PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Austin Houston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rolf Kross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Houston comes to the cage accompanied by Born of a Broken Man. The key to victory for Austin Houston has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Houston
vs
Kross

190 cm
29
190 lbs
18 - 11 - 0

179 cm
25
192 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

RAW Nutrition * Recovery 159 : 60$ *

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Austin Houston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rolf Kross!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Daniel Franklin and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kross misses with the combination.
Houston throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Kross on the side of the head.
Kross thows a body shot but no joy.
Houston misses with a straight left.
A shot to the liver by Houston. Beautiful body shot.
Houston lands a right hook to the body.
Houston tests Kross's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Kross shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Houston manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Houston looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Houston is working hard here to advance position.
Houston looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Kross keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Houston's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kross throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Houston works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Houston wants to sweep here but Kross controlling him for the moment.
Houston trying to keep a closed guard but Kross is proving a slippery customer.
Kross loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kross with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kross trying to control the position from guard on top but Houston is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Kross drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Houston dives on top into guard.
Houston advances position into side control!
Houston throws an elbow but Kross slips to the side and avoids it well.
An elbow from Houston crashes against the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kross sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Still in half guard, Houston seems content to control.
Kross is looking to improve his position.
Houston will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Houston trying to control the action but Kross is working from the bottom.
Kross preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Houston looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Austin Houston.

Kross gets tackled into the cage by Houston. Houston maintains the clinch.
Kross looking for a takedown.
Houston avoiding damage.
Houston using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Houston escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Kross shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Kross prevents Houston from standing back up.
Kross scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Kross is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kross throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Houston wants to control but Kross is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Houston avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houston avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kross.
Kross missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Houston is holding on to half guard well.
Kross prevents Houston from improving his position.
Kross lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Houston is looking to control Kross's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Houston avoid being mounted?
Houston is looking to improve his position.
Kross throwing shots but Houston is blocking nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kross prevents Houston from improving his position.
Kross working Houston over with strikes.
Kross prevents Houston from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rolf Kross will probably get the nod.
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.

Houston looks for a takedown but Kross sprawls well.
Houston throws a shot to the body.
A slow jab from Houston misses its intended target.
Houston lands with a hook. Kross tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Kross dives in and scores a takedown into Houston's guard.
Kross with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Kross works over Houston with some ground and pound from guard.

Houston is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Houston has momentary wrist control but Kross slips an elbow through the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kross looking to pass the guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Kross's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Kross preventing the sweep.
Kross has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kross with a nice head shot there.
Kross trying to control but Houston is working from the bottom.
Kross with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Kross with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kross postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Houston controlling Kross's posture.
Kross missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Houston is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Kross trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houston thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kross's head.
Kross slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Houston forces his way into half guard.
Houston is looking to stall here but Kross recovers full guard.
Houston works over Kross with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kross keeping moving, preventing Houston from controlling successfully.
Houston passes Kross's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Kross trying to hold on to Houston's head to control him but Houston postures up.
Houston is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Kross is looking to improve his position.
Houston perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Houston is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Kross to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Rolf Kross has got the better of the ground game so far.
Houston pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kross is keeping the position for now.
Kross preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Houston has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kross controls Houston momentarily but Houston frees himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Houston sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Kross keeping full guard, as Houston tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rolf Kross will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Kross enables Houston to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Kross manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Kross working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Houston.
Houston trying to control the position from guard on top but Kross is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Houston tries to stand but Kross is controlling from the bottom.
Houston with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kross trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston trying to control but Kross is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Houston landing with the ground and pound.
Houston wants to control from the top but Kross keeps moving.

Kross is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Houston is aware though and is defending well.
Houston trying to control the position from guard on top but Kross is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Houston trying to move into half guard but instead Kross has managed to sweep!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Houston is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kross is aware though and is defending well.
Kross stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Houston swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kross is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Kross throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Houston works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kross is in close to Houston's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kross is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Kross postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Houston looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kross is one step ahead there.
Kross prevents Houston from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kross scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Houston is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kross throwing strikes but missing.
Kross lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kross in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kross with a flurry of punches that miss.
Houston wants to sweep here but Kross controlling him for the moment.
Kross looking to pass the guard.
Kross lands a couple of elbows.
Kross lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Houston preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Houston not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kross tries to free his leg and advance position but Houston is retaining full guard.

Kross has gone for a leg lock! Houston slips out almost immediately though and dives into Kross's guard.
Houston postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Austin Houston has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kross keeping moving, preventing Houston from controlling successfully.
Houston looking to sit in guard and control but Kross gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Houston avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kross trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Houston manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kross manages to get himself to full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Houston throwing strikes from guard but Kross blocks nicely.
Rolf Kross is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Houston with a flurry of punches that miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rolf Kross.
I've got Kross 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 28:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rolf Kross!