PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Michael Crawford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zoran Markovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Crawford's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Kanye West- New Slave. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Crawford
vs
Markovic

150 cm
28
135 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

168 cm
23
139 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

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 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Crawford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zoran Markovic!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Chris Edwards and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crawford is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Markovic misses with a body kick.
Crawford walks into a stiff left hand from Markovic.
Crawford moves out of range of the body kick from Markovic.
Markovic scores with a hook to the body. Crawford takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Markovic lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Crawford at a distance.
Markovic cracks the inside of Crawford's front leg.
Markovic misses with a body kick.
Jab, jab by Markovic - just one landing.
Crawford takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Zoran Markovic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Markovic misses with a body punch

and Crawford counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Crawford lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Crawford prevents Markovic from improving his position.
Crawford throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Crawford 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markovic looks like he's trying to stand up.
Crawford working the head and body with strikes.
Crawford throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Crawford looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Markovic with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Markovic trying to control here.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Crawford connects with a nice short shot to Markovic's temple.
Markovic wants to get back to his feet.
Crawford seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Markovic does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Markovic taking some punishment here, with Crawford in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Markovic blocking the ground and pound attempt from Crawford.
Crawford trying to mount his opponent but Markovic defends it.
Markovic trying to control but Crawford postures up.
Markovic is in trouble now - Crawford has advanced to mount!
Crawford scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Crawford throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Crawford lands a couple of good shots and Markovic has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

Crawford is persistently looking for the submission but Markovic is defending it well.
Markovic covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Markovic is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Markovic felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Markovic tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Markovic manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Markovic, under a barage of strikes from Crawford.
Crawford has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Crawford sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Markovic defending well though.
Crawford throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Markovic wants to get back to full guard.
Crawford lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Crawford not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Markovic avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Crawford.

Markovic has one foot on Crawford's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Crawford chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Markovic can pounce on him.
Markovic feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Crawfords jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Crawford throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Markovic tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Crawford is in Markovic's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Crawford throwing strikes but missing.
Markovic is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crawford postures up in Markovic's guard and throws a big left but Markovic blocks it.
Crawford working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Markovic's head.
Crawford postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Crawford working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Markovic is trying to keep Crawford in close.
Crawford throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Markovic works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Crawford throws a big right hand that misses.
Crawford throws a big elbow that misses.
Crawford throwing strikes but missing.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Markovic looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Crawford working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Markovic's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Crawford dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Both fighters circling a little - Markovic finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Markovic turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Markovic waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Crawford.
Markovic keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Markovic is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Markovic lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
A solid body kick from Markovic.
Nice cross by Markovic.
Markovic looks to land a right hand but Crawford moved out of range.
Markovic keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Markovic misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Crawford.
Markovic throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Crawford looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Crawford blocks a head kick by Markovic.
Markovic scores with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Markovic loads up on a big right hand but Crawford slips the punch.
Markovic chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Nice jab there from Markovic.
Markovic scoring well with a low kick there.
Crawford tries to score a power double leg takedown but Markovic sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Crawford somewhat.
Markovic lands a nice leg kick that just misses Crawford's sensitive parts.
Markovic connects with a leg kick. Crawford looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Markovic throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Crawford looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Markovic has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Markovic throws a poor cross that misses

and Crawford counters with a nice double leg into side control. Markovic won't be happy with that.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Crawford trying to control the action but Markovic is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crawford connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Markovic some visible discomfort.
Crawford postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Crawford in side control, throwing shots but Markovic defends.
Crawford scoring with punches and elbows.
Crawford misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Crawford throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Markovic avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Crawford.
Markovic defending against the ground and pound.

Crawford goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Markovic has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Crawford but great work by Markovic.
Markovic working away.
Crawford sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Crawford might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crawford is trying to get back to full guard.
Crawford trying to control but Markovic postures up.
Crawford is looking to improve his position.
Markovic wants to control but Crawford is keeping him busy.
Markovic wants to stand up but Crawford is controlling the position.
Crawford regains full guard. Nicely done.
Crawford will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Crawford is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Markovic defends well.
Markovic must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Crawford is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Markovic is aware though and is defending well.
Michael Crawford overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Markovic wanted to stand there but Crawford had control of the position.
Crawford throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Markovic has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Crawford to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Markovic is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Crawford pulls down on the head and he's put Markovic to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Michael Crawford!
Michael Crawford gave a mention to Kemists ↑ 5x160Q in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).