PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tyler Craig (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rhys Gilligan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Craig
vs
Gilligan

160 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tyler Craig!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rhys Gilligan!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Ryoma Takatsuka and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Craig drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Gilligan can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Craig creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Gilligan sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Craig lands a nice forearm strike.
Gilligan takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Craig is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Craig creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Gilligan sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Gilligan is trying to control Craig's posture but Craig avoids it.
Gilligan takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Craig throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Gilligan is avoiding damage well.
Craig in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Craig cracks Gilligan with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Craig scoring with punches from side control.
Gilligan is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Gilligan manages to work his way to half guard, despite Craig's best efforts.
Craig is trying to control. Gilligan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Craig scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Craig in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craig is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Craig not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Craig is looking to advance position but Gilligan won't allow it.
Gilligan is trying to get back to full guard.
Gilligan wants to control but Craig is keeping busy and won't allow it.
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!
Craig passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Gilligan!
Craig landing strikes from the mount and Gilligan is in trouble!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craig is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Craig pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Craig lands a nice shot to the head.
Craig controlling the position easily from mount.
Gilligan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Gilligan is trying desperately to improve position.
Craig controlling the pace for now.
Craig avoids the attempt from Gilligan to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilligan is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Craig is staying active.
Gilligan is desperately trying to improve his position but Craig has a good base and remains in mount.
Craig wants to control the action but instead Gilligan gets a body lock and reverses into Craig's guard! Nice work!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Craig lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Gilligan!
Craig lands a heavy elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gilligan working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyler Craig dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gilligan steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Craig.

Gilligan tries to keep at a distance but Craig has taken the fight into the clinch.

Craig's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Craig shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Craig showed some decent athleticism there.
Gilligan is trying to get back to full guard.
Craig lands strikes from half guard.
Gilligan is pressing down on Craig's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Craig looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig scoring with punches to the head and body.
Craig wants to control from the top but Gilligan keeps moving.

Craig drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gilligan manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Craig has Gilligan in his guard.
Gilligan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Craig looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Craig avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gilligan wants to control from the top but Craig keeps moving.

Craig uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilligan lands a slapping body shot.
Craig stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Craig wants it to stay on the feet.

Craig clinches with his opponent.

Craig has hold of one of Gilligan's legs. Gilligan is fighting the takedown attempt but Craig gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gilligan keeping full guard, as Craig tries to pass.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gilligan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Craig is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craig passes Gilligan's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gilligan is looking to control Craig's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gilligan avoid being mounted?
Gilligan regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Craig.

Craig drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gilligan looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gilligan looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gilligan!
Gilligan looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Craig is avoiding damage well.
Gilligan trying to control the position but Craig is working away.
Craig on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Craig tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craig is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Gilligan wants to control but Craig is keeping him busy.
Gilligan slips into full mount, dodging the strikes by Craig.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Craig working to try and regain half guard.
Gilligan throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyler Craig dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Gilligan moves into range and clinches up with Craig.
Craig prevents Gilligan from breaking the clinch.

Craig breaks the clinch.
Rhys Gilligan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Craig shoots in and drives through. Gilligan sprawls well.
Gilligan misses with a takedown attempt

and Craig counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Craig.
Gilligan tries for a takedown. No joy.
Gilligan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gilligan drops down looking for an ankle pick but Craig pulls his leg out and moves away.
Tyler Craig has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rhys Gilligan.
Gilligan dodges the punch combination from Craig.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gilligan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilligan wants to clinch.
Gilligan shoots and misses
and Craig connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gilligan misses with a takedown attempt
and Craig counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gilligan throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Craig's waist but Craig gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gilligan off to one side.
Gilligan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gilligan shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Craig as he jumps to the side.

Craig forces Gilligan back against the cage and clinches.
Gilligan fails to pull guard.
A nice right hand lands inside from Craig.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Craig gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Gilligan regains guard.
Craig not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Craig postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Craig controls from within his opponent's guard.
Craig stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gilligan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Craig wants to control from the top but Gilligan keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Tyler Craig just wasn't active enough.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gilligan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Craig looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Gilligan!
Gilligan trying desperately to get to his feet.
Craig can't control as he wanted to and Gilligan manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Craig throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Craig thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gilligan's head.

Craig is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Gilligan is just riding it out for now. Craig eventually gives up the hold.
Craig sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gilligan defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craig throwing shots but Gilligan is blocking nicely.
Gilligan preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Craig trying to control from half guard but Gilligan is working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gilligan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tyler Craig showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Craig has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Josh West scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tyler Craig!
Tyler Craig thanked the fans post fight for their support.