PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Project Alpha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Crown (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.

Alpha
vs
Crown

185 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
188 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
World class boxer
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Project Alpha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Crown!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Albert Achterberg and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alpha scores with a jab to the head.
A shot to the liver by Alpha. Beautiful body shot.
Crown blocks a jab.
Alpha misses with an uppercut
and Crown counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Crown tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Alpha manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Crown wants to clinch.
Alpha blocks a leg kick.
Alpha throws a right and a left that both miss.
Crown uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Alpha.
Project Alpha seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Crown gets caught napping as Alpha dives in and scores a takedown. Crown manages to retain guard.
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!

Crown looking for a guillotine here but Alpha defends easily.
Crown is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alpha trying to control but Crown is working from the bottom.

Crown has his foot on Alpha's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Alpha works his way back into a safe position though.
Alpha trying to control the position from guard on top but Crown is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Crown lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
Alpha controlling the position.
Crown passes Alpha's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Crown is just content to waste time from the top position. Alpha takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alpha keeping moving, preventing Crown from controlling successfully.
Crown stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Alpha swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Crown preventing the sweep.
Crown wants to control from the top but Alpha keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Paul Crown hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Alpha misses with a wild body shot.
Alpha looks to throw the jab but Crown is out of range.
Alpha throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Alpha throws a body punch but Crown moves out of range.

Crown rushes Alpha and presses him up against the cage.
Crown leaning against his opponent.
Crown continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
A left hand lands to the body for Alpha.
Crown effectively controlling the action here.
Alpha working aggressively here.
Crown stalling in the clinch but Alpha improves position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alpha is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Alpha blocks an elbow strike from Crown.
Crown tries to land knees in the clinch but Alpha avoids the damage to the body.
Alpha working aggressively here.
Alpha on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Crown tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Alpha avoids it.
Crown is trying to stall.
Alpha misses with a shot to the kidneys.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alpha leaning against his opponent.
Crown stalling against the cage.
Crown with an attempt at a knee that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Paul Crown will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Crown looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Crown is looking to clinch but Alpha is avoiding it.
Alpha misses with a hook.
Alpha avoids the head kick by Crown.
Nice uppercut there from Alpha.
Alpha throws a shot from downtown. Crown moves away and avoids it.
A lazy left from Alpha finds it's target.
Alpha connects with a crisp jab.
Alpha throws a right and a left that Crown avoids nicely.
Alpha connects with a crisp jab.
Jab from Alpha.
Alpha swinging wildly here.
Crown gets cracked there but stands up to it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Crown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alpha lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Crown shoots in but Alpha avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Crown misses with a takedown attempt - Alpha sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Alpha with a nice cross.

Alpha gets tackled into the cage by Crown. Crown maintains the clinch.
Crown tries a knee to the head but Alpha blocks it.
Alpha is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Crown gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Alpha tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Crown is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Crown blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Alpha blocks an elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crown trying to land knees to the body.

Alpha escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Paul Crown is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Crown doesn't manage to clinch there - Alpha circles away.
Alpha keeps the fight on the outside.
Crown tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alpha swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alpha tries for a takedown but Crown sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Alpha tries to bum rush Crown with a series of wild strikes but Crown uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Crown is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Crown scores with a kick to the midsection.
Crown shoots in for a takedown but Alpha shows good takedown defense.
Project Alpha has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Crown.
Crown misses with a body kick.
Alpha fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crown with a lazy takedown attempt
and Crown takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Alpha scores with a body shot.
Alpha moves out of range of the body kick from Crown.
Alpha misses with an uppercut. Crown saw that one coming.
Crown tries to land a front kick but Alpha steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Alpha bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Alpha lands the left hand.
The fight stays on the outside here - Crown looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alpha lands the left hand.
Crown moves in looking to clinch but Alpha pushes him off.
Crown takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Alpha scores with a body shot.
Alpha throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alpha throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Crown.
Alpha lands a right hook to the body.
Crown fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Alpha avoids it really well and circles away.
A shot to the liver by Alpha. Beautiful body shot.
Alpha rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Crown moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Crown tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Alpha was well out of range. Poor timing from Crown.
Alpha ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Crown moves away.

Crown rushes Alpha and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Alpha gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Crown regains guard.
Alpha wants to control from the top but Crown keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Project Alpha dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Alpha lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Crown is looking to clinch.
Alpha misses the jab.
Crown needs to keep his hands up - Alpha had a free shot at his head there.
Crown throws a head kick but Alpha moves out of range.
Crown connects with a good right hand that stumbles Alpha. Alpha circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Alpha swats away the attempt to clinch by Crown.
Project Alpha is winning the standup battle so far.
Crown tries to clinch but Alpha is having none of it.
The fighters circling - Alpha throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Alpha scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Alpha connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Crown instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crown displaying some good clinch control by pressing Alpha up against the cage.
Crown taking a breather.
Alpha misses with a hook from the clinch.
Alpha is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Alpha.
Alpha misses with a short punch on the inside.
Alpha is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Crown misses with an elbow strike.
Crown tries to land knees in the clinch but Alpha avoids the damage to the body.
Crown unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crown landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Crown tries to land a knee to the head but Alpha blocks with his arms.
Crown taking a breather.
Crown tries to land knees in the clinch but Alpha avoids the damage to the body.
Crown's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Crown pushes off an throws an elbow but Alpha leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Crown tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Alpha avoids it.
Crown lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Project Alpha has been cut.
Alpha is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Crown is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Alpha is defending well for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crown holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Alpha is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Crown tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Alpha avoids it.
Crown trying to land knees to the body.
Crown stalling.
Alpha looking to slow down the pace here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alpha lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Alpha cracks Crown with a nice body shot.
Crown prevents the takedown attempt.
Crown lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Crown.
Crown gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Crown blocking some punches.
Alpha is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Paul Crown seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Alpha on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Crown throws a knee to the head but misses.
Alpha trying to control the position but instead, Crown has worked for underhooks and has pushed Alpha into the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Crown comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Crown 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Paul Crown!
Project Alpha was interviewed post fight and said 'Defeat is not an option...'.