PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Destin Craven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Christopher Newton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Newton has chosen She Knows as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Craven
vs
Newton

173 cm
33
184 lbs
14 - 12 - 0

183 cm
30
182 lbs
10 - 4 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Great low kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Determined

V-Mask Clothing (10%)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Destin Craven!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Christopher Newton!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Newton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Craven tries to close the distance and clinch up but Newton swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Craven bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Newton struggling a bit here.
Craven tries to move to mount but Newton blocks the move with his legs.
Sloppy strikes there by Craven.
Newton is letting Craven control him for a moment.
Craven trying to control the position but Newton is working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Newton tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Craven working the ground and pound but Newton is defending the strikes.
Newton is trying to get back to his feet.
Newton seems a little lost for a moment, as Craven dominates the positioning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Newton is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Craven wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Newton, who protects the arm well.
Craven taking a break here but Newton is having none of it and regains half guard.

Craven seems to be looking for submissions.
Newton is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Craven missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Newton is not content to let Craven control the position.
Craven is stalling here. Newton is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Craven seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Newton has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Newton tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Newton is trying to get an arm triangle but Craven is defending well.
Craven can't do much from the bottom here.
Craven is not content to let Newton control the position.
Craven is trying to improve his position.

Newton tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newton trying to control the position but Craven is working away.

Newton decides to stand up, so the ref orders Craven to his feet.
Craven takes one to the side of the head.
Craven dives in for a single leg takedown but Newton sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Craven misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Craven moves in looking to clinch but Newton pushes him off.
Newton throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Newton lands a nice looking body kick.
Newton misses with an uppercut.
Newton cracks the inside of Craven's front leg.
Craven dives in and grabs Newton's left leg, looking for a takedown. Newton pushes down on Craven's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Destin Craven. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Newton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Craven was well out of range. Poor timing from Newton.
Newton throws a right and a left that both miss.
Craven throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Newton's waist but Newton gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Craven off to one side.
Craven wants to clinch.
Newton blocks a head kick by Craven.
Newton changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Newton tries to land a front kick but Craven steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Craven gets a takedown into half guard.
Newton told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
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!
Newton trying to hold on to Craven's head to control him but Craven postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christopher Newton dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Newton lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Newton scores with a spinning back kick!
Craven shoots in for a takedown but Newton shows good takedown defense.

Craven decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Newton is looking to improve his position.
Craven wants to free his trapped foot but Newton is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Craven stops Newton from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Newton tries to roll over but Craven keeps him under control.

Newton actively working from the bottom here.
Newton moves into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Newton swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Newton working for a triangle but Craven defends it easily.
Craven trying to control but Newton is working from the bottom.
Craven has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Craven looking to pass the guard.
Craven loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Newton throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Craven trying to control but Newton is working from the bottom.
Craven looking to sit in guard and control but Newton gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Newton pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Craven is keeping the position for now.
Newton looking to sit in guard and control but Craven gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Craven throws a big right hand that misses.
Craven preventing the sweep.

Newton is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Craven is aware though and is defending well.
Craven missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Newton pulls Craven in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Craven is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Newton knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Craven throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Craven wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Newton, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Craven looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Craven tries to move to mount but Newton blocks the move with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Newton wants to control but Craven postures up.

Craven is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Newton has escaped the position, nice work there.
Newton prevents Craven from improving position.

Craven wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Newton, who protects the arm well.
Craven trying to control the position but Newton is working away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Destin Craven dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Craven tries to clinch there but Newton circles away.
Newton looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Newton lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Craven backs up against the cage.

Craven shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Craven was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sloppy strikes there by Craven.
Craven working away.

Craven tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Newton gets back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craven is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Craven seems to be working for a kimura but Newton defends the submission attempt.
Destin Craven overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven prevents Newton from standing back up.
Newton tries to get to full guard but Craven has control of the leg.
Craven throwing shots but Newton is blocking nicely.
Craven seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Newton does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Newton is looking to control Craven's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Newton avoid being mounted?

Newton is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Craven pulls his head out easily.
Newton is trying to control but can't.
Craven is stalling here. Newton is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Craven seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Newton has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Craven manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Newton is working for a submission of some sort.

Newton is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Newton is controlling the pace.
Craven is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Newton is looking for a kimura but Craven is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Newton to get the leverage.

Newton is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Newton is keen to just control but Craven is a slippery customer.
Craven manages to get to full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Craven is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craven trying to control the position from guard on top but Newton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Craven postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Newton is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Craven, into his guard.

Newton works over Craven with some ground and pound from guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Newton trying to control but Craven is working from the bottom.
Newton won't allow Craven to sweep him here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Destin Craven.
I think Craven 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!