PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jason Craig (ranked 5974 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ares Chosen (ranked 5064 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Craig
vs
Chosen

180 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jason Craig!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ares Chosen!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Josh West and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Chosen forces Craig back against the cage and clinches.
Craig manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Craig is trying to pull guard but Chosen turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Chosen being controlled against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Chosen.
Craig tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Chosen's elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chosen tries to break free but Craig pushes him back against the cage.

Chosen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Craig fails with the takedown
and Chosen counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Chosen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Chosen moves into the clinch.

Chosen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Craig shoots in but no luck this time.
Chosen counters with a body kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jason Craig. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Chosen has closed the distance and engaged Craig in a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Chosen is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Craig to keep the fight standing.
Chosen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Craig has him pressed against the cage.

Chosen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Craig wants to clinch.
As Craig backs off Chosen throws a huge counter combo but Craig manages to avoid it all.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chosen throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Craig drops down looking for a counter takedown but Chosen sprawls and moves away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Chosen is defended easily by Craig.

Craig gets caught flat footed, as Chosen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Chosen looking to sit in guard and control but Craig gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Chosen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Craig. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
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 makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Chosen wants to get back to his feet but Craig passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chosen tries to roll over but Craig keeps him under control.
Chosen is trying to control but can't.
Chosen is looking to get back to full guard here but Craig has managed to pass to side control instead.
Craig tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Chosen looks to move to half guard but instead Craig has passed into mount! Damn!
Craig lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
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.
The referee warns Chosen that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Chosen is in all sorts of trouble here.
Chosen is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Craig cracks Chosen with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Craig with a couple of short strikes.
Chosen is looking to get to half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Craig with a couple of short strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Craig dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Chosen digs a good body shot into Craig's ribs.

It looks like Ares Chosen has been cut.
Craig looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Chosen is fending him off so far but Craig persists. Nope, Chosen circles away and we're back to standing.
Chosen unleashes a big counter combination but Craig bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Jason Craig is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Craig goes for a double leg but Chosen avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Chosen continues to drive forward.
Chosen throws a counter combo.

Chosen moves into the clinch successfully.

Chosen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Chosen has closed the distance and engaged Craig in a clinch.

Chosen manages to break the clinch.
Chosen shoots in for a double leg but Craig sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Chosen clinches with his opponent.
Chosen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Chosen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Chosen tries to break free but Craig pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig misses with a body punch.

Craig breaks from the clinch.
Chosen throws a series of punches but Craig moves out of range.

Chosen clinches up against the cage.
Craig taking a breather.
Chosen throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Craig is trying to maintain a safe position but Chosen gets an underhook and turns Craig into the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Chosen.
Craig tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Chosen avoids it.
Chosen has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craig tries to stall but Chosen uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Chosen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Craig has him pressed against the cage.
Chosen tries to circle away but Craig has him pinned against the cage.
Craig doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Chosen tries to pull guard but Craig forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Jason Craig has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ares Chosen.

Chosen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Chosen slips a jab from Craig.
Craig changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Chosen tries to avoid it but Craig manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Chosen to the ground. Chosen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Craig shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Chosen wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Craig manages to pass to side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Chosen can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chosen trying to control from the bottom.
Chosen wants to control the action here but instead Craig manages to pass to full mount!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Craig cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Chosen is trying to stand.
Chosen tries to hold on but Craig pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by Craig.
Craig prevents Chosen from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chosen in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Craig looking to finish Chosen with some ground and pound. This is bad for Chosen!
Chosen tries to lock up and control but Craig gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Craig throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Craig prevents Chosen from getting the reversal.
Craig has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Chosen is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Chosen wants to hold on but Craig pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Craig dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ares Chosen's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Craig will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Chosen works over Craig's head and body with a nice combination.
Ares Chosen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Craig fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Chosen shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Craig's guard.

Craig has his foot on Chosen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Chosen works his way back into a safe position though.
Craig looking for a sweep. Not yet Craig, not yet.
Chosen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Craig is trying to keep Chosen in close.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chosen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Chosen throwing strikes from guard but Craig blocks nicely.
Chosen trying to control the position from guard on top but Craig is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Chosen decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

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.
Chosen throws a one two combo.

Chosen clinches up against the cage.
Chosen stalling the fight.

Chosen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Chosen thuds a left hand into Craig's body.

Chosen closes the distance and clinches.
Chosen is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Craig to keep the fight standing.
Craig content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Craig misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craig doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Chosen manages to break the clinch.
Chosen shoots in looking for a takedown but Craig manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Chosen's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Chosen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Craig, pushing him back against the cage.
Chosen has Craig pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Craig manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Jason Craig has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ares Chosen.
Craig misses with a knee to the head.

Chosen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Chosen throws a series of strikes that have Craig backpedaling.
Craig fails with the takedown
and Chosen counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craig with a poor takedown
and Chosen counters with a nice uppercut.
Chosen misses with a head kick.

Chosen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Chosen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Craig just stands there and leans against the cage.
Craig tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Chosen avoids it.
Chosen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Chosen manages to break the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Chosen scores with a jab to the body.
Chosen lands a jab-cross combination.
Ares Chosen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jason Craig is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Chosen misses with a body kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ares Chosen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Craig has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28

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