PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shakib Mahmahdulla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Cratom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cratom has chosen Savages by Theory of a Deadman as his entrance music. Shakib Mahmahdulla looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Mahmahdulla
vs
Cratom

195 cm
19
269 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
24
289 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

On Tap (160Q)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Shakib Mahmahdulla!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kevin Cratom!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, George Francis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mahmahdulla shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Cratom is looking to stand back up but Mahmahdulla counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Cratom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cratom is trying to stand back up but Mahmahdulla is controlling him
Cratom is trying to get back to full guard.
Mahmahdulla content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Cratom pushes Mahmahdulla off looking to stand but Mahmahdulla dives back in and keeps control.
Cratom looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Cratom wants to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cratom is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Mahmahdulla looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Mahmahdulla wants to pass the guard but Cratom is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cratom is trying to stand up here but Mahmahdulla is controlling him well.
Mahmahdulla looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Cratom tries to kick Mahmahdulla off but Mahmahdulla keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mahmahdulla prevents Cratom from improving his position.
Mahmahdulla prevents Cratom from standing back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Cratom misses with the combination.
Kevin Cratom seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Cratom tries to keep at a distance but Mahmahdulla has taken the fight into the clinch.

Mahmahdulla gets control of Cratom's arms and successfully pulls guard. Mahmahdulla will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cratom wants to stand but Mahmahdulla has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Cratom gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mahmahdulla.
Cratom connects with a high kick.

It looks like Shakib Mahmahdulla has been cut.
Mahmahdulla is breathing heavily.
Cratom misses with a head kick.
Mahmahdulla keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mahmahdulla.
Cratom tries to clinch but Mahmahdulla is having none of it.
Cratom digs a good hook to Mahmahdulla's body.

Cratom closes the distance and pushes Mahmahdulla back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Mahmahdulla.
Cratom tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mahmahdulla avoids it.
Cratom tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mahmahdulla avoids it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cratom tries a body shot but Mahmahdulla blocks it.

Mahmahdulla has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Cratom clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Cratom staying busy and making it hard for Mahmahdulla to control.
Mahmahdulla controlling the position well here. Cratom rolled but Mahmahdulla kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Cratom wants to get back to his feet.
Mahmahdulla controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cratom is trying to shake Mahmahdulla off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Mahmahdulla won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.
Cratom tries to clinch up
and Mahmahdulla counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cratom looks to clinch

so Mahmahdulla counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Mahmahdulla content to stall in guard here.
Cratom throwing short punches from the bottom.
Cratom is looking to stand up but Mahmahdulla isn't so interested in that idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kevin Cratom will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Shakib Mahmahdulla's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mahmahdulla moves out of range of the body kick from Cratom.
Cratom lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Cratom is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Mahmahdulla drives through and clinches with Cratom against the cage.
Cratom is trying to stall.
Mahmahdulla lands a hook to the side of the head.

Mahmahdulla breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cratom throws a right hand that Mahmahdulla ducks under and follows up with a left that Mahmahdulla also avoids with ease.
Mahmahdulla tries to counter with a takedown but Cratom is quick to defend against it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Good work by Mahmahdulla as he checks the leg kick.
Mahmahdulla fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cratom avoids it really well and circles away.
Mahmahdulla blocks a head kick by Cratom.
Mahmahdulla is looking to counter the offense by Cratom and move into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cratom scores with a kick to the midsection.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cratom moves in looking to clinch but Mahmahdulla pushes him off.
Cratom lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Cratom thuds his shin into the meat of Mahmahdulla's side.
Kevin Cratom seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Horrible takedown attempt by Cratom or perhaps it was just good defense by Mahmahdulla, which made it look bad.

Cratom drives through and clinches with Mahmahdulla against the cage.
Mahmahdulla on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cratom throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Cratom misses with a body punch.

Mahmahdulla breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cratom closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cratom lands in his opponent's guard.
Mahmahdulla trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cratom is in close to Mahmahdulla's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Cratom gets to his feet - Mahmahdulla follows without any prompting.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cratom lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Cratom lands a front kick.

Cratom dives in and scores a takedown into Mahmahdulla's guard.
Cratom with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cratom content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Cratom wants to stand but Mahmahdulla is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mahmahdulla is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cratom pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mahmahdulla is keeping the position for now.
Cratom wants to stand but Mahmahdulla is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mahmahdulla on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mahmahdulla tries to get out of the position.
Mahmahdulla is trying to keep Cratom in close.

Mahmahdulla looking for a guillotine here but Cratom defends easily.

Cratom stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Cratom has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Cratom instigates a clinch.
Cratom slows down the pace here.
Mahmahdulla scores with a shot to the side of Cratom's head.
Mahmahdulla trying to control the position but instead, Cratom has worked for underhooks and has pushed Mahmahdulla into the cage.

Mahmahdulla breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cratom tries to close the distance and clinch but Mahmahdulla swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mahmahdulla wants to clinch up but Cratom keeps it at a distance.
Cratom looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Cratom listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Mahmahdulla shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cratom sprawls well. Cratom wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mahmahdulla gets slowly back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Cratom showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Shakib Mahmahdulla's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Mahmahdulla fails with the takedown
and Cratom counters with a stiff right hand.
Mahmahdulla tries to clinch up
letting Cratom counter with a right hand.

Shakib Mahmahdulla's cut is getting worse.
Cratom tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mahmahdulla paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mahmahdulla could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Mahmahdulla tries to clinch but Cratom is having none of it.
Mahmahdulla takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mahmahdulla takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Mahmahdulla defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cratom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cratom drops Mahmahdulla with a beautiful combination! Mahmahdulla stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Cratom is looking for the KO!

Mahmahdulla is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cratom lands a front kick.
Oh Mahmahdulla is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Shakib Mahmahdulla is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cratom walks forward and throws a big overhand right! Mahmahdulla drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes! Cratom swarms on him with more punches until the referee wrestles him away from Mahmahdulla's unconscious body! Wow, that was brutal!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kevin Cratom!
Kevin Cratom decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.