevents Crouch from breaking the clinch.

Wessing has picked Crouch up - he's going for a ride! Wessing dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Crouch is trying to maintain the position but Wessing is very close to passing his half guard.
Wessing misses with a head shot. Crouch uses the momentum to regain guard.
Wessing trying to control but Crouch is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crouch bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Wessing's guard.
Wessing is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Wessing wants to sweep but no luck.
Wessing has a closed guard, preventing Crouch from standing up.
Crouch wants to control from the top but Wessing keeps moving.
Crouch preventing the sweep.

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.
Wessing wants to get back to his feet but Crouch is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Crouch misses with a low kick.
Crouch lands a right hook to the body.
Crouch scores with a jab to the head.
Wessing misses with a shot to the body
and Crouch counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Alex Wessing is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Crouch scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Crouch tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Wessing manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Crouch pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Crouch uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Wessing has time to react.
Grant Crouch has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Crouch lands a nice shot to the body.
Wessing takes one on the button.
Crouch connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Alex Wessing is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Crouch bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Grant Crouch.
I think Wessing 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Wessing!