PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Javier Crawford (ranked 6405 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hlasela Dlamini (ranked 6455 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Crawford
vs
Dlamini

184 cm
24
162 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

181 cm
23
160 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Javier Crawford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hlasela Dlamini!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Seu Braga and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dlamini fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Crawford sprawls well initially but Dlamini persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Crawford avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dlamini.
Dlamini wants to pass the guard but Crawford is defending well.
Crawford keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Crawford slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Dlamini must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Crawford is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Dlamini is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dlamini scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Crawford manages to mount him!
Dlamini is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Crawford is working for a guillotine from mount but Dlamini frees his head quite easily.
Dlamini is wriggling around trying to escape.

Crawford working for a guillotine from mount but Dlamini is in no mood to give up.
Crawford lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Dlamini tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dlamini is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Crawford looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Crawford prevents Dlamini from getting the reversal.
Dlamini tries to lock up and control but Crawford gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Crawford is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Dlamini can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Dlamini is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dlamini takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dlamini really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dlamini in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Dlamini tries to hold on but Crawford postures up.

Crawford wants to finish this one by submission but Dlamini is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Crawford.
Crawford with a couple of short strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Crawford scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Dlamini?
Dlamini is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Javier Crawford dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Dlamini dives in and scores a takedown into Crawford's guard.
Dlamini trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Crawford utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dlamini is working Crawford over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Crawford is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Crawford is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dlamini can do to turn this around?
Crawford has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Dlamini avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Crawford controlling Dlamini's posture.
Crawford working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dlamini.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Dlamini working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Dlamini wants to pass the guard but Crawford is keeping the position.
Crawford is controlling Dlamini's posture.
Crawford avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Crawford looking for a sweep. Not yet Crawford, not yet.
Dlamini being controlled here momentarily.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Crawford has Dlamini up against the cage in a clinch.
Dlamini misses with a short punch on the inside.
Dlamini wants to break the clinch but can't.
Crawford has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Dlamini after a bit of a struggle.

Crawford pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dlamini keeps the fight on the outside.

Dlamini gets a takedown into half guard.
Dlamini not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are battling for position here. Crawford manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dlamini trying to control the position from guard on top but Crawford is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Crawford wants to sweep here but Dlamini controlling him for the moment.
Crawford is working hard here to advance position.
Crawford working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dlamini.
Dlamini trying to control the position from guard on top but Crawford is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dlamini advances to half guard.
Crawford is controlling Dlamini's trapped leg to prevent Dlamini from advancing to side control.
Crawford tries to get to full guard but Dlamini has control of the leg.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Crawford is refusing to be controlled, as Dlamini sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Crawford avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dlamini.
Dlamini wants to take a breather but Crawford is having none of it.
Crawford moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Crawford pulls Dlamini in to control the position.
Dlamini scoring with some ground and pound.
Dlamini wants to control from the top but Crawford keeps moving.
Crawford is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dlamini trying to hold on to Crawford's head to control him but Crawford postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hlasela Dlamini will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Dlamini swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Crawford counters with a takedown into side control.

Crawford tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Crawford goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Dlamini has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Crawford but great work by Dlamini.
Javier Crawford overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dlamini working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Crawford holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford taking a bit of punishment here - Dlamini scoring with strikes.
Dlamini trying to control the position but Crawford is working away.
Crawford wants to control but Dlamini postures up.
Crawford prevents Dlamini from improving position.
Crawford is trying to control Dlamini's posture but Dlamini avoids it.
Dlamini fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Dlamini landing a few strikes.

Dlamini tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dlamini has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Dlamini takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Crawford keeping his opponent close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crawford can't do much from the bottom here.
Crawford is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Dlamini is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Dlamini grinds an elbow into Crawford's temple.
Dlamini scoring with punches from side control.

Dlamini is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Crawford is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Crawford wants to control but Dlamini postures up.
Crawford dodges the ground and pound from Dlamini.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crawford manages to get back to half guard.
Crawford manages to get to full guard.
Crawford is controlling Dlamini's posture.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Crawford.
Dlamini cracks Crawford with a solid left hand.
Dlamini looking to sit in guard and control but Crawford gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Dlamini working a defensive guard but Crawford passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Crawford is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Dlamini is defending against the submission attempts here by Crawford.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Crawford is working for a submission of some sort.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hlasela Dlamini comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Dlamini has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hlasela Dlamini!
A victorious Hlasela Dlamini thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.