PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Canuto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mirko Cro Crap (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Canuto
vs
Cro Crap

175 cm
23
142 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

150 cm
21
130 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruno Canuto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mirko Cro Crap!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Canuto blocks a head kick by Cro Crap.

Canuto gets the takedown into side control.

Canuto looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Canuto tries to move to mount but Cro Crap blocks the move with his legs.
Canuto is working hard here to advance position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cro Crap is pushing Canuto's head away, looking to escape. Canuto manages to hold on to the position though.
Cro Crap struggling a bit here.
Canuto will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Canuto tries to move into full mount but can't pass Cro Crap's legs.
Cro Crap is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Canuto tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Canuto tries to advance to mount but Cro Crap denies him.
Cro Crap wants to control but Canuto postures up.
Canuto tries to move into full mount but can't pass Cro Crap's legs.
Cro Crap wants to control but Canuto postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Canuto wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cro Crap, who protects the arm well.
Cro Crap prevents Canuto from improving position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Canuto has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Cro Crap!
Cro Crap keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Canuto seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Cro Crap is holding on tight.

Canuto goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Cro Crap turns into him and now he's in Canuto's guard.
Canuto is breathing heavily.
Cro Crap looking to pass the guard.
Cro Crap preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cro Crap would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Cro Crap looking to pass the guard.
Cro Crap is looking to stand up but Canuto won't let him.
Cro Crap really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Canuto. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Canuto throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Cro Crap trying to control the position from guard on top but Canuto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cro Crap throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Cro Crap moves in looking to clinch but Canuto pushes him off.
Cro Crap tries a head kick but it misses.
Canuto tries to clinch but Cro Crap moves out of range.
Cro Crap should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Cro Crap misses with a few strikes there.

Canuto decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Cro Crap trying to control but Canuto postures up.

Canuto 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.
Cro Crap is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Canuto dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cro Crap wants to clinch but Canuto slips to the side
and Canuto counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Canuto looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Canuto drops back, looking for a kneebar! Cro Crap looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Cro Crap looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Cro Crap!
Cro Crap in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Canuto looking for a sweep but Cro Crap has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Cro Crap can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Canuto is looking to escape.
Canuto gets back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Canuto is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Cro Crap's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Cro Crap's back!

Canuto patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Canuto doesn't have the hooks in and Cro Crap manages to turn into his guard.
Cro Crap stopping the sweep attempt from Canuto.
Cro Crap pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Canuto is keeping the position for now.
Cro Crap postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cro Crap must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cro Crap wants to stand but Canuto has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Canuto looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Cro Crap passes into half guard.

Cro Crap stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Cro Crap tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Canuto swivels and escapes.
Canuto shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cro Crap as he jumps to the side.
A punch combination from Cro Crap misses.
Cro Crap throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Canuto counters with a one-two to the body.
Cro Crap throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Cro Crap closes the distance and clinches.

Cro Crap breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Canuto uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cro Crap.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Canuto slips a jab and a cross from Cro Crap.
Cro Crap tries a head kick but it misses.

Canuto shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Cro Crap's guard.
Canuto looking to pass the guard.
Cro Crap is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Cro Crap is looking for a triangle but Canuto pushes his legs off easily.

That's four 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.
Cro Crap wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Canuto manages to pass to side control.
Cro Crap is trying to stand.

Canuto wants to work for an arm triangle but Cro Crap is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cro Crap lunges at Canuto with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Canuto's hand.
Cro Crap doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Canuto counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Canuto.
Canuto won't allow Cro Crap to sweep him here.
Cro Crap is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Cro Crap is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Cro Crap has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Canuto can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Canuto dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cro Crap shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Canuto but Canuto pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Canuto slips a jab from Cro Crap.
Canuto gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cro Crap counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cro Crap misses with a series of wild punches.
Cro Crap ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Canuto moves away.
Bruno Canuto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Canuto 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.
Canuto pushes down on Cro Crap's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Canuto 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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cro Crap is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Canuto is looking to advance position but Cro Crap won't allow it.

Cro Crap kicks Canuto off and gets back to his feet.
Cro Crap tries a head kick but it misses.
Canuto with a poor takedown

and Cro Crap counters with a shoot takedown. Canuto fights it but they end up in guard.
Cro Crap wanted to stand there but Canuto had control of the position.

Canuto looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cro Crap wants to control from the top but Canuto keeps moving.
Canuto bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cro Crap's guard.
Canutois looking to pass into half guard but Cro Crap pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Cro Crap is in guard.
Cro Crap passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Canuto tries to bench press Cro Crap off him but Cro Crap keeps the position.

Cro Crap stands up and beckons Canuto to his feet.
Mirko Cro Crap seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cro Crap instigates a clinch.

Cro Crap breaks from the clinch.
A jab from Cro Crap misses.
Canuto stuffs the takedown.
Canuto has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Cro Crap!

Canuto feints and as Cro Crap raises his hands in defense, Canuto changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Canuto tries to free his leg and advance position but Cro Crap is retaining full guard.

Cro Crap looking for a guillotine here but Canuto defends easily.
Canuto stands and throws Cro Crap's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cro Crap gets back to half guard.
Cro Crap is looking to escape.
Cro Crap trying to control from the bottom.
Cro Crap moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Cro Crap is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cro Crap keeping full guard, as Canuto tries to pass.
Canuto prevents Cro Crap from getting back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mirko Cro Crap.
I think Canuto has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight for Bruno Canuto!
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight for Bruno Canuto!
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight for Bruno Canuto!

Bruno Canuto wins by unanimous decision!