PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Destin Craven (ranked 1309 p4p, 1733 weight class) and Great Tiger (ranked 77 p4p, 100 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Craven
vs
Tiger

172 cm
28
141
15 - 11 - 0

172 cm
38
146
29 - 36 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Destin Craven!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 36 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Great Tiger!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Paul Aken and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tiger on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tiger. Craven does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tiger takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Craven tries a head kick but it misses.
Craven catches Tiger with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Craven tries a head kick but it misses.
Tiger doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Craven throws the left hand but Tiger avoids the punch easily.
Craven scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A nice leg kick from Tiger, right into the meat of the thigh.
Craven throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Tiger on the side of the head.
Tiger throws the left hand but Craven avoids the punch easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Craven swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Tiger counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Craven!
Tiger in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Craven tries to bench press Tiger off him but Tiger keeps the position.
Tiger throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Craven is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Tiger is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Tiger wants to control the pace but Craven is squirming around nicely.
Tiger prevents Craven from getting the reversal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Craven is looking to escape.
Craven tries to get to full guard but Tiger has control of the leg.
Tiger sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Craven defending well though.
Craven regains full guard. Nicely done.
Tiger throws a big elbow that misses.
Tiger trying to control but Craven is working from the bottom.
Craven wants to get back to his feet but Tiger is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Craven tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tiger lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Craven looking for a sweep. Not yet Craven, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craven is working hard here to advance position.
Tiger missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tiger trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Craven is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tiger defends well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tiger pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Craven is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Craven looking for a sweep. Not yet Craven, not yet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven tests Tiger's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Tiger gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Craven fails to land.
Tiger is trying to stall.
Craven is looking to take this one to the mat.
Craven is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Craven stops a takedown attempt from Tiger.

Tiger pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tiger wants to clinch.
Tiger throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Craven tries to counter with a takedown but Tiger is quick to defend against it.
Tiger's coach down at Punch Out Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Tiger's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Nice sprawl there from Tiger as Craven shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Destin Craven. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Craven throws a head kick that misses.
Tiger lands a front kick.
Craven tries to land a leg kick but Tiger saw it coming and moves away.
Tiger swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craven misses with a straight left.
Craven lands a two punch combo.
Craven throws a big shot that misses.
Craven chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tiger can pounce on him.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Craven looks to throw the jab but Tiger is out of range.
Tiger avoids the head kick by Craven.
Good standup being displayed there by Craven as he connects with a hook.
Tiger is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A left lands for Tiger.
Tiger looks to score with a jab to the body but Craven is just out of range.
Craven missing with a left hand there. Tiger was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Craven has a takedown stuffed.
Destin Craven seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tiger throws a low kick but Craven moves out of range easily.
Tiger is looking to clinch but Craven is avoiding it.
Craven is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Tiger misses the jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Destin Craven dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Craven throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Tiger slips a jab and a cross from Craven.
Tiger swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Craven.
Craven fails with a takedown attempt.
Craven fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Tiger checks it well.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Tiger checks a leg kick.
Craven lands a body shot.
Craven swings for the body but Tiger moves out of range.
Craven misses with a two punch combination.
Some wild striking there from Craven.
Tiger stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Tiger wants it to stay on the feet.
Tiger tries a quick counter leg kick but Craven is wise to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craven with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Craven is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tiger can do to turn this around?
Some bone on bone action there as Tiger checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Craven misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Tiger throws a good cross that connects.
Craven fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Destin Craven. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Craven looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Nice defenses there by Craven.
Tiger blocks a jab.
Tiger connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Craven takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Tiger is looking to clinch.
It looked like Craven was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Tiger.
Craven looks to land a right hand but Tiger moved out of range.

Tiger forces Craven back against the cage and clinches.
Craven looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Tiger escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Craven with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Tiger to score with a decent uppercut.
Tiger pivots, looking for a leg kick but Craven is out of range and Tiger settles back down.
A slapping body kick lands there for Tiger.
Tiger throws a solid leg kick but Craven takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Tiger.
Craven scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Craven throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tiger sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Destin Craven is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tiger avoids a kick to the body.
And Tiger tries to counter it with a takedown but Craven pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tiger tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tiger blocks a head kick by Craven.
Craven fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tiger manages to avoid it.
A punch combination from Tiger misses.

Tiger clinches with his opponent.
Tiger tries to pull guard but Craven forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tiger.

Tiger manages to break the clinch.
Craven misses with an uppercut.
Tiger was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tiger looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Craven misses with a head kick.
A little jabbing left from Tiger on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Tiger scores with a shot to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Craven.
Craven connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Craven throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tiger's jab looks to have found its range, popping Craven under the eye.
Tiger tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tiger throws a low kick but Craven moves out of range easily.
A head kick misses from Craven.
A decent looking cross lands there for Tiger.
Tiger throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Craven.
Craven throws a sloppy head kick and Tiger moves out of range easily.
Sloppy strikes from Craven. Those never looked like landing.
Craven fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Sloppy strikes from Craven. Those never looked like landing.
Tiger keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tiger takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Tiger scoring well with a low kick there.
Craven throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Craven misses with a double jab.
Craven avoids a kick to the body.
Tiger pivots, looking for a leg kick but Craven is out of range and Tiger settles back down.
Craven lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craven throws a right hand that Tiger ducks under and follows up with a left that Tiger also avoids with ease.
Tiger scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Craven just misses with a punch to the body.
Craven throws a sloppy head kick and Tiger moves out of range easily.
Tiger chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Craven throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Craven takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Craven connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Tiger's hands.
Craven lands a jab-cross combination.
Tiger uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Craven.
Tiger throws a half hearted mid kick.
Tiger lands a nice leg kick that just misses Craven's sensitive parts.
A slow jab from Craven misses its intended target.
Tiger feints a counter leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Craven works the jab nicely.
Tiger on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Craven misses with a head kick.
Craven throws a lazy head kick

and Tiger counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Tiger.
Tiger gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Craven.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Destin Craven will probably get the nod.
That's time! Craven's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Tiger getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A head kick misses from Craven.
Craven misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tiger.
Craven has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Tiger finds it's way round the side to connect with Craven's head.
Craven fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tiger manages to avoid it.
Craven misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tiger.
Tiger wants to clinch up but Craven keeps it at a distance.
Tiger throws a leg kick but Craven moved away.
Tiger lands a leg kick that knocks Craven off balance momentarily.
Craven looks to score with a jab to the body but Tiger is just out of range.
Tiger throws a jab but it's blocked by Craven.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tiger looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Craven throws an off balance right hand

and Tiger counters with a shoot takedown. Craven fights it but they end up in guard.
Tiger has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Tiger won't allow Craven to sweep him here.
Craven keeping full guard, as Tiger tries to pass.
Tiger prevents Craven from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tiger accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tiger preventing the sweep.
Tiger trying to control but Craven is working from the bottom.
Tiger throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tiger throwing strikes but missing.
Tiger working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Craven's head.
Craven bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tiger's guard.

Tiger controlling Craven's posture.
Tiger keeping moving, preventing Craven from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craven lands a couple of digs.
Craven won't allow Tiger to sweep him here.
Tiger utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Great Tiger has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tiger can't keep his opponent in guard - Craven advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Craven is looking for a kimura here.
Craven wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tiger keeps working.
Tiger trying to control but Craven postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven wants to pass the guard but Tiger is defending well.

Craven is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Tiger doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Craven.
Craven tries to pass the half guard into mount. Tiger knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Craven working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Tiger's thigh. Tiger counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Craven avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Destin Craven is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Tiger working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Craven doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Tiger is tightening it up a little... Craven has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Craven reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Craven taps out! Nice BJJ there by Tiger!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Great Tiger!
During a confident post fight interview, Great Tiger thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.