PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ichabod Crane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Umberto Sotto Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Crane comes to the cage accompanied by Way of The Ninja. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Crane
vs
Sotto Jr

165 cm
30
154 lbs
23 - 17 - 0

176 cm
36
146 lbs
25 - 23 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Sin City Allstars
Perkele!

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 23 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ichabod Crane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Umberto Sotto Jr!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sotto Jr swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Crane comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Sotto Jr lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
We've been told by Crane's head coaches at Montreal Athletic Center 5* spar that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Sotto Jr cracks a nice hook into Crane's ribs.
Crane stuns Sotto Jr with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Crane bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Sotto Jr's head.
Sotto Jr slips under a jab.
Sotto Jr feints a counter leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Sotto Jr.
Crane throws a hook but Sotto Jr avoids it easily.
Crane swinging wildly here.
Sotto Jr throws a body shot but no joy.
Sotto Jr pushes Crane away with a front kick.
Sotto Jr cracks the inside of Crane's front leg.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sotto Jr misses with a body shot.
Crane throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Crane blocks a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sotto Jr swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Crane counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Crane ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sotto Jr moves away.
Sotto Jr tries to bum rush Crane with a series of wild strikes but Crane uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sotto Jr lands a head kick!
Crane swings for the body but Sotto Jr moves out of range.
Sotto Jr scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Crane lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Sotto Jr scores with a three punch combo!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Crane fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Crane misses with a body shot
and Sotto Jr counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Crane thinking.
Sotto Jr misses with a wild body shot.
Crane appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Crane is looking to wear down Sotto Jr with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Crane looks to land a combination but Sotto Jr avoids it well.
Sotto Jr throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Crane lands a right hook to the body.
Crane lands an overhand right.
Sotto Jr finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A counter left hand to the body from Crane misses its target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crane throws a body shot but no joy.
Sotto Jr just misses with a punch to the body.
Sotto Jr takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Crane takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Crane scores with a hook to the body. Sotto Jr takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Crane scores with a hook to the body. Sotto Jr takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Sotto Jr tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Crane was well out of range. Poor timing from Sotto Jr.
A looping hook to the body misses from Crane. Sotto Jr does a little dance to reset his feet.
Crane throws a big shot that misses.
Crane misses the shot to the body.
Sotto Jr unleashes a big counter combination but Crane bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Sotto Jr lands a leg kick that knocks Crane off balance momentarily.
Crane throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sotto Jr is looking to score with low kicks.
Sotto Jr throws a lazy uppercut
and Crane counters with a left to the body.
Crane throws a right hand that misses
and Sotto Jr counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Crane throws a jab when Sotto Jr was well out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Crane.
Crane jabs at Sotto Jr's body.
Sotto Jr misses with a double jab.
It looked like Crane wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Crane ducks under a wild hook from Sotto Jr.
Sotto Jr throws the kick towards the body but Crane avoids it.
Crane checks the leg kick nicely there.
Sotto Jr takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Crane throws a body shot but no joy.
Sotto Jr throws a nice outside leg kick.
Sotto Jr tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice uppercut there from Sotto Jr.
Crane scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sotto Jr doesn't seem bothered though.
Sotto Jr lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Sotto Jr throws a big shot that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crane misses with an uppercut.
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!
Crane connects with a right hand. Sotto Jr shakes it off.
A lazy body kick from Sotto Jr
and Crane counters with a series of strikes. Sotto Jr will be more careful next time no doubt.
Crane dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Crane fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sotto Jr manages to avoid it.
Sotto Jr is looking for the big counter here.
Crane cracks Sotto Jr with a right hand to the side of the head.
Sotto Jr misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Crane.
A little feinted left hand from Crane on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Crane punishes Sotto Jr's body with a nice straight punch.
Crane misses with a body shot.
Crane misses with a shot to the body
and Sotto Jr counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sotto Jr throws a looping overhand right but Crane ducks down to avoid it.
A big left from Crane misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sotto Jr looks to land a combination but Crane avoids it well.
Crane swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Crane just misses with a punch to the body.
Umberto Sotto Jr seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fighters circle momentarily. Sotto Jr darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Crane jabbing away but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ichabod Crane will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Crane keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sotto Jr ducks under a wild hook from Crane.
Sotto Jr throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Crane counters by moving into the clinch.
Crane will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Sotto Jr up against the cage.

Crane's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ichabod Crane is winning the standup battle so far.
Crane moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Crane swinging wildly here.
Sotto Jr lands with a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sotto Jr throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Crane swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Sotto Jr counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sotto Jr chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Crane slips a jab and a cross from Sotto Jr.
Umberto Sotto Jr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sotto Jr throws a hook but Crane blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sotto Jr uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Crane.
The fighters circling - Sotto Jr throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Crane is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Crane misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sotto Jr.
Crane throws a hook but Sotto Jr blocks it.
Crane just misses with a punch to the body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sotto Jr.
Sotto Jr throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Sotto Jr falls off balance throwing a combination
and Sotto Jr takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sotto Jr throws a shot from downtown. Crane moves away and avoids it.
Crane lands a jab.
Sotto Jr looks for the body kick but Crane saw that one coming.
Crane closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sotto Jr counters with a one-two to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sotto Jr uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Crane.
Sotto Jr throws a push kick but Crane slaps the foot to one side.
Crane throws a body punch but Sotto Jr moves out of range.
Crane misses with a body shot.
Sotto Jr throws an off balance right hand
and Crane counters with a straight right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sotto Jr misses with a body shot
and Crane counters with a straight right hand.
Crane swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Crane wants to clinch up but Sotto Jr keeps it at a distance.
Crane thuds his right hand into Sotto Jr's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Sotto Jr throws a body shot but no joy.
A counter left hand to the body from Crane misses its target.
Sotto Jr slips a straight right by Crane.
Crane dips to his left and cracks Sotto Jr with an uppercut!
Sotto Jr displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Crane throws out the jab.
Crane throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sotto Jr takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sotto Jr keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crane lands a nice looking body shot.
Sotto Jr pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sotto Jr throws a sloppy head kick and Crane moves out of range easily.
Crane throwing a counter right hand but Sotto Jr manages to avoid it.
Crane swings away with a body shot that misses
and Sotto Jr counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sotto Jr throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Sotto Jr misses with an uppercut.
Sotto Jr takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Sotto Jr clobbers Crane with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Crane lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Sotto Jr at a distance.
Sotto Jr throws a poor cross that misses
and Crane counters with a nice body shot.
Crane slips under a jab from Sotto Jr.
Crane throws a body punch but Sotto Jr moves out of range.
Crane lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Crane lands with a good body shot.
Sotto Jr lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Ichabod Crane has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crane has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Sotto Jr.
A looping hook to the body misses from Crane. Sotto Jr does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sotto Jr unleashes a big counter combination but Crane bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Crane scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Sotto Jr takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Crane jabs at Sotto Jr's body.
Sotto Jr keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Good shot there by Crane.

Sotto Jr is rocked!
Crane feints a kick and comes over the top with a right hand, followed by a left hook - both land, sending Sotto Jr crashing to the mat! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:36 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Ichabod Crane!
During a confident post fight interview, Ichabod Crane thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.