PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rene Croix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gavin Byrne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Croix might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Edith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien. Gavin Byrne is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Croix
vs
Byrne

170 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 London, Rene Croix!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Gavin Byrne!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Phil Schofield and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Croix clinches up with Byrne and pushes him back against the cage.
Byrne blocks the elbow strike.

Byrne breaks the clinch.
Croix misses with the body kick
and Byrne makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Croix leaves Byrne with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Byrne clinches up with Croix and pushes him back against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Croix goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Croix misses with a punch to the body.
Croix looking to throw knees to the head but Byrne is blocking nicely.
Croix gets through Byrne's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Croix lands a left hand that snaps the head of Byrne backwards.
Byrne is trying to break the clinch but Croix has him pressed against the cage.
Byrne has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Croix after a bit of a struggle.
Byrne trying to land knees to the body.
Byrne scores with a shoulder strike.
Byrne pressing his opponent against the cage.
Croix is trying to force a seperation but Byrne has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Nice elbow from Croix.
Croix lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Byrne looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Croix blocks an uppercut.
Croix misses with a punch on the inside.
Croix with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Byrne looking to stall.
Byrne utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Croix throws a knee to the head but misses.
Byrne jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Croix walks away with a smile on his face. Byrne gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rene Croix has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gavin Byrne.

Croix clinches with his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Croix tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Croix avoiding damage as Byrne throws knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Croix fails to land.
Byrne tries to stall but Croix uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Byrne trying to land knees to the body.
Croix lands a hook that snaps the head of Byrne backwards.
Byrne drops down looking for an ankle pick but Croix pulls his leg out and moves away.
Croix tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Croix has a takedown stuffed.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Croix tries a head kick but it misses.
Croix shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Byrne defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne tries to close the distance and clinch but Croix swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rene Croix seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Byrne fails with the takedown.
Croix shoots in for a double leg but Byrne sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Croix swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Byrne counters with a nice leg kick.

Croix moves into the clinch successfully.
Croix throws a punch but it's blocked by Byrne.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Byrne creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Croix is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Byrne is keeping busy.
Maybe Croix would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.

Byrne manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrne is trying to keep Croix in close.
Croix wants to pass the guard but Byrne is keeping the position.
Croix slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Byrne is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rene Croix will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Byrne stuffs the takedown attempt from Croix. Croix gets slowly back to his feet.
Croix throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Byrne's waist but Byrne gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Croix off to one side.
Byrne will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Byrne shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Croix as he avoids it easily.
Croix fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rene Croix. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Croix moves into range and clinches up with Byrne.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Byrne lands a hook to the side of the head.
Byrne creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Byrne looking to slow down the pace here.
Croix tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Byrne smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Croix throws a body punch but Byrne moves out of range.
Byrne tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Croix swivels and escapes.
Byrne is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Croix looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Byrne is fending him off so far but Croix persists. Nope, Byrne circles away and we're back to standing.

Croix gets a clinch.
Byrne is looking for a takedown.
Croix looking to slow down the pace here.
Byrne lands a knee to the head.
Byrne prevents a body shot from Croix.
A nice left hand lands by Byrne.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Croix is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Byrne is keeping busy.
Croix tries to work over Byrne's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Croix.
Rene Croix has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Byrne putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Croix in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Croix with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The referee calls for Byrne to work.
Croix avoiding damage as Byrne throws knees to the body.
Croix with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Croix misses with some punches.
Byrne blocks a body shot from Croix.
Croix gets underhooks to prevent Byrne's takedown attempt.
Croix misses with an elbow strike.
Byrne misses with a punch on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Croix is looking to control Byrne's arms but Byrne gets an underhook and turns him. Now Croix has his back to the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Croix breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Croix tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Byrne swivels and escapes.
Byrne goes for a double leg but Croix avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Croix continues to drive forward.
Byrne tries to pull guard but Croix forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Byrne is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Croix pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Byrne leaning against his opponent.
Croix tries to throw a body punch but Byrne avoids it by throwing Croix back against the cage.
Byrne wants a takedown.
Croix effectively controlling the action here.
Byrne is trying to pull guard but Croix has him pressed against the cage.
Croix tries to work over Byrne's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Byrne tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Croix just stands there and leans against the cage.
Croix looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Byrne breaks from the clinch.
Byrne shoots for a double leg takedown but Croix sprawls well. He's pushed Byrne's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Croix clinches with his opponent.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Croix.
Byrne fails to pull guard.
Croix letting Byrne take a breather here.
Byrne fails to pull guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Croix tries to land a knee to the head but Byrne blocks with his arms.
Byrne can't find room to land a body shot as Croix controls the action.
Croix dodges an elbow strike from Byrne.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Croix tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Croix misses with a knee to the head.
Byrne misses with a punch on the inside.
Byrne lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Croix backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Rene Croix will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Croix clinches with his opponent.
Byrne takes a knee right on the jaw!

Byrne pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Croix stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Croix wants it to stay on the feet.
Byrne shoots in for a takedown but Croix shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Croix clinches up against the cage.
Croix wants to stall.
Byrne swings wildly with an uppercut but Croix uses good head movement to avoid it.
Croix taking a breather.
Croix displaying some good clinch control by pressing Byrne up against the cage.
Byrne tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rene Croix has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gavin Byrne.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrne jumps guard but Croix turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Byrne takes a knee right on the jaw!
Croix taking a breather.
Byrne takes an elbow to the forehead.
Byrne tries to pull guard but Croix holds him up against the cage and eventually Byrne drops back down to his feet.
Byrne takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Croix lands a damaging elbow.
Croix has a couple of punches blocked by Byrne.
Croix throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Croix blocks a body shot from Byrne.
Croix avoiding damage.
Knees to the body from Byrne.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Croix landing knees to the head.
Croix tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A short right from Byrne on the inside.

Byrne decides to pull guard.
Croix trying to control the position from guard on top but Byrne is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Byrne being controlled here, momentarily.
Croix looking to pass the guard.
Byrne looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Byrne keeping moving, preventing Croix from controlling successfully.

We're going to have a standup here because Rene Croix wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Byrne slaps away a takedown attempt from Croix, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Byrne leaves Croix with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Croix shoots for a takedown but Byrne saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Byrne shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Croix sprawls well. Croix wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Byrne gets slowly back to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Croix is defended easily by Byrne.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrne shoots in for a double leg but Croix sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Byrne moves into range and clinches up with Croix.

Byrne manages to break the clinch.
Byrne closes the distance and clinches up with Croix, looking for a takedown. Byrne pushes Croix against the cage but Croix circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Croix throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Byrne stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Croix clinches up with Byrne and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Croix tries a knee to the head but Byrne blocks it.
Byrne works on Croix's body with a couple of short punches.
Gavin Byrne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rene Croix is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Byrne scores with a shoulder strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rene Croix showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Croix 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rene Croix!
A relieved looking Rene Croix thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.