PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rayford Larson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Croce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Larson
vs
Croce

155 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rayford Larson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tommy Croce!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Tiny Johnson and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Croce throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Larson tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Croce manages to circle out of the way.

Croce closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Croce lands in his opponent's guard.
Larson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Larson throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Croce wants to get up but he can't break Larson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Croce being controlled here momentarily.
Croce stopping the sweep attempt from Larson.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Croce decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Larson, up you get!

Larson pushes Croce up against the cage in a clinch.
Croce gets through Larson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Larson jumps guard but Croce stands there with Larson around his waist. Larson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Croce breaks from the clinch.
Croce throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Larson.
A head kick misses from Croce.

Larson closes the distance and clinches.
Croce stalls.
Larson wants to take the fight to the mat but Croce manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Croce.

Larson drags the fight down to the ground.
Croce trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Larson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Croce gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Croce drives through with a takedown into Larson's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Larson looking for a sweep. Not yet Larson, not yet.
Croce engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Croce lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Larson being controlled here, momentarily.
Croce won't allow Larson to sweep him here.

Croce decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Larson, up you get!

Croce is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Larson's half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Croce with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Croce wants to take a breather but Larson is having none of it.
Croce is looking to stall here but Larson recovers full guard.
Larson wants to sweep here but Croce controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Larson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Croce dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Croce closes the distance and clinches.
Croce gets underhooks to prevent Larson's takedown attempt.
Larson is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Croce to keep the fight standing.
Larson is trying to pull guard but Croce turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rayford Larson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Croce is trying to maintain a safe position but Larson gets an underhook and turns Croce into the cage.

Larson lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Croce makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Tommy Croce is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Croce closes the distance and pushes Larson back into the cage.

Croce manages to break the clinch.

Croce shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Larson is looking to stand back up but Croce counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Larson.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Croce is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Croce looking for a submission but Larson manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
Larson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Larson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Croce drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Croce jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Croce wants to control from the top but Larson keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Croce decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Croce swats away the attempt to clinch by Larson.
And Croce tries to counter it with a takedown but Larson pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Larson could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Croce chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Tommy Croce seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Croce moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Croce lands a jab-cross combination.

It looks like Rayford Larson has been cut.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Larson gets caught napping as Croce dives in and scores a takedown. Larson manages to retain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Croce sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Larson's guard.
Tommy Croce has got the better of the ground game so far.
Croce prevents Larson from standing back up.
Croce controlling the action here.

Croce is trying to work for a kimura but Larson is defending well.

Croce decides to stand and escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Larson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Croce bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Croce trying to control the action but Larson is working from the bottom.
Larson is looking to reverse the position.
Larson is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Croce is controlling him well.

Croce decides to stand up, so the ref orders Larson to his feet.
Larson takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Croce showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rayford Larson'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!

Larson moves to clinch but Croce breaks away
and Croce counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Larson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Croce swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Croce looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Larson gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Croce to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Larson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Croce defends it easily.
Croce has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Croce landing some decent shots from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Croce stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Larson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Croce lands a couple of digs.
Larson is looking to stand up but Croce isn't so interested in that idea.

Croce stands and steps away. Larson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Croce moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Croce closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Larson quickly recovers to half guard.
Larson trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Croce in particular looking to stall.
Croce wants to lay and pray for a moment but Larson keeps working.
Croce content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Croce is trying to work for a kimura but Larson is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Croce stands up and beckons Larson to join him on the feet.
Some wild striking there from Croce.
Larson appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Rayford Larson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Croce tries to clinch up.

Croce shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Croce showed some decent athleticism there.
Croce is taking a breather. Larson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Croce working over Larson with some ground and pound. Larson looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Croce stands up out of the half guard.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Larson - that will leave a mark!

Croce looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Croce stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Larson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tommy Croce comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Croce has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tommy Croce!