PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Flores (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Crichton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Flores
vs
Crichton

192 cm
38
263 lbs
21 - 22 - 0

150 cm
35
286 lbs
11 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gabriel Flores!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Michael Crichton!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, George Francis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crichton avoids the head kick by Flores.
Flores misses with the combination.
Crichton fails to land with a series of punches.
Flores throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Crichton's head.

It looks like Michael Crichton has been cut.
Flores lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Crichton looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A punch combination from Flores misses.
Michael Crichton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Crichton connects with a nice looking jab.
Crichton tries to bum rush Flores with a series of wild strikes but Flores uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Crichton 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.
Flores working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Crichton.
Flores is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Flores wants to stand but Crichton is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crichton pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Flores is keeping the position for now.
Crichton seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Flores keeping full guard, as Crichton tries to pass.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Flores takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crichton moves in looking to clinch but Flores pushes him off.
Crichton lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Flores at a distance.
Crichton stalks Flores and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Flores's face. Flores staggers backwards, shaken.
Crichton connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Crichton throws a sloppy head kick and Flores moves out of range easily.
Crichton shoots in but no luck this time.
Crichton has a takedown stuffed.
Crichton tries to close the distance and clinch up but Flores swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Flores misses with a left hand

and Crichton counters with a shoot takedown. Flores fights it but they end up in guard.
Crichton works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flores wants to get back to his feet.
Flores keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Crichton is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Flores has managed to free his arm - good work.
Crichton throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Flores works his way to full guard. Good work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Flores utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flores preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Crichton throws an elbow that misses. Flores uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Crichton's guard. Nice move by Flores!
Crichton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Flores drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Crichton manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Flores has Crichton in his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Crichton throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Crichton trying to control the position from guard on top but Flores is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Crichton dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Michael Crichton's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Flores circles away from the clinch attempt
and Flores counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Crichton lands with a nice combination. Flores backs away looking to recover.
Flores misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Crichton gets a takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Crichton throwing shots but Flores is blocking nicely.
Flores won't allow Crichton to pass to mount.
Flores moves into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crichton in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Flores utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Michael Crichton has got the better of the ground game so far.
Flores keeping moving, preventing Crichton from controlling successfully.
Crichton working some strikes from top position.
Crichton wanted to stand there but Flores had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flores trying to control the position here.
Crichton trying to control the position from guard on top but Flores is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Crichton postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Gabriel Flores just wasn't active enough.
Flores with a nice cross.
Crichton moves in looking to clinch but Flores pushes him off.
Gabriel Flores is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Crichton drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Crichton goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Flores rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Crichton's guard! Nice work there by Flores!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flores wants to control from the top but Crichton keeps moving.
Crichton keeping full guard, as Flores tries to pass.

Crichton working for submissions but it's allowed Flores to get to half guard.
Crichton moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Crichton doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flores stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Crichton swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Crichton is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Flores wants to control from the top but Crichton keeps moving.
Flores lands a couple of digs.
Crichton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Flores is one step ahead there.
Flores content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Flores throws a big elbow that misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Flores accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Crichton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Michael Crichton's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Crichton shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Flores but Flores pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Crichton connects with a right hand. Flores shakes it off.
Crichton tries to clinch but Flores moves out of range.
Flores scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Flores lands the left hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Flores throws a series of punches but Crichton avoids them all with ease.
A telegraphed right hand from Flores misses the target.
Flores misses with a body shot.
Some bone on bone action there as Flores checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Flores stuffs the takedown attempt from Crichton. Crichton gets slowly back to his feet.
Flores throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Michael Crichton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

A big head kick from Flores and Crichton is sent sprawling to the canvas!

Crichton is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Flores stands and throws Crichton's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Crichton is still in real trouble! Can Flores finish him?
Crichton has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Flores goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Crichton has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Flores but great work by Crichton.

Crichton goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Flores has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Crichton but great work by Flores.
Crichton seems to have recovered his senses.
Crichton is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Flores's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Crichton works his way to full guard. Good work.
Flores throwing strikes from guard but Crichton blocks nicely.
Flores looking to sit in guard and control but Crichton gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Crichton trying to control but Flores is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flores avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Flores is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Crichton throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Flores works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Flores looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crichton pushing down on Flores's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Crichton tries to pass to full mount but Flores defends it.
Flores has hold of Crichton's hands but Crichton slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Gabriel Flores has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Crichton thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Flores's head.
Flores avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Crichton.
Crichton is looking to take a break and control but Flores is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Crichton thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crichton wants to take a breather but Flores is having none of it.

Flores is defending against the submission attempts here by Crichton.
Crichton trying to mount his opponent but Flores defends it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Michael Crichton is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Crichton trying to control from half guard but Flores is working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gabriel Flores showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Crichton has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Crichton!
Michael Crichton decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.