PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Chu Ho Soon (ranked 992 p4p, 1392 weight class) and Destin Craven (ranked 63 p4p, 88 weight class). Ho Soon comes to the cage accompanied by Carl Orff - O Fortuna. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ho Soon
vs
Craven

175 cm
35
145
27 - 16 - 2

172 cm
30
141
18 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

30th Century Beer Store

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 27 - 16 - 2, fighting out of New York, Chu Ho Soon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Destin Craven!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Wagner Zegers and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craven throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ho Soon.

Craven shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ho Soon napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The ground and pound from Craven seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Craven trying to control the action but Ho Soon is working from the bottom.
Ho Soon wants to get back to his feet.

Craven tries for a kimura but Ho Soon is defending well.
Ho Soon is looking to regain half guard here but Craven keeps moving and retains side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ho Soon is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ho Soon is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ho Soon has his hands clasped together around Craven's back. He's all about the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Craven controlling the action here.
Ho Soon wants to control but Craven is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Craven is working for a submission of some sort.
Craven missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ho Soon trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Craven wants to pass the guard but Ho Soon is defending well.
Craven is keen to just control but Ho Soon is a slippery customer.
Ho Soon is looking to control Craven's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ho Soon avoid being mounted?
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Craven drives through with a takedown into guard.
Craven pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ho Soon is keeping the position for now.
Ho Soon is controlling Craven's posture.
Ho Soon wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven trying to control but Ho Soon is working from the bottom.
Ho Soon throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Ho Soon is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Craven pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ho Soon is keeping the position for now.
Craven with a nice head shot there.
Ho Soon managing to control the position.
Ho Soon looking for a sweep. Not yet Ho Soon, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Craven prevents Ho Soon from getting back to his feet.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Craven working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ho Soon holds on and takes a little breather.
Craven passes Ho Soon's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Ho Soon is doing well to control the position and prevent Craven from advancing to side control.
Craven seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Ho Soon has hold of Craven's hands but Craven slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Craven wants to take a breather but Ho Soon is having none of it.
Ho Soon tries to roll over but Craven keeps him under control.
Craven lands with a punch from half guard.
Craven landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Craven passes into side control, despite Ho Soon's attempt to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ho Soon struggling a bit here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Destin Craven dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Craven lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Destin Craven is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Craven throws a nice looking combination but Ho Soon bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ho Soon seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Craven lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Ho Soon throws a sloppy head kick and Craven moves out of range easily.
Craven throws a head kick but Ho Soon moves out of range.
Craven throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ho Soon fires out a quick counter leg kick but Craven just manages to avoid it.
Ho Soon swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A little jabbing left from Craven on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Craven comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Ho Soon displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Craven.
Ho Soon appears to be looking for a big counter.
Ho Soon leaves Craven with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A clash of legs there as Craven blocks the low kick.
Ho Soon avoids the head kick by Craven.

Ho Soon moves into range and clinches up with Craven.

Craven breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Craven throws a big shot that misses.
Ho Soon steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Craven.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ho Soon tries to clinch there but Craven circles away.
Chu Ho Soon is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Craven fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ho Soon manages to avoid it.
Craven thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ho Soon lands with a right hand.
Ho Soon tries to clinch but Craven moves out of range.
Craven moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Ho Soon gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Craven throws a poor cross that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Ho Soon attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Ho Soon moves away from the strike by Craven.
Craven avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Craven cracks Ho Soon with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Craven misses with a jab to the body
and Ho Soon counters with an inside leg kick.
Ho Soon thows a body kick. Craven tries to catch it but that hurt him.
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!
Craven with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ho Soon counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Chu Ho Soon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Destin Craven.
Ho Soon keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Craven.
Craven has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ho Soon wants to clinch up but Craven keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craven jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Ho Soon misses with an attempted mid kick.
Ho Soon has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Ho Soon looks to land a body kick but Craven moved away.
Craven lands a jab to the nose.
Ho Soon 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.

Ho Soon moves into the clinch.
Craven wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Craven is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ho Soon gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ho Soon tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Craven can't get the takedown.
Ho Soon blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ho Soon prevents a takedown attempt there.
Still in the clinch, Ho Soon scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ho Soon tries to work over Craven's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ho Soon creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Ho Soon misses with a short punch on the inside.

Craven manages to break the clinch.
Craven's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Ho Soon connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Craven scrambles back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven checks the leg kick nicely there.
Craven misses with a series of wild punches.
Craven lands a nice hook to Ho Soon's body. Ho Soon takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Craven tries a head kick but it misses.
Ho Soon ducks under a wild hook from Craven.
Ho Soon tries to clinch up.
An inside leg kick from Ho Soon misses.
Craven throws a head kick that misses.
Ho Soon scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Ho Soon moves away from the strike by Craven.

Ho Soon has closed the distance and engaged Craven in a clinch.
Ho Soon digs a right hand underneath Craven's ribcage. Craven let out a lung full of air as it connected.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ho Soon.
Craven misses with a hook to the ribs.
Craven is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craven scores with a nice hook to the head.
Ho Soon lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Craven is working for takedown but Ho Soon is calmly controlling the position for now.
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!
Ho Soon tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Ho Soon pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ho Soon throws a leg kick which misses Craven's front leg but catches the back leg as Craven tries to avoid it.
Craven doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Craven misses with a kick to the body.

Ho Soon clinches with his opponent.
Ho Soon lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Ho Soon gets underhooks to prevent Craven's takedown attempt.
Craven wants to get back to striking at distance but Ho Soon won't allow it.
A short right from Ho Soon.
Ho Soon lands a body punch.
Craven is trying to drag Ho Soon to the mat but Ho Soon just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Chu Ho Soon has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Ho Soon scores with a hook to the body.

Craven pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
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 Chu Ho Soon will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ho Soon misses with an attempted mid kick.
A combination from Ho Soon does no damage.
Ho Soon throws a head kick that misses.
Craven circles away from the clinch attempt.
Craven misses with a series of wild punches.

Craven changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ho Soon looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ho Soon is not content to let Craven control the position.

Craven looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ho Soon on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
A bit of a lull in the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ho Soon is trying to control Craven's posture but Craven avoids it.
Craven wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ho Soon keeps working.
Ho Soon prevents Craven from improving position.
Ho Soon can't do much from the bottom here.
Craven wants to control for a moment but Ho Soon uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Ho Soon is looking to control Craven's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ho Soon avoid being mounted?
The fighters are battling for position here. Ho Soon manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Craven trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Craven throws a big right hand that misses.
Craven is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ho Soon bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Craven's guard.

Ho Soon wants to stand but Craven is controlling his posture from full guard.

Craven has an active guard here but Ho Soon has managed to pass into half guard.

Ho Soon decides to stand up.
Craven with a poor takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Craven fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ho Soon avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ho Soon manages to avoid it.
Ho Soon tries to clinch but Craven is having none of it.
Craven misses with an uppercut.
Craven rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ho Soon moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Craven takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ho Soon throws a right hand that Craven ducks under and follows up with a left that Craven also avoids with ease.
Ho Soon connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Craven 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.
Craven takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ho Soon tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Craven was well out of range. Poor timing from Ho Soon.
Craven rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ho Soon moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ho Soon wants to clinch.
Ho Soon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ho Soon throws a looping overhand right but Craven ducks down to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ho Soon has closed the distance and engaged Craven in a clinch.
Ho Soon misses with a shot to the kidneys.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice body punch from Ho Soon.

Craven pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ho Soon is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Craven throws a head kick that misses.
Craven is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ho Soon.
Destin Craven seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ho Soon is looking to clinch.
Ho Soon motions for Craven to come forward. Ho Soon throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Ho Soon wants to clinch up but Craven keeps it at a distance.
Craven takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Ho Soon tries to clinch but Craven moves out of range.
Ho Soon throws a lazy right hand but Craven sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ho Soon tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Craven swings widly with a right hand
and Ho Soon counters with a solid body kick.
Ho Soon will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Craven shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chu Ho Soon showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ho Soon 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chu Ho Soon!
During a confident post fight interview, Chu Ho Soon thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.