PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dante Kanakri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and TJ Crawford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Crawford has chosen Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO 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?

Kanakri
vs
Crawford

176 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

179 cm
21
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Solid chin

MadDogs

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dante Kanakri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, TJ Crawford!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kanakri throws a combination that misses
and Crawford counters with a nice body kick.
Kanakri misses with a wild combination.
Kanakri throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kanakri misses with a combination
and Crawford counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kanakri throws a head kick that misses.
Kanakri swats away the attempt to clinch by Crawford.
Crawford tries to clinch but Kanakri is having none of it.
Crawford doesn't manage to clinch there - Kanakri circles away.
Crawford looks to land a combination but Kanakri avoids it well.
Crawford is looking to clinch.
Dante Kanakri seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kanakri misses with a combination
and Crawford counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Kanakri misses.

Crawford instigates a clinch.
Crawford tries to land a knee to the head but Kanakri blocks with his arms.
Kanakri has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Crawford holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Kanakri wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Crawford lands a knee to the head.
Kanakri avoids a wild elbow strike from Crawford.
Crawford scores with a knee to the head.
Crawford misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kanakri.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanakri blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Crawford putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kanakri in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Crawford landing some nice looking knees to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Crawford takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Crawford creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kanakri's defenses.
A frustrated look appears on Kanakri's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Kanakri stalling against the cage.
Crawford using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crawford tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Crawford unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Crawford throws an elbow but it misses.
Kanakri tries to circle away but Crawford has him pinned against the cage.
Crawford tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kanakri avoids it.
Crawford keeps control of Kanakri as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A knee to the head by Crawford.
Crawford utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanakri is looking to break free of the clinch but Crawford has double underhooks.
Crawford using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kanakri has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kanakri displaying some good clinch control by pressing Crawford up against the cage.
Crawford manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Kanakri on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

TJ Crawford dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kanakri swats away the attempt to clinch by Crawford.
Crawford throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kanakri misses with a two punch combination.
Crawford scores with a jab. Kanakri acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Kanakri loads up on a big right hand but Crawford slips the punch.
Crawford tries to clinch but Kanakri is having none of it.
Crawford is looking to clinch.
Crawford tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kanakri swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Crawford moves into the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Kanakri's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Kanakri is stalling here.
Crawford tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford has Kanakri pressed against the cage.
Kanakri tries to circle away but Crawford has him pinned against the cage.

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.
Crawford pushes off an throws an elbow but Kanakri leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Kanakri avoiding damage as Crawford throws knees to the body.
Come on Crawford - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Kanakri wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Crawford has him pressed against the cage.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Crawford in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Crawford stalls.
Crawford missing with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crawford unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kanakri lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Crawford scores a nice knee to the body.
Kanakri takes a knee to the side of the body.
Crawford with a knee to the head.
Kanakri avoids a wild elbow strike from Crawford.
Kanakri wants to get back to striking at distance but Crawford won't allow it.
Crawford is trying to maintain a safe position but Kanakri gets an underhook and turns Crawford into the cage.
Crawford stalling against the cage.
Crawford with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is keeping an eye on Crawford - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Crawford keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kanakri's efforts to push away.
Crawford tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kanakri avoids it.
Crawford tries to land knees in the clinch but Kanakri avoids the damage to the body.
Crawford keeps control of Kanakri as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kanakri has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

TJ Crawford showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kanakri throws a head kick but Crawford moves out of range.
Kanakri throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Crawford counters with a head kick.
Crawford tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kanakri looks to land a combination but Crawford avoids it well.
Kanakri throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kanakri throws a combination that misses
and Crawford counters with a body kick that stops Kanakri in his tracks momentarily.
Crawford avoids a kick to the body.
Crawford tries to clinch there but Kanakri circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Crawford looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kanakri throws a head kick but Crawford moves out of range.
Kanakri throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kanakri misses with a combination

and Crawford counters by clinching up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Crawford looking to throw knees to the head but Kanakri is blocking nicely.
Knees in the clinch landing for Crawford.
A bit of stalling here from Crawford.
Kanakri is looking to break free of the clinch but Crawford has double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanakri scores with a shot to the side of Crawford's head.
Crawford landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Kanakri wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Crawford has him pressed against the cage.
Crawford landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kanakri takes a knee to the side of the body.
Kanakri managing to block the knees to the body from Crawford.
Kanakri takes a knee to the side of the body.
Crawford using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kanakri has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Crawford.
Crawford tries a knee to the head but Kanakri blocks it.
Kanakri being controlled against the cage.
Crawford keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kanakri's efforts to push away.
Kanakri managing to block the knees to the body from Crawford.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kanakri managing to block the knees to the body from Crawford.
Crawford misses with an elbow over the top.
Crawford landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Kanakri tries to break free but Crawford pushes him back against the cage.
Crawford tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kanakri avoids it.
Crawford with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Crawford lands a good knee to the midsection. Kanakri won't want to take too many of those.
Crawford slowing the pace effectively.
Dante Kanakri has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Crawford lands a knee to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
TJ Crawford comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Crawford has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for TJ Crawford!
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight for TJ Crawford!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for TJ Crawford!

TJ Crawford wins by unanimous decision!