PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Lane Craig (ranked 3034 p4p, 332 weight class) and Tommaso Carsara (ranked 3261 p4p, 352 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Craig
vs
Carsara

175 cm
26
160 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

185 cm
20
166 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite 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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lane Craig!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tommaso Carsara!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Micheangelo Fripello and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Craig clinches up against the cage.

Carsara breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Carsara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Craig paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Craig throws a quick inside leg kick.
Craig lands with a cross.
Craig lands a right hook to the body.
Left hook, right uppercut from Craig.
Craig scores with a punch to the head.
A nice leg kick lands there from Craig.
Carsara doesn't manage to clinch there - Craig circles away.
Both fighters circling a little - Craig finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Craig misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Carsara escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Craig moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Craig lands a nice looking body kick.
Carsara showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Craig.
A nice side step and Carsara releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Craig tries to bum rush Carsara with a series of wild strikes but Carsara uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Carsara is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
An inside leg kick lands from Craig.
Craig looks to land a combination but Carsara avoids it well.
Carsara looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Craig lands with an overhand left.
Craig scores with a jab to the body.
Carsara blocks a head kick by Craig.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Craig with a nice cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craig pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Craig moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromCarsara.
Craig goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Craig throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Lane Craig seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Craig connects with an inside leg kick.
A decent looking cross lands there for Craig.

Craig rushes Carsara and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Carsara manages to break the clinch.

Craig pushes Carsara up against the cage in a clinch.
A short left from Craig.
Carsara stalling the fight.

Carsara pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jab, jab by Craig - just one landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craig misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Craig goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Carsara tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Craig paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lane Craig is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Craig throws a right and a left that both miss.
Craig swats away the attempt to clinch by Carsara.

Craig gets a clinch.
Craig lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Carsara backwards.
Carsara stalling the fight.
Craig lands with a short shot to the head.

Carsara breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craig darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Carsara moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Craig bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Carsara's head backwards.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Craig uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Carsara has time to react.
Carsara takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Nice cross by Craig.
Craig listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Carsara gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Craig paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Craig looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Craig fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Carsara on the side of the head.
Carsara tries to clinch there but Craig circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Craig scores with a punch to the head.
Tommaso Carsara is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Craig throws a one two combo.

Craig closes the distance and clinches.
Craig throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Carsaras head.

Carsara manages to break the clinch.

Craig gets a clinch.

Carsara breaks from the clinch.
Craig throws a nice outside leg kick.
Craig is looking to clinch.
Craig lands a jab to the head.
Craig tests Carsara's chin there with a solid looking shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A cross from Craig lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig throws a nice inside leg kick.
Craig lunges at Carsara with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Carsara's hand.
Craig throws a sloppy head kick and Carsara moves out of range easily.
Lane Craig is winning the standup battle so far.

Craig clinches up against the cage.
Craig misses with a hook to the ribs.
Craig lands an uppercut.

Carsara pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Carsara takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Craig misses with a head kick.
Carsara throws out a counter right but Craig avoids it with no problem.
Craig fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Carsara looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Craig scores with the left hand. Carsara knows he should have avoided that one.
Craig listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A kick lands to the mid section there for Craig.
Craig wants to clinch
letting Carsara counter with a right hand.

Craig has closed the distance and engaged Carsara in a clinch.
Craig lands with a right to the head.
Carsara looking to stall.
Craig swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Carsara fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Craig content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Craig throws an elbow but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Carsara's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Carsara takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Craig turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Craig throws a series of punches but Carsara avoids them all with ease.
Carsara shoots and misses
and Craig counters with a straight right hand.
Craig lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
The fighters circle momentarily. Craig darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Craig lands a nice looking body shot.
Carsara has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Carsara shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Craig lands a glancing blow to the side of Carsara's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Craig clinches.
A nice left hand lands by Craig.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craig stalls.
Craig lands with a light punch inside.
Carsara throws an elbow that misses.
Craig misses with a knee to the head.

Carsara breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Craig connects with a good right hand that stumbles Carsara. Carsara circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Craig fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Carsara, pushing him back against the cage.

Carsara escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Carsara tries to clinch there but Craig circles away.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Craig throws a good cross that connects.
A punch lands to the side of Carsara 's head but he takes it in his stride.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lane Craig dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Craig throws a head kick but Carsara moves out of range.
Carsara walks into a jab.
Craig smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Craig lands an overhand right.
Craig lands a right hook to the body.
Carsara misses the body punch
and Craig cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Carsara fails to land the takedown.
Carsara walks into a stiff left hand from Craig.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craig with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Craig is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Carsara can do to turn this around?
Craig smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Craig throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Carsara counters with a series of strikes. Craig will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig throws a series of punches but Carsara avoids them all with ease.
Carsara lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Carsara on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Craig connects with a body shot that sends Carsara's belly button to the back.
Carsara tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Craig throws a leg kick which misses Carsara's front leg but catches the back leg as Carsara tries to avoid it.
Craig cracks Carsara with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Craig cracks Carsara with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Craig has taken the fight to the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Craig.
Carsara blocking some punches.
Craig with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craig scores with a shot to the side of Carsara's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Carsara's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Carsara avoids a punch combination nicely.
Good leg kick by Craig there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Carsara dodges the punch combination from Craig.
Carsara unleashes a big counter combination but Craig bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Carsara avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Craig.
Craig throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Carsara on the side of the head.

Craig closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craig pushes Carsara back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Tommaso Carsara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Craig fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Craig lands a body shot.
Carsara's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Craig breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Craig connects with a body shot that sends Carsara's belly button to the back.
Craig scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Craig ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Carsara moves away.
Carsara walks into a stiff left hand from Craig.
Craig lunges at Carsara with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Carsara's hand.
Craig scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Lane Craig is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A left and a right from Craig both land. Nice combination.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Craig stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Craig bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Carsara fails with an attempt to clinch.
Carsara is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Carsara fails with an attempt to clinch.
Craig lands the left hand.
Carsara tries to clinch there but Craig circles away.
Carsara takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Craig clinches with his opponent.

Carsara pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lane 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:25
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:24
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lane Craig!
During a confident post fight interview, Lane Craig thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.