PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jimbo Monsoon (ranked 2533 p4p, 300 weight class) and Von Cranial (ranked 1116 p4p, 137 weight class). 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.

Monsoon
vs
Cranial

191 cm
24
265 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

200 cm
32
285 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
Aspire Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jimbo Monsoon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Von Cranial!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Hirohito Nitta and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Monsoon misses with a body shot.
Monsoon fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Monsoon lands a body shot.
Monsoon takes a swing at Cranial's ribcage but misses.
Cranial feints a counter leg kick.

Cranial tries to sprawl but Monsoon drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Monsoon wants to pass to mount but Cranial is defending the position.

Monsoon is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Monsoon looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Monsoon is looking for a kimura here.

Monsoon is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cranial is defending against the submission attempts here by Monsoon.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Monsoon is looking for a kimura here.

Monsoon is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Cranial defends it well.
Monsoon is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Monsoon is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Cranial to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Cranial shrugs it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Monsoon moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Cranial has worked his arm free - good work by Cranial!

Monsoon wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cranial, who protects the arm well.

Monsoon thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Monsoon is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Cranial is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Monsoon swings around for an armbar but Cranial sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Monsoon's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Monsoon throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Cranial got a little sloppy there for a moment and Monsoon has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cranial has managed to get both his arms back between Monsoon's legs - danger averted.

Monsoon has an active guard here but Cranial has managed to pass into half guard.

Monsoon looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
We've been hearing good reports from Monsoon's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Cranial moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Monsoon.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sloppy strikes there by Cranial.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimbo Monsoon dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cranial takes a swing at Monsoon's ribcage but misses.
Monsoon stalks Cranial and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Cranial's face. Cranial staggers backwards, shaken.
Cranial lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

It looks like Jimbo Monsoon has been cut.
Monsoon throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cranial looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A decent looking cross lands there for Monsoon.
Monsoon misses with a hook to the body
and Cranial counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A looping hook to the body misses from Monsoon. Cranial does a little dance to reset his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monsoon misses with a lunging right hand

and Cranial counters with a crisp right hand that drops Monsoon! Cranial lets Monsoon back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cranial changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Von Cranial seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Monsoon uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cranial.
A little feinted left hand from Monsoon on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cranial fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Monsoon manages to avoid it.
Monsoon throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cranial is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Monsoon with a body shot.
Monsoon darts in looking for a takedown but Cranial gets double underhooks and turns Monsoon into the cage.
Monsoon lands a glancing blow to the side of Cranial's head.
Cranial misses with a body punch
and Monsoon counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cranial throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jimbo Monsoon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Monsoon misses with an uppercut
and Cranial counters with a nice body shot.
Cranial steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Monsoon.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monsoon throws a looping overhand right but Cranial ducks down to avoid it.
Cranial tries to counter by closing the distance.
Good exchange - Cranial coming out on top.
Monsoon misses with a looping left.
Cranial throws a body punch but Monsoon moves out of range.
Monsoon is looking to counter punch.
Monsoon throws a looping overhand right but Cranial ducks down to avoid it.
Monsoon staying out of range there.
Monsoon misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Cranial counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Monsoon misses with a body punch
and Cranial counters with a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Monsoon with a hook.
Cranial is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Monsoon rather than just go for the knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Monsoon shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Cranial napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Cranial is trying to improve his position.

Monsoon tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Monsoon has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Monsoon looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Monsoon is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Cranial knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Monsoon swings around for an armbar but Cranial sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Monsoon's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Monsoon looking for a guillotine here but Cranial defends easily.

Monsoon working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cranial doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cranial manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Cranial won't allow Monsoon to sweep him here.

Monsoon looking for a guillotine here but Cranial defends easily.

Cranial decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Monsoon, up you get!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Von Cranial showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jimbo Monsoon's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Monsoon misses the shot to the body.
Cranial has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Cranial there as he acknowledges the shot.
Monsoon just misses with a punch to the body.
Monsoon connects with a crisp jab.
Cranial misses with a jab to the body
and Monsoon counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cranial throws a combination. Monsoon tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monsoon shoots in looking for a takedown but Cranial manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Monsoon's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Cranial has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Monsoon looks to throw the jab but Cranial is out of range.
Cranial is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Monsoon with a body shot.
A jab from Monsoon does it's job there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Cranial throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Monsoon appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Monsoon throws a looping overhand right but Cranial ducks down to avoid it.
Cranial cracks Monsoon with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Cranial throws a shot to the body.
Monsoon staying out of range there.
Cranial takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Monsoon throws a right and a left that Cranial avoids nicely.
As Monsoon backs off Cranial throws a huge counter combo but Monsoon manages to avoid it all.
Cranial moves out of range of the strikes.
Monsoon throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cranial sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monsoon fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cranial appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Cranial misses with a jab, cross combination.
Good standup being displayed there by Monsoon as he connects with a hook.
Monsoon fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Cranial uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Monsoon.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Monsoon tries to bum rush Cranial with a series of wild strikes but Cranial uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cranial let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Monsoon gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cranial makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jimbo Monsoon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monsoon misses with a lunging right hand
letting Cranial counter with a right hand.
Cranial cracks Monsoon with a good jab.
A shot to the body from Monsoon misses

and Cranial counters with a crisp right hand that drops Monsoon! Cranial lets Monsoon back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

Monsoon is rocked!

Jimbo Monsoon's cut is getting worse.
Cranial misses with a straight right.
Monsoon throws a body punch but Cranial moves out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Cranial! But no joy.

Cranial sends Monsoon crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Cranial is motioning to the referee to let Monsoon up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Oh Monsoon is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cranial looks to land a combination but Monsoon avoids it well.
Monsoon shoots in for a takedown but Cranial shows good takedown defense.
Cranial steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Monsoon.
Monsoon seems to have got his legs back now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monsoon swings widly with a right hand
and Cranial counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cranial.
Monsoon misses with a body punch

and Cranial counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Cranial misses with a punch on the inside.
Cranial throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Monsoons head.
Monsoon is trying to pull guard but Cranial turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Cranial tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A left hand lands to the body for Cranial.
Cranial lands an uppercut.
Monsoon tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cranial smiles and moves away.
Monsoon slips under a jab from Cranial.
Monsoon looks up at the clock. Bad move! Cranial lands a right hand from hell, dropping Monsoon. Cranial pounces and finishes the fight with a flurry of punches and elbows.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Von Cranial!
Von Cranial spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.