PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Shannon Craig (ranked 24034 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chang Sang Yoo (ranked 5970 p4p, 0 weight class). Chang Sang Yoo has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Shannon Craig's chin.

Craig
vs
Sang Yoo

212 cm
26
162 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

182 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 5 - 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, Chang Sang Yoo!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yoo with a poor takedown
and Craig counters with a one-two to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Yoo is defended easily by Craig.

Yoo gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Craig is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Yoo is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Yoo has escaped and now he's on top!

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Yoo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Yoo trying to control the position from guard on top but Craig is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yoo tries to free his leg and advance position but Craig is retaining full guard.
Yoo trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Craig manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Yoo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Craig wants to get back to full guard.
Craig is working hard here to advance position.
Yoo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Craig does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoo passes to full mount!
Craig is working to get back to half guard.
Craig tries to hold on but Yoo postures up.

Yoo jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Craig manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Craig trying to remain calm as Yoo controls from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yoo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Craig is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Craig gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Yoo landing strikes from the mount and Craig is in trouble!
Yoo cracks Craig with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Yoo goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Craig turns into him and now he's in Yoo's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Craig throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Craig postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Yoo is looking to sweep but instead, Craig has passed into half guard.
Yoo is trying to stand.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Craig connects with a nice short shot to Yoo's temple.
Craig working the head and body with strikes.
Yoo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yoo trying to control from the bottom.

Craig is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
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 Shannon Craig will probably get the nod.
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.

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Craig is defended easily by Yoo.
Yoo wants to counter the offense by Craig and move into the clinch position.
Craig avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Craig tries to counter by clinching up but Yoo breaks away and moves out of range.

Craig drives through with a takedown into guard.
Craig is standing up over Yoo. Yoo looks to escape but Craig dives into side control.

Yoo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Craig wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Craig is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Yoo has escaped the position, nice work there.
Yoo tries to bench press Craig off him but Craig keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Craig misses with the ground and pound.

Craig is trying to get an arm triangle but Yoo is defending well.
Craig in side control, throwing shots but Yoo defends.
Craig misses with the ground and pound.
Yoo is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Craig is controlling him well.
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.
You can see the frustration on Yoo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Craig wants to control but Yoo is keeping him busy.
Craig is chipping away with strikes.
Yoo tries to buck Craig off but Craig is having none of it.

Craig decides to stand up, so the ref orders Yoo to his feet.
Yoo fails to land the takedown.
Yoo is breathing heavily.
Yoo misses with a head kick.
Craig darts in looking for a takedown but Yoo gets double underhooks and turns Craig into the cage.
Yoo with the counter takedown but Craig avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoo tries to clinch but Craig is having none of it.
Yoo slaps away a takedown attempt from Craig, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Yoo is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shannon Craig. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Craig tries for a takedown but Yoo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Yoo is defended easily by Craig.
Craig tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Yoo paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Craig pushes Yoo up against the cage in a clinch.

Craig lands a takedown into guard.

Yoo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Craig is aware though and is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Craig drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Yoo dives on top into guard.

Craig is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Yoo is aware though and is defending well.
Yoo wants to control from the top but Craig keeps moving.
Craig has his hands on Yoo's head, controlling the position.
Yoo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Craig is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shannon Craig dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Yoo shoots for a double leg takedown but Craig sprawls well. He's pushed Yoo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Craig clinches.
Yoo wants a takedown but no success here.
Yoo jumps guard but Craig stands there with Yoo around his waist. Yoo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Shannon Craig has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chang Sang Yoo.
Craig keeps control of Yoo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The referee is keeping an eye on Craig - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee calls for Yoo to work.
Yoo prevents a body shot from Craig.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Yoo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Yoo is trying to drag Craig to the mat but Craig just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Yoo missing with knees to the body.
Yoo is trying to break the clinch but Craig has him pressed against the cage.
Yoo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Yoo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Yoo is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Craig to keep the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yoo has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Yoo is looking for a takedown.
Yoo wants to get back to striking at distance but Craig won't allow it.
Craig is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Yoo is trying to force a seperation but Craig has the dominant position.
Yoo is trying to pull guard but Craig turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Yoo jumps guard and drags Craig to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Craig postures up.
Yoo has momentary wrist control but Craig slips an elbow through the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Craig drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Craig jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Craig throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Yoo is trying to keep Craig in close.

Craig decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Craig shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Yoo as he avoids it easily.

Craig pushes Yoo up against the cage in a clinch.
Yoo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Craig pulls his leg out and moves away.
Yoo takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Craig.
Yoo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Craig holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Yoo prevents a body shot from Craig.
Craig goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Craig breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Craig is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yoo can do to turn this around?
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yoo throws a lazy head kick

and Craig counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Chang Sang Yoo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shannon Craig is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Yoo looks to throw an elbow but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shannon Craig showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Craig has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shannon Craig!