PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Crosser (ranked 773 p4p, 2551 weight class) and Smif Thibodeaux (ranked 90 p4p, 261 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Crosser
vs
Thibodeaux

150 cm
27
150
11 - 4 - 0

160 cm
27
154
6 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, John Crosser!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Smif Thibodeaux!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Donald Grub and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crosser avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Crosser moves into the clinch successfully.
Crosser misses with a hook from the clinch.
Thibodeaux looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Thibodeaux prevents a body shot from Crosser.
Crosser prevents Thibodeaux from breaking the clinch.
Thibodeaux is trying to break free.
Crosser lands a body shot.
A nice right hand lands inside from Thibodeaux.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Crosser.
Crosser leaning his opponent against the cage.
Crosser stalling against the cage.
Thibodeaux wants to break the clinch but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Crosser throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thibodeaux blocks it with crossed arms.
Crosser misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Crosser keeps control of Thibodeaux as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Crosser pushes Thibodeaux back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Thibodeaux wants to get back to striking at distance but Crosser won't allow it.

Crosser breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crosser fails in his attempt to clinch.
Thibodeaux looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Crosser has closed the distance and engaged Thibodeaux in a clinch.
Crosser tries a knee to the head but Thibodeaux blocks it.
A right hand to the body from Crosser.
Crosser stalling.
Crosser keeps control of Thibodeaux as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Crosser throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Thibodeauxs head.
Crosser lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Crosser lands with a light punch inside.

Crosser's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Crosser closes the distance and clinches.
Thibodeaux is trying to push Crosser away but Crosser has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Thibodeaux takes a shot to the head.
A short right from Crosser.
Crosser scores with a shot to the side of Thibodeaux's head.
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!
Crosser scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Crosser tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Thibodeaux has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Thibodeaux lands a shoulder strike.
Crosser definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Crosser keeps control of Thibodeaux as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thibodeaux has had enough of the clinch but Crosser keeps him there for the moment.
Good body shot from Crosser.
Crosser utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Crosser lands a body shot in the clinch.
Thibodeaux working hard to break the clinch.
Thibodeaux has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Crosser lands a body shot.
Thibodeaux looks winded!

Crosser breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Thibodeaux gets tackled into the cage by Crosser. Crosser maintains the clinch.
Crosser lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Thibodeaux or not.

Crosser pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Crosser cracks Thibodeaux with a good jab.
Thibodeaux keeps the fight on the outside.

Crosser cracks Thibodeaux with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Crosser has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Thibodeaux to stand back up!

Thibodeaux is rocked!

It looks like Smif Thibodeaux has been cut.

Crosser moves into range and clinches up with Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux is still on wobbly legs! Can Crosser finish him?

Crosser breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thibodeaux seems to have recovered his senses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crosser fails with an attempt to clinch.
Crosser is looking to clinch.

Crosser gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Thibodeaux breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Crosser scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Crosser is looking to clinch but Thibodeaux is avoiding it.
Crosser tries to clinch up but Thibodeaux circles away and keeps his distance.

Crosser gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Thibodeaux takes a shot to the head.
Crosser throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Thibodeaux blocks it with crossed arms.
Crosser prevents Thibodeaux from breaking the clinch.
Thibodeaux wants to get back to striking at distance but Crosser won't allow it.
Crosser lands a hook that snaps the head of Thibodeaux backwards.

Crosser breaks from the clinch.
Crosser lands a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crosser darts in trying to clinch
and Thibodeaux counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Crosser thinking.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Crosser lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Crosser tries to clinch but Thibodeaux moves away
and Thibodeaux counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Crosser tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Thibodeaux manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Thibodeaux is trying to counter with his kicks.

Crosser closes the distance and clinches.
Crosser lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Thibodeaux wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Crosser has him pressed against the cage.
Crosser scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Thibodeaux wants to break the clinch but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Crosser lands a right hand that snaps the head of Thibodeaux backwards.
A body shot lands from Crosser.
Crosser lands with a light punch inside.
Thibodeaux is trying to force a seperation but Crosser has the dominant position.
Thibodeaux takes a shot to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

John Crosser dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Smif Thibodeaux's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Thibodeaux circles away from the clinch attempt
and Thibodeaux counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like John Crosser has been cut.
Crosser is looking to clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Thibodeaux! But no joy.

Crosser fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Thibodeaux, pushing him back against the cage.
Thibodeaux wants to break free but Crosser has control.
Crosser lands a hook that snaps the head of Thibodeaux backwards.

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

Crosser moves into the clinch.
John Crosser has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Thibodeaux wants to get back to striking at distance but Crosser won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thibodeaux has had enough of the clinch but Crosser keeps him there for the moment.
Crosser lands with a right to the head.
Thibodeaux wants to break the clinch but can't.
Crosser trying to control the position but instead, Thibodeaux has worked for underhooks and has pushed Crosser into the cage.
Crosser keeps control of Thibodeaux as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A short right from Crosser.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crosser tries to land knees in the clinch but Thibodeaux avoids the damage to the body.
Thibodeaux scores with a shot to the side of Crosser's head.

Crosser breaks the clinch.
A cross from Thibodeaux lands.
Crosser connects with a jab.
Crosser connects with a jab.
Crosser moves to clinch but Thibodeaux breaks away
and Thibodeaux counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Crosser thinking.
Crosser scores with the left hand. Thibodeaux knows he should have avoided that one.
Crosser throws a looping overhand right but Thibodeaux ducks down to avoid it.
Crosser moves to clinch but Thibodeaux breaks away
and Thibodeaux counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Crosser cracks Thibodeaux with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Crosser stuns Thibodeaux with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Crosser has Thibodeaux up against the cage in a clinch.
Crosser lands a hook to the side of the head.
Thibodeaux has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Crosser lands a body punch.
Thibodeaux wants to break the clinch but can't.
Crosser struggles to land a body shot inside as Thibodeaux controls his hands.
A nice right hand lands inside from Crosser.
Thibodeaux wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Crosser lands a nice uppercut.
Crosser landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Crosser tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Crosser is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Crosser lands a nice uppercut.
Crosser working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Thibodeaux takes a knee right on the jaw!
Crosser lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Crosser creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Crosser stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Crosser lands with a right to the head.
Thibodeaux wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Crosser has him pressed against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Crosser scores with a nice short uppercut.
Crosser lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Crosser scores with a shot to the side of Thibodeaux's head.
Crosser gets through Thibodeaux's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short right from Crosser.

Crosser breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Crosser closes the distance looking to clinch
and Thibodeaux counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Crosser wants to clinch
and Thibodeaux counters with an outside leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Crosser misses with a wild body shot.
Thibodeaux throws out a counter right but Crosser avoids it with no problem.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crosser tries to close the distance and clinch but Thibodeaux swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thibodeaux looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Crosser doesn't manage to clinch there - Thibodeaux circles away.
A little jabbing left from Thibodeaux on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Thibodeaux keeps the fight on the outside.
Crosser moves to clinch but Thibodeaux breaks away
and Thibodeaux counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Crosser clinches up with Thibodeaux and pushes him back against the cage.

Crosser escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Crosser lands a nice hook to Thibodeaux's body. Thibodeaux takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Crosser tries to clinch
and Thibodeaux counters with a nice body shot.
Crosser doesn't manage to clinch there - Thibodeaux circles away.
Thibodeaux looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A big left from Thibodeaux misses.
Crosser tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Thibodeaux counters with a nice uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

John Crosser dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Crosser scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Crosser darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Thibodeaux gets tackled into the cage by Crosser. Crosser maintains the clinch.
Thibodeaux is trying to break the clinch but Crosser is controlling him.

Thibodeaux's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Crosser closes the distance and pushes Thibodeaux back into the cage.
Thibodeaux blocks a body shot from Crosser.
Crosser lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Thibodeaux or not.
A short right from Crosser on the inside.
Thibodeaux tries to circle away but Crosser has him pinned against the cage.
Crosser jerks Thibodeaux's head down, straight into the path of a devastating knee! Thibodeaux drops to the floor in a crumpled heap! Crosser goes to throw a finishing haymaker but pulls out - good sportsmanship from Crosser because Thibodeaux was completely out of it. That was a nice finish - just the right level of brutality to send everyone home happy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:46 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knee). John Crosser!