PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kipley Pike (ranked 4602 p4p, 4515 weight class) and Richie Crawford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Pike
vs
Crawford

190 cm
18
220
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
215
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kipley Pike!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Richie Crawford!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Vladimir Khabensky and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crawford dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Pike. That did some damage!
Crawford moves away from the strike by Pike.
Crawford tries to clinch but Pike moves out of range.
Pike works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Pike tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Crawford was well out of range. Poor timing from Pike.
Crawford with a nice calf kick.
Pike missing with a left hand there. Crawford was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Crawford tries to close the distance and clinch but Pike swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pike swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Crawford cracks Pike with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Crawford pushes Pike away with a front kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice leg kick lands there from Crawford.

Crawford closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pike is trying to stand back up but Crawford is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Crawford wants to free his trapped foot but Pike is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Crawford working the head and body with strikes.

Crawford is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Crawford wants to pass to mount but Pike is defending the position.
Nice strikes from Crawford there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crawford looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Pike wants to get back to his feet.
Crawford controlling the action here.
Crawford not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Crawford is trying to work for a kimura but Pike is defending well.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pike is looking to escape.
Crawford scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Crawford sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Ground and pound from Crawford.
Well, if Crawford is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Crawford working the head and body with strikes.
Pike is trying to stand up here but Crawford is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Crawford is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Crawford stalling away here and it's allowed Pike to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Pike is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Crawford is controlling him.
Pike can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Crawford controls the pace.
Pike is looking to stand up but Crawford isn't so interested in that idea.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Crawford content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pike throws a body punch but Crawford moves out of range.
Nice body kick there by Crawford.
Pike takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Crawford throws a leg kick which misses Pike's front leg but catches the back leg as Pike tries to avoid it.
Pike takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Crawford drives through with a takedown into guard.
Pike utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pike wants to stand and escape but Crawford is having none of it.
Crawford tries to free his leg and advance position but Pike is retaining full guard.
Crawford keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Pike's head.
Pike wants to stand and escape but Crawford is having none of it.
Crawford postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford stands up over Pike, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Crawford chips away with some ground and pound.
Crawford has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Pike is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Crawford advances position into side control!
Pike is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Crawford asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Crawford working the ground and pound from side control.
Crawford is staying tight to Pike's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Crawford looks up at the clock and then as Pike takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Crawford smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pike wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Check out the look on Crawford's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Crawford lands a decent elbow from side control.
Pike is trying to improve his position.
Pike on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Pike trying to remain calm as Crawford controls from the top position.
Pike is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Crawford lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crawford lands an elbow.
Pike is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Crawford goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Pike has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Crawford but great work by Pike.
Crawford is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Pike's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Crawford has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Pike is working away from the top position though.
Pike tries to stand and escape but Crawford is controlling the position.
Crawford manages to get to full guard.
Pike trying to stand up but can't free himself from Crawford's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crawford looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pike is one step ahead there.
Richie Crawford has got the better of the ground game so far.

Pike gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Crawford pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kipley Pike is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Crawford misses with a head kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Pike crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Crawford - the referee stops the clock and Pike gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Crawford. Pike manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Pike just misses with a punch to the body.
Crawford lands with a thumping leg kick.
Pike stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Crawford.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Richie Crawford showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Crawford lands a nice leg kick that just misses Pike's sensitive parts.
Crawford lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Crawford throws out a powerful jab.
Crawford shoots in but no luck this time.
Pike was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Crawford feints and then cracks Pike's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Pike down.
Pike 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.
Crawford scores with the left hand. Pike knows he should have avoided that one.
Crawford buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pike misses with a body shot.
Crawford buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Pike is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Pike moves out of range as Crawford throws a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford fakes the leg kick and cracks Pike in the body.
Crawford lunges at Pike with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Pike's hand.
Richie Crawford seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pike 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.
A solid body kick from Crawford.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Crawford.
Crawford lands a jab to Pike's midsection.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Pike enables Crawford to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Pike manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Crawford has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Crawford trying to control but Pike is working from the bottom.
Pike avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pike wants to stand and escape but Crawford is having none of it.
Crawford passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Crawford tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Crawford has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kipley Pike has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Crawford remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Crawford looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Crawford tries for a kimura but Pike is defending well.

Crawford is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Pike knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Pike wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Richie Crawford is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Crawford lands an elbow.
Crawford is working Pike over with some ground and pound from side control.
Pike is trying to get back to his feet.
Crawford lands a nice forearm strike.
Crawford moves into full mount!
Crawford landing punches.
Crawford blocks Pike's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Richie Crawford comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Crawford has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 26:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Richie Crawford!