PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Destin Craven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Robins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Craven
vs
Robins

178 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Destin Craven!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Alex Robins!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Ryoma Takatsuka and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craven moves in looking to clinch but Robins pushes him off.

Craven darts in and clinches Robins up against the ropes.
Robins prevents a body shot from Craven.

Craven manages to break the clinch.

Robins manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Craven on his heels. He'll look to pass Craven's guard now, I'm sure.
Craven wants to stand and escape but Robins is having none of it.
Robins throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Craven is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Craven has a closed guard, preventing Robins from standing up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Robins wants to control from the top but Craven keeps moving.
Craven is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Robins dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven is not content to let Robins control the position.
Craven is looking to regain half guard here but Robins keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Craven's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Robins wants to control but Craven is keeping him busy.
Robins creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Craven sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Craven gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Robins thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Robins thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Craven avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Robins.
Robins not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Robins stalling away here and it's allowed Craven to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Robins has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Craven is proving hard to escape from.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Craven wants to stand but Robins is controlling the position.
Craven working a defensive guard here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Robins shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Craven napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Craven is trying to get back to his feet.
Robins trying to control the action but Craven is working from the bottom.
Craven tries to improve position but can't.
Robins working away.
Robins tries to move to full mount but Craven actually manages to regain half guard.
Craven tries to kick Robins off but Robins keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Robins throws a strike but Craven avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Craven working a defensive guard but Robins manages to pass into side control anyway.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craven is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the ropes but Robins has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Robins swings around for an armbar but Craven sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Robins's guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Craven wants to control from the top but Robins keeps moving.
Craven stops Robins from standing up.
Craven trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Robins keeping moving, preventing Craven from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Robins wants to stand and escape but Craven is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alex Robins will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Robins shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Robins showed some decent athleticism there.

Robins wants to work for an arm triangle but Craven is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Craven is looking for a sweep. Robins is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Craven looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Robins throws a strike but Craven avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craven is looking to sweep but instead, Robins has passed into half guard.
Robins thows a huge punch but Craven dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven is trying to stand up here but Robins is controlling him well.
Robins thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Craven's head.
Robins throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Craven to regain full guard.

Robins drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Craven manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Robins has Craven in his guard.

Robins is trying to keep Craven in close.
Robins wants to stand up but Craven is controlling him.
Craven has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Craven working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Robins is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Alex Robins has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craven trying to control the position from guard on top but Robins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Craven accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Craven prevents Robins from getting back to his feet.
Robins keeping full guard, as Craven tries to pass.
Craven won't allow Robins to get back to his feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Craven fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Robins, pushing him back against the ropes.
Robins has Craven pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Craven manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Robins has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Craven is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Robins throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Craven is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Robins gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Robins has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Craven avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Destin Craven has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Robins.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robins drops down looking for an ankle pick but Craven pulls his leg out and moves away.
Robins sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Craven has taken the fight to the clinch.

Craven escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Craven throws a hook but Robins blocks it.

Robins feints and as Craven raises his hands in defense, Robins changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Robins stops Craven from standing up.
Robins is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Craven has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Robins is looking to work some ground and pound but Craven has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Robins trying to control but Craven is working from the bottom.
Robins is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Craven is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Robins is controlling him.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Robins missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Craven lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Robins circles away quickly and effectively.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Robins shoots in and bounces Craven off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Robins won't allow Craven to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Destin Craven dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Craven moves into the clinch.

Craven jumps into guard, dragging Robins to the mat.
Craven looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Craven looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Robins is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Craven has control of Robins's left arm, preventing Robins from doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Robins throws a big right hand that misses.
Robins works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Robins is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Robins seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Craven does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Craven is looking to improve his position.
Craven is staying active underneath Robins, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Craven keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Robins thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Robins is looking for a kimura but Craven is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Robins to get the leverage.
Craven has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Robins is working away from the top position though.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Craven is trying hard to land a takedown here. Robins sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Craven throws the left hand but Robins avoids the punch easily.

Robins shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Robins sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Craven defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robins trying to control from Craven's half guard. Craven has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Craven looking to control.
Craven keeping moving, preventing Robins from controlling successfully.
Craven utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Craven looking to control.
Robins controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Robins throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Craven stuffs the takedown.

Craven takes the fight into the clinch.
Craven avoiding damage.
Robins is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the ropes enables Craven to keep the fight standing.

Craven breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Craven tries to clinch but Robins moves out of range.
Craven tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Destin Craven seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Robins avoids the head kick by Craven.
Craven tries to clinch up but Robins circles away and keeps his distance.
Robins stuffs the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Robins gets the takedown into side control.
Craven is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Robins off and has taken his back!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Craven doesn't have the hooks in and Robins manages to turn into his guard.
Robins not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

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

Robins keeping moving, preventing Craven from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Craven is really struggling to control Robins but he's trying to hold on to the position.

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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Destin Craven!