PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Simon Busch (ranked 2254 p4p, 250 weight class) and Carl Craik (ranked 4256 p4p, 392 weight class). Busch's entrance music is I Like Beer . A fine choice. Simon Busch could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Carl Craik's chin.

Busch
vs
Craik

181 cm
22
166 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

160 cm
25
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Simon Busch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Carl Craik!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Steven Brown and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craik needs to keep his hands up - Busch had a free shot at his head there.
Busch has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Busch scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Busch swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Craik counters with a takedown into side control.
Craik working the ground and pound from side control.

Craik is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Busch knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Craik tries to score with some ground and pound. Busch controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Craik swings around for an armbar but Busch sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Craik's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Busch is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Busch wants to get up but he can't break Craik's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Busch has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Busch gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Busch feints a jab promting Craik to slip. Busch then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Craik slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Busch scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Craik doesn't seem bothered though.
A cross from Busch lands.
Craik avoids the body shot from Busch.
Craik with the counter takedown but Busch avoids it easily.
Busch tries to clinch but Craik moves away

and Craik counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Craik throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Busch works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Craik working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Craik accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craik lands a couple of decent looking shots.
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!
Craik connects with a couple of short punches.
Craik makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

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

Craik is working an open guard so Busch takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Busch wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Busch cracks Craik with a good jab.
Busch misses with a straight left.
Craik unleashes a big counter combination but Busch bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Craik needs to keep his hands up - Busch had a free shot at his head there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craik gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Busch is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Craik gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Busch.

Busch gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Busch throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Craiks head.
Craik goes for a takedown attempt but Busch pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Busch lands a jab.
Busch thuds his right hand into Craik's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Busch feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Craiks jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Busch tries to clinch but Craik is having none of it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Busch. Craik does a little dance to reset his feet.
Craik feints the counter takedown.
Busch throws a shot to the body.
Busch wants to clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A cross from Busch lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Craik walks into a stiff left hand from Busch.
Nice straight punches there by Busch. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Busch.
Busch throws an off balance right hand

so Craik counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Craik throws a big right hand that misses.
Busch working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Craik.
Craik throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Busch kicks Craik off and gets to his feet.
Craik needs to keep his hands up - Busch had a free shot at his head there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Busch lands a body shot.
Simon Busch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Busch fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Craik on the side of the head.
Busch lands a jab to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craik circles away from the clinch attempt

and Craik counters with a takedown into side control.
Busch tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

Craik patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Craik tightening his grip on Busch, looking for the choke.
Busch wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Busch manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Busch misses the shot to the body.
Craik is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Craik takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Busch stuns Craik with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Busch gets a clinch.
Busch gets through Craik's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Craik is trying to force a seperation but Busch has the dominant position.
Craik has had enough of the clinch but Busch keeps him there for the moment.
Craik goes for a takedown attempt but Busch pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Busch scores with a jab to the jaw.
Simon Busch is winning the standup battle so far.
A jab from Busch finds it's way through Craik's defenses.
Craik ducks right into an uppercut from Busch.

Craik is rocked!
Busch connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Craik is still on wobbly legs! Can Busch finish him?
Nice jab there from Busch.
Craik doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Busch misses with a wild body shot.
Craik seems to have recovered his senses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Busch lands a two punch combo.
Busch scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Craik has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Busch misses the shot to the body.
Busch misses the body punch

and Craik decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Busch's guard.
Carl Craik has got the better of the ground game so far.
Craik lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Busch is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Craik presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Craik is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Busch to keep the fight standing.
Busch scores with a hook to the body.
Craik is breathing heavily.
Busch misses with a punch to the body.
Craik is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Busch's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Busch dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A jab from Busch does it's job there.
Busch tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Craik manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Craik unleashes a big counter combination but Busch bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Busch throws a hook but Craik avoids it easily.
Craik drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Busch defends it well.
Craik swats away the attempt to clinch by Busch.
Craik with the counter takedown but Busch avoids it easily.
Busch is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A punch combination from Busch misses.
Busch misses with a straight left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice straight punches there by Busch. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Busch.
Busch scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Craik takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Busch.
Busch tries to clinch but Craik is having none of it.
Craik changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Busch lands the left hand.
Busch clobbers Craik with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Busch works Craik's body with a nice hook.
Busch closes the distance looking to clinch

so Craik counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Busch manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice straight punches there by Busch. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Busch.
Nice uppercut lands for Busch. That snapped Craik's head back.
Busch thows a left - swing and a miss!
Busch throws a series of strikes that have Craik backpedaling.
Busch misses with a combination

and Craik counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Craik.
Busch wants to stand up but Craik is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Craik's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Craik missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Craik works over Busch with some ground and pound from guard.
Craik throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Busch is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Craik postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Busch is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Craik, into his guard.

Busch stands up from Craik's guard - Busch perhaps looking for a knockout.
Simon Busch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Busch throws a right hand that Craik ducks under and follows up with a left that Craik also avoids with ease.
A lazy left from Busch finds it's target.
Nice shot by Busch.
Busch bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Craik's head backwards.
Craik gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Danga de danga de dang - Busch scores with a four punch combination!

And that's the end of the fight!
Simon Busch showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Busch, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simon Busch!
A relieved looking Simon Busch thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.