PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shad Craft (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ardian Kurniawan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shad Craft has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Craft
vs
Kurniawan

208 cm
23
151 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

172 cm
21
140 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shad Craft!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ardian Kurniawan!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Taro Takaoka and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Craft shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Craft showed some decent athleticism there.
Kurniawan looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Craft thows a huge punch but Kurniawan dodges it nicely.
Craft missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Craft looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Kurniawan with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Craft missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Still in half guard, Craft seems content to control.
Craft will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craft thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Craft lands a nice short elbow.
Craft 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.
Craft takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Craft seems content to control.
Craft is nestled in close to Kurniawan, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Ground and pound from Craft.

Craft stands up out of the half guard.

Craft looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Kurniawan!

Craft looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Craft working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craft cracks Kurniawan with a big elbow.
Craft lands some shots froms side control.
Craft is staying tight to Kurniawan's torso, preventing him from escaping.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kurniawan on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craft scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Kurniawan to see if he's OK.
Craft really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Craft decides to stand back up.
Craft shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kurniawan as he jumps to the side.

Craft closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Kurniawan did well to prevent Craft getting side control.
Nice strikes from Craft there.
We've been informed that Kurniawan has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Craft is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Craft throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craft takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Craft lands with a punch from half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Craft lands a nice short elbow.
Craft with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Craft thows a huge punch but Kurniawan dodges it nicely.
Craft not doing much here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Craft not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shad Craft dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kurniawan gets caught napping as Craft dives in and scores a takedown. Kurniawan manages to retain guard.
Craft distracts Kurniawan with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Craft throws a big right hand that misses.
Craft controlling from the top position.
Craft postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kurniawan is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craft stands up over Kurniawan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Craft lands a couple of elbows.
Craft is looking to work some ground and pound but Kurniawan has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Craft stands up from Kurniawan's guard - Craft perhaps looking for a knockout.
Craft looks to land a combination but Kurniawan avoids it well.

Craft shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Kurniawan manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Craft works over Kurniawan with some ground and pound from guard.
Craft is stalling in the full guard.
Craft connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craft is in close to Kurniawan's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Craft lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Craft throwing strikes from guard but Kurniawan blocks nicely.
Craft lands a couple of elbows.
Craft landing with the ground and pound.
Craft is in close to Kurniawan's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craft lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Craft's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Craft content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Shad Craft overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Craft with a flurry of punches that miss.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Shad Craft is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kurniawan gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Craft fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kurniawan avoids it really well and circles away.

Craft shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kurniawan is trying to defend but Craft finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Craft seems content to control.
Craft's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Craft is working for a kimura but Kurniawan is defending it quite comfortably.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Craft is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shad Craft dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Craft shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kurniawan is trying to defend but Craft finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Craft is looking for a kimura here.
Craft trying to control the pace.
Kurniawan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craft working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Craft throwing shots but Kurniawan is blocking nicely.

Craft stands up from half guard.
Craft is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kurniawan can do to turn this around?

Craft darts in and clinches Kurniawan up against the cage.

Craft manages to break the clinch.

Craft drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurniawan trying to remain calm as Craft controls from the top position.
Craft lands a decent elbow from side control.

Craft is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kurniawan is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Craft cracks Kurniawan with a big elbow.
Kurniawan takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Craft decides to stand back up. Craft steps back and let's Kurniawan get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Craft manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Kurniawan on his heels. He'll look to pass Kurniawan's guard now, I'm sure.
Craft is looking to work some ground and pound but Kurniawan has wrist control.
Kurniawan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Craft chips away with some ground and pound.

Craft is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Craft postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Craft stands up from Kurniawan's guard - Craft perhaps looking for a knockout.

Craft rushes Kurniawan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ardian Kurniawan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Craft manages to break the clinch.
Craft throws a nice looking combination but Kurniawan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Craft feints and as Kurniawan raises his hands in defense, Craft changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Craft drops back looking for a leg! Kurniawan is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kurniawan manages to kick Craft off! Craft jumps back into Kurniawan's guard.
Craft lands a couple of decent looking shots.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shad Craft showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Craft 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:24
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:24
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shad Craft!