PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Donald Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ackmed Giovani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cross comes to the cage accompanied by Exhibit C. Ackmed Giovani has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Donald Cross's chin.

Cross
vs
Giovani

173 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
135 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Donald Cross!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ackmed Giovani!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Giovani looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A combination from Cross does no damage.
Giovani throws a nice looking combination but Cross bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Giovani.
Giovani keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cross.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Cross shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Giovani eats them both and turns towards Cross to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Cross takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Giovani takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Giovani is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cross fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Giovani is out of range.
Cross missing with a left hand there. Giovani was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Giovani misses with a head kick.

Giovani drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Cross wants to control but Giovani postures up.
Giovani looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Cross is avoiding damage well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cross stops Giovani from passing to mount.
Cross is looking to reverse the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cross is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Giovani is controlling him well.
Cross prevents Giovani from improving position.
Cross is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Giovani off and has taken his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giovani is trying to get back to his feet but Cross has full control of the position and if anything, Giovani has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Cross somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Cross punches the canvas rather than the man.
Giovani avoids the strikes from Cross.

Cross is persistently looking for the submission but Giovani is defending it well.
Giovani holding both Cross 's hands and preventing any damage.
Cross 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cross is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Giovani trying to get back to his feet but Cross is in full control for now.

Cross has the hooks in and he's looking for a rear naked choke here. Giovani is defending well but eventually Cross manages to get an arm under the chin and he's locked on the RNC! Giovani has no choice but to tap now! He does! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:43 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Donald Cross!
Donald Cross is the new featherweight champion!
Our winner, Donald Cross, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.