PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nathan Craft (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Azorre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Azorre has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Nathan Craft's chin.

Craft
vs
Azorre

225 cm
19
140 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

168 cm
23
132 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Nathan Craft!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, James Azorre!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, William Gold and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Azorre fails with a takedown attempt.
Azorre misses with the combination.
Azorre is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Azorre throws a combination that misses

and Craft counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Azorre!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Craft scores with a couple of short elbows.
Craft will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Craft stands up and we're back to a striking position.
A head kick by Azorre misses

and Craft counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Azorre manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Azorre is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Azorre manages to break the clinch.
Azorre tries to clinch but Craft moves away

and Craft counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Craft gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Azorre tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Azorre throws a combination that misses

and Craft counters with a single leg into guard. Azorre didn't expect that.
Craft content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Azorre lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Craft has his feet on Azorre's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Azorre throws a leg kick

so Craft counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Craft throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craft scoring with some ground and pound.

Craft stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Azorre tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Craft defends well and Azorre ends up having to push Craft into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
It looked like Craft wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Azorre tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Craft counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Craft.

Craft gets to his feet - Azorre follows without any prompting.
Azorre fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
It looked like Craft wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Azorre feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Craft's calf.
The fight stays on the outside here - Azorre looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Azorre misses with a combination

and Craft moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azorre managing to block the knees to the body from Craft.
Craft misses with a knee to the head.
Craft tries to pull guard but Azorre forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Azorre tries to break free but Craft pushes him back against the cage.
Azorre gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Craft.
A short uppercut from Craft.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Azorre has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Azorre wants to get back to striking at distance but Craft won't allow it.

Craft's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Azorre throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Craft counters with a takedown into side control.

Craft tries for a kimura but Azorre is defending well.
Azorre is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Azorre is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Azorre has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Craft is on him like a limpet, forcing Azorre back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathan Craft 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.

Azorre is looking to clinch but Craft is avoiding it.

Azorre closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Craft's guard.
Craft really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Azorre stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Azorre closes the distance but Craft moves to the side

and Craft counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Craft is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Craft working the head and body with strikes.
Azorre is trying to control but Craft manages to pass to mount!
Azorre tries to control the position but Craft now has his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Craft looking for the choke from the back.
Azorre is trying to break free.

Azorre is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Craft has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Azorre has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Craft is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Azorre's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Craft has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Craft working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Craft is hanging on to Azorre's back as he tries to escape.

Craft is persistently looking for the submission but Azorre is defending it well.
Craft is trying to stick to Azorre's back but Azorre is turning into Craft. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Craft's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Azorre.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azorre missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Azorre is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Craft is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Azorre works over Craft with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Azorre sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Craft's guard.

Craft is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Azorre pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Craft has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Azorre is on him like a limpet, forcing Craft back against the cage.

Azorre manages to break the clinch.
Azorre is trying hard to land a takedown here. Craft sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Azorre looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Azorre lands a body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Azorre shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Craft defends it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathan Craft dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Azorre waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Craft.
Craft was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Azorre tries to clinch but Craft is having none of it.
Azorre tries to close the distance and clinch but Craft swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Azorre throws a nice looking combination but Craft bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A low kick from Azorre misses

and Craft counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Azorre!

Azorre throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Azorre scoring well with a low kick there.
Azorre throws a combination that misses

and Craft counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Craft misses with a punch on the inside.

Craft manages to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Azorre stands up from Craft's guard - Azorre perhaps looking for a knockout.
Azorre misses with the combination.
Azorre tries to clinch there but Craft circles away.
Azorre misses with an attempted mid kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Azorre. That's going to slow Craft down.
Azorre tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Craft counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Azorre!
Azorre tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Azorre really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Craft has hold of Azorre's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Azorre manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azorre keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Craft looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Azorre regains half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Azorre kicks Craft off and gets back to his feet.
James Azorre is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azorre throws a left and a right that both miss

and Craft counters with a nice double leg into side control. Azorre won't be happy with that.
Azorre is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Craft is controlling him well.
Azorre is looking for a sweep.
Azorre takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Craft has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Azorre is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. Craft yanks on the arm and Azorre is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by Craft.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Nathan Craft!