PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tane Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Cross's choice of entrance music: The New Black by Every Time I Die. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Henderson
vs
Cross

181 cm
22
197 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

191 cm
18
210 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

Nutrition King

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tane Henderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, David Cross!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cross takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Henderson darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Henderson scores a takedown into full mount!
Cross slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Henderson decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Henderson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cross moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cross slips a jab and a cross from Henderson.
Cross with a lazy takedown attempt

so Henderson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cross bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Henderson's guard.
Cross postures up.
Henderson keeping full guard, as Cross tries to pass.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Henderson is on top in guard.
Cross is trying to control the position but Henderson postures up.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Cross manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Henderson manages to get himself to full guard.
Henderson looking for a sweep. Not yet Henderson, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cross stands and steps away. Henderson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Cross avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cross looks to clinch

and Henderson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Cross!
Cross bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cross looks gassed!
Cross trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Henderson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Henderson manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Henderson lands a lovely overhand right.
Henderson misses with a wild combination.
Henderson lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Henderson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cross sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cross ducks under a wild hook from Henderson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson misses with a low kick.
A cross from Henderson lands.
Cross throws out a loose jab but Henderson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cross tries for a takedown but Henderson circles away easily
and Henderson counters with a straight right hand.
Cross with a lazy takedown attempt
and Henderson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Tane Henderson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of David Cross.
Cross takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Henderson closes the distance and clinches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Henderson makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Henderson controlling the action here for a moment.

Henderson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cross has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Henderson dodges the punch combination from Cross.

Cross 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cross's guard.
Cross looking for a sweep. Not yet Cross, not yet.
Cross is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Henderson is trying to get back to full guard.
Henderson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Henderson tries to get out of the position.
Henderson is trying to stand up here but Cross is controlling him well.

Cross looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Henderson is trying to stand.
Henderson wants to get back to full guard.
Cross wants to take a breather but Henderson is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Henderson wants to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Henderson drives through and clinches with Cross against the cage.
Cross wants a takedown but no success here.

Henderson breaks the clinch.

Henderson darts in and clinches Cross up against the cage.

Henderson breaks the clinch.

Henderson takes the fight into the clinch.

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

Cross gets the takedown into side control.
Henderson is looking to regain half guard here but Cross keeps moving and retains side control.
Henderson takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cross looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Cross lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tane Henderson dominated that round.
That's time! Henderson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Henderson clinches up with Cross and pushes him back against the cage.
Henderson prevents the takedown attempt.
Henderson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Henderson stops a takedown attempt from Cross.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Henderson.

Henderson breaks the clinch.
Henderson is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Cross gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Henderson gets a takedown into half guard.
Tane Henderson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cross has hold of Henderson's hands but Henderson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cross has hold of Henderson's hands but Henderson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Cross looking for submissions off his back.
Henderson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cross on the ground.
Cross tries to roll over but Henderson keeps him under control.
Henderson wants to stand but Cross has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cross manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Henderson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Henderson gets the takedown into side control.
Henderson advances nicely into full mount.
Henderson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cross looks a forlorn figure.
Cross tries to hold on but Henderson pushes him away.

Cross bucks up and throws Henderson to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Cross is throwing a storm of strikes! Right hook, left hook and follows it up with a spinning back fist! Henderson hits the canvas like a rag doll! And just like that, this one is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:45 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). David Cross!