PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Shannon Craig (ranked 24172 p4p, 0 weight class) and Obayashi Tora (ranked 6001 p4p, 0 weight class). Shannon Craig has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Craig
vs
Tora

212 cm
25
162 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

185 cm
23
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shannon Craig!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Obayashi Tora!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shirou Masuda and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tora throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Craig's head.
Craig blocks a head kick by Tora.
Shannon Craig seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Craig darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Craig is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Tora actively working from the bottom here.
Tora is trying to control but can't.
Craig stops Tora from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Craig is trying to work for a kimura but Tora is defending well.
Tora trying to hold on to Craig's head to control him but Craig postures up.
Craig stops Tora from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tora is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Craig pulls his head out easily.
Tora wants to control but Craig is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tora might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Craig haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Tora is trying to stand up here but Craig is controlling him well.
Tora on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Craig gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Craig closes this distance looking for a takedown but Tora circles away.

Craig closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Tora is trying to break the clinch but Craig is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tora is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Craig.
Tora misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Craig.

Tora breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Craig keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Horrible takedown attempt by Craig or perhaps it was just good defense by Tora, which made it look bad.
Craig shoots in looking for a takedown but Tora manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Craig's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shannon Craig. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Craig gets the takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tora is looking to reverse the position.
Tora is pushing Craig's head away, looking to escape. Craig manages to hold on to the position though.
Tora is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Craig off and has taken his back!
Craig is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Tora wants to control but Craig is keeping busy.
Craig is really stuck here.
Craig is working hard here to advance position.
Craig is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craig looking very determined here, making life difficult for Tora.
Tora is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tora trying to control momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Obayashi Tora dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tora lands with a kick to the ribs.

Craig scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tora trying his best to control but Craig has mounted him.
Tora regains half guard.
Tora is trying to stand up here but Craig is controlling him well.
Craig will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Craig wants to take a breather but Tora is having none of it.
Tora trying to control from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craig landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Tora makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Craig really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tora misses with a leg kick.
Craig darts in looking for a takedown but Tora gets double underhooks and turns Craig into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tora misses with a kick to the body

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

Tora looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Tora is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Craig working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Tora wants to sweep here but Craig controlling him for the moment.

Tora is looking to cinch up a triangle. Craig throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Tora's body to avoid the submission. Tora has instead reached around Craig's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Tora arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Obayashi Tora!