PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Donald Cross (ranked 5630 p4p, 242 weight class) and Oliver Winston Jr (ranked 5781 p4p, 247 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cross
vs
Winston Jr

176 cm
18
138 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
19
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

CAGED CROW Clothings 50$
Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Donald Cross!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Oliver Winston Jr!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Colin Fotheringham and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cross closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cross lands in his opponent's guard.
Winston Jr wants to stand and escape but Cross is having none of it.

Winston Jr manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Winston Jr shoots for a takedown but Cross saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Cross tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Cross gets caught flat footed, as Winston Jr shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Winston Jr wants to control from the top but Cross keeps moving.
Winston Jr working some strikes from top position.
Winston Jr forces his way into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Winston Jr is just content to waste time from the top position. Cross takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Cross had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Winston Jr defends it easily.
Cross knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Winston Jr on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Winston Jr manages to get himself to full guard.

Winston Jr wants to stand up but Cross is controlling him.
Cross wants to get up but he can't break Winston Jr's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Winston Jr wants to stand but Cross is controlling the position.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Winston Jr manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Cross prevents a takedown attempt there.
Cross tries a body shot but Winston Jr blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Winston Jr can't get the takedown.
Donald Cross has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Oliver Winston Jr.
Cross creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Winston Jr's defenses.
Cross is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Cross escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Winston Jr leaves Cross with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Winston Jr with the counter takedown but Cross avoids it easily.
Winston Jr misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cross.
Winston Jr displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cross.
A head kick misses from Cross.
Winston Jr circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cross throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Winston Jr closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Cross is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Winston Jr is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Cross is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Cross taking punishment in the form of punches.
Cross tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Winston Jr slows the pace down.

Winston Jr is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cross has escaped the position, nice work there.
Winston Jr advances to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Winston Jr looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Cross is working to get back to half guard.
Winston Jr lands a heavy elbow.
Cross wants to control but Winston Jr is having none of it.
Winston Jr can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cross is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oliver Winston Jr dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Winston Jr closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Cross did well to prevent Winston Jr getting side control.

Cross pushes Winston Jr off and gets back to his feet.
Cross will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Winston Jr shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cross defends it nicely.
Cross slips a jab and a cross from Winston Jr.
Winston Jr shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cross sprawls well. Cross wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Winston Jr gets slowly back to his feet.
Winston Jr lands with an uppercut that bounces Cross off the cage and back into range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Winston Jr shoots in looking for a takedown but Cross manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Winston Jr's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Donald Cross has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Oliver Winston Jr.
Cross throws a sloppy head kick and Winston Jr moves out of range easily.
Nice defenses there by Winston Jr.
Winston Jr keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Winston Jr moves into range and connects with a jab.

Winston Jr is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cross's half guard.
Winston Jr is keen to just control but Cross is a slippery customer.
Winston Jr is nestled in close to Cross, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Winston Jr is taking a breather. Cross says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross is looking to control Winston Jr's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cross avoid being mounted?
Winston Jr is trying to control. Cross wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Winston Jr blocks the strikes from Cross.

Winston Jr seems to be working for a kimura but Cross defends the submission attempt.

Winston Jr is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Winston Jr is breathing heavily.
Winston Jr passes to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross is desperately trying to improve his position but Winston Jr has a good base and remains in mount.
Winston Jr avoids the attempt from Cross to control.

Winston Jr has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Cross is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:38 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Oliver Winston Jr!
Oliver Winston Jr decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.