PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jean Claude Van Damme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leon Cratz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Claude Van Damme
vs
Cratz

173 cm
20
146 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

193 cm
18
145 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jean Claude Van Damme!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Leon Cratz!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Paul Gruel and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cratz tries to clinch but Van Damme is having none of it.
Van Damme tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cratz was well out of range. Poor timing from Van Damme.
Van Damme ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cratz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Van Damme scores with a three punch combo!
Cratz misses with a straight right.
Cratz is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cratz tries to clinch but Van Damme is having none of it.
Van Damme swats away the attempt to clinch by Cratz.
Cratz takes one to the chin there.
Cratz throws a big shot that misses.
Cratz misses the jab.
Cratz is looking to clinch.
Van Damme swings for the body but Cratz moves out of range.
Cratz wants to clinch up but Van Damme keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cratz misses with an uppercut.
Cratz avoids the body shot from Van Damme.
Cratz tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Van Damme manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Van Damme lands a jab to the head.
Cratz looks to land a left hand but Van Damme moved out of range nicely.
Cratz is looking to clinch.
Cratz tries to clinch up but Van Damme circles away and keeps his distance.
Cratz doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Van Damme throws a looping overhand right but Cratz ducks down to avoid it.
Van Damme avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Van Damme swats away the attempt to clinch by Cratz.
Van Damme is looking to wear down Cratz with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Cratz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Van Damme swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cratz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Van Damme paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Jab by Van Damme.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme lands with a good body shot.
Van Damme is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Jean Claude Van Damme seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cratz tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Van Damme manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cratz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cratz throws an off balance right hand
and Van Damme counters with a head kick. That will keep Cratz thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Cratz walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Cratz is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Van Damme jabs Cratz right on the nose. Cratz blinks but takes it well.
Cratz is still on wobbly legs! Can Van Damme finish him?
Van Damme blocks a jab.
Cratz seems to have recovered his senses.
Van Damme looks to score with a jab to the body but Cratz is just out of range.
Cratz is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Cratz doesn't manage to clinch there - Van Damme circles away.
Van Damme lands a head kick!
Jab by Van Damme.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cratz throws an off balance right hand

and Van Damme counters with a head kick that drops Cratz to the mat! Cratz scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!
Cratz connects with a right hand. Van Damme shakes it off.
Van Damme tries a head kick but it misses.
Nice defenses there by Cratz.
Decent striking displayed by Van Damme there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cratz moves in looking to clinch but Van Damme pushes him off.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Van Damme uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cratz.
Van Damme connects with a body shot that sends Cratz's belly button to the back.
Cratz tries to clinch but Van Damme moves out of range.
Cratz tries to clinch but Van Damme moves out of range.
Van Damme lands a high kick!
Cratz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Van Damme.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cratz walks into a left hand.
Van Damme tries a head kick but it misses.
Cratz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Van Damme lands a jab to the head.
Van Damme throws a jab but it's blocked by Cratz.
Cratz tries to clinch there but Van Damme circles away.
Cratz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Good shot there by Van Damme.
Van Damme connects with a jab.
Van Damme scores with a crisp jab that stopped Cratz in his tracks.
Cratz avoids the head kick by Van Damme.
Van Damme throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Cratz loads up on a big right hand but Van Damme slips the punch.
Van Damme swats away the attempt to clinch by Cratz.
Van Damme swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Good standup being displayed there by Van Damme as he connects with a hook.
Van Damme swats away the attempt to clinch by Cratz.
A big right from Cratz misses.
Cratz displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Van Damme throws out the jab.
Van Damme scores with a nice right hand.
Van Damme throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Cratz tries to clinch but Van Damme moves away
and Van Damme counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Cratz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Van Damme swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Van Damme. That snapped Cratz's head back.
Van Damme scores with a shot to the body.
Van Damme scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Cratz is looking to clinch but Van Damme is avoiding it.
Cratz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Van Damme swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cratz's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Van Damme connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Cratz scrambles back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Van Damme dips to his left and cracks Cratz with an uppercut!
Van Damme uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cratz.
Van Damme swinging wildly here.
Cratz misses with a looping right.
Cratz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cratz moves in looking to clinch but Van Damme pushes him off.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Cratz takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Cratz throws a hook but Van Damme blocks it.
Van Damme cracks a nice hook into Cratz's ribs.
Cratz tries to clinch up but Van Damme circles away and keeps his distance.
Van Damme throws a lazy right hand but Cratz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Van Damme misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cratz looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Van Damme blocks a jab.
Cratz moves in looking to clinch but Van Damme pushes him off.
Van Damme lands a glancing blow to the side of Cratz's head.
Cratz misses with a hook.
Jab by Van Damme.
Van Damme is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Cratz throws out a loose jab but Van Damme uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme misses with a hook. Cratz ducked under it nicely.
Cratz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cratz doesn't manage to clinch there - Van Damme circles away.
Van Damme moves out of range of the strikes.
Cratz moves in looking to clinch but Van Damme pushes him off.
Van Damme cracks Cratz with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Cratz tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Van Damme manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A shot to the liver by Van Damme. Beautiful body shot.
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!
Cratz looks to land a left hand but Van Damme moved out of range nicely.
Van Damme scores with a jab.
Cratz misses the jab.
Cratz wants to clinch.
Cratz misses with an uppercut. Van Damme saw that one coming.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cratz.
Cratz throws a lazy uppercut
and Van Damme counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Van Damme looks to land a right hand but Cratz moved out of range.
Cratz walks into a stiff left hand from Van Damme.
Cratz tries to clinch
and Van Damme counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Cratz might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Cratz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Van Damme paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cratz tries to clinch up.
Van Damme catches Cratz with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Van Damme throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cratz stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Van Damme misses with a hook. Cratz ducked under it nicely.
Cratz swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Claude Van Damme dominated that 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!

Van Damme misses with a hook.
Van Damme throws the left hand but Cratz avoids the punch easily.
Cratz throws a lazy right hand but Van Damme sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Van Damme moves out of range of the strikes.
Cratz tries to clinch up.
Van Damme goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Van Damme missing with a left hand there. Cratz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cratz has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Cratz wants to clinch up but Van Damme keeps it at a distance.
Cratz misses the jab.
Cratz closes the distance but Van Damme moves to the side
and Van Damme counters with a nice uppercut.
Van Damme lands a jab to the head.
Van Damme changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Van Damme connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Damme throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Cratz.
Cratz on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Van Damme throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cratz.
Van Damme throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cratz throws a right hand that misses
and Van Damme counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Cratz is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Cratz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cratz throws a hook but Van Damme blocks it.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Van Damme fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Cratz on the side of the head.
Cratz tries to clinch up.
Cratz takes one to the chin there.
Cratz gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Cratz tries to clinch up but Van Damme circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Van Damme, as that shot connected.
Van Damme scores with a crisp jab that stopped Cratz in his tracks.
Van Damme listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Van Damme scores with a body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Van Damme misses with a head kick.
Cratz tries to clinch up but Van Damme circles away and keeps his distance.
Cratz tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Van Damme manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cratz wants to clinch.
Van Damme avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Van Damme lands a high kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cratz throws a lazy uppercut
and Van Damme counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cratz tries to move into range but Van Damme moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Van Damme connects with a jab.

Cratz closes the distance and pushes Van Damme back into the ropes.
Cratz is trying to pull guard but Van Damme turns him against the ropes and we stay in the clinch.
Cratz tries to break the clinch but Van Damme is controlling the position.
Van Damme is trying to break the clinch but Cratz is controlling him.
Van Damme wants to break free but Cratz has control.
Van Damme is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Van Damme can't break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Cratz's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Van Damme wants to break free but Cratz has control.
Van Damme tries to circle away but Cratz has him pinned against the ropes.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Cratz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Van Damme pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Van Damme lands with an overhand left.
Jean Claude Van Damme is winning the standup battle so far.
Van Damme with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Van Damme fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Van Damme slips a jab from Cratz.
Cratz throws a lazy right hand but Van Damme sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cratz tries to clinch up but Van Damme circles away and keeps his distance.
Cratz looks to land a right hand but Van Damme moved out of range.
Cratz moves in looking to clinch but Van Damme pushes him off.
Cratz takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Van Damme throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Van Damme ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cratz moves away.
Cratz tries to close the distance and clinch but Van Damme swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Cratz rushes Van Damme and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Cratz has had enough of the clinch but Van Damme keeps him there for the moment.

Van Damme pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cratz doesn't manage to clinch there - Van Damme circles away.
Cratz moves in looking to clinch but Van Damme pushes him off.
Van Damme throws the left hand but Cratz avoids the punch easily.
A head kick misses from Van Damme.
Van Damme lands a head kick!
Van Damme misses the jab.
Cratz takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Van Damme thuds a left hand into Cratz's body.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Cratz tries to clinch up but Van Damme circles away and keeps his distance.
Van Damme throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cratz.
Van Damme throws a sloppy head kick and Cratz moves out of range easily.

Cratz clinches with his opponent.
Van Damme is trying to push Cratz away but Cratz has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.

Van Damme's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Van Damme avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cratz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cratz throws a right hand that misses
and Van Damme counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cratz throws a lazy right hand but Van Damme sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cratz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cratz tries to clinch there but Van Damme circles away.
Van Damme cracks Cratz with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the ropes.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Cratz tries to clinch up.
Cratz tries to clinch but Van Damme moves out of range.
Nice defenses there by Van Damme.
Cratz is looking to clinch but Van Damme is avoiding it.
Van Damme with a nice cross.
Van Damme darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
A jab from Van Damme misses.
Van Damme looks to land a left hand but Cratz moved out of range nicely.
Cratz wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cratz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Van Damme circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jean Claude Van Damme is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Cratz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Van Damme connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Van Damme uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cratz.
Cratz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Van Damme scores with a jab to the body.
Cratz doesn't manage to clinch there - Van Damme circles away.
Cratz tries to clinch but Van Damme is having none of it.
Cratz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cratz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Van Damme misses with the combination.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Van Damme misses.
That kick from Van Damme tenderised Cratz's leg. Cratz is trying to keep his angry face on.
Cratz is looking to clinch.
Cratz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cratz moves in looking to clinch but Van Damme pushes him off.
Cratz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Van Damme lands with a nice body punch.
Cratz closes the distance but Van Damme moves to the side
and Van Damme counters with an inside leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cratz moves in looking to clinch but Van Damme pushes him off.
Leon Cratz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cratz takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jean Claude Van Damme showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Van Damme 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Josh West scores the fight for Jean Claude Van Damme!
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight for Jean Claude Van Damme!
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight for Jean Claude Van Damme!

Jean Claude Van Damme wins by unanimous decision!
Jean Claude Van Damme made sure to mention his sponsor, Pirates Powder in his post fight interview.