PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Horace Cross (ranked 3355 p4p, 3053 weight class) and Danny Booker (ranked 389 p4p, 348 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cross
vs
Booker

190 cm
25
200
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
25
188
1 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Horace Cross!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Danny Booker!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Edson Gomes and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cross throws a body punch but Booker moves out of range.

Cross bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cross controls the position.
Cross tries to move into full mount but can't pass Booker's legs.
Cross throws a strike aimed at the side of Booker's head but Booker avoids it well.
Cross working away.

Cross stands up.

Cross scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Cross is staying tight to Booker's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Booker some visible discomfort.
Cross controlling from side mount.
Booker is looking for a sweep.
Booker prevents Cross from moving into mount.
Cross trying to control the action but Booker is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cross throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Cross working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Booker tries to improve position but can't.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Cross tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Cross will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Cross tries for a kimura but Booker is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross takes a little break here. Booker wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Cross has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cross creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Cross looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Cross is chipping away with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Cross stands up.
Cross tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Booker defends well and Cross ends up having to push Booker into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Cross is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Booker is defending well for now.
Cross working hard to break the clinch.
Cross is trying to break free.

Booker gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Cross has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Booker has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Cross is trying to force a seperation but Booker has the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Booker leaning against his opponent.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Cross wants to stall.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Horace Cross dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Cross tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Booker manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Booker looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Cross pushes Booker off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Booker throws a right hand that Cross ducks under and follows up with a left that Cross also avoids with ease.
Booker shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cross but Cross pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cross tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Booker manages to circle out of the way.
Cross showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Booker.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Booker enables Cross to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Booker manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cross stays in close to Booker's body and controls the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cross stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Cross fails to land the takedown.
Booker shoots in but Cross avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Cross half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Cross pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Booker displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cross.

Booker forces Cross back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Booker avoiding damage.

Cross has picked Booker up - he's going for a ride! Cross dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Booker is refusing to be controlled, as Cross sits in half guard.
Booker is trying to control but can't.
Booker manages to get to full guard.
Cross works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Booker has one foot on Cross's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Cross keeps the fight on the outside.

Cross bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Cross decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Cross misses with a wild body shot.

Booker drives through and clinches with Cross against the cage.

Booker jumps guard.
Cross content to stall in guard here.
Cross wants to pass the guard but Booker is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cross slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Booker wants to sweep but no luck.
We've been hearing good reports from Cross's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Booker is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cross slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Booker keeping full guard, as Cross tries to pass.
Cross sitting in guard here, content to control.
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 Horace Cross will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. 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.

Booker closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Cross quickly recovers to half guard.
Cross regains full guard. Nicely done.
Cross tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cross looking to control.
Booker preventing the sweep.
Booker wants to control from the top but Cross keeps moving.
Booker stopping the sweep attempt from Cross.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cross is pulling down on Booker's head to control his posture.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Booker won't allow Cross to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Booker trying to control the position from guard on top but Cross is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Booker displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cross.
Cross misses with a takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Booker stuffs the takedown attempt from Cross. Cross gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Horace Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Booker shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cross is trying to defend but Booker finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Cross preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross trying to hold on to Booker's head to control him but Booker postures up.
Well, if Booker 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.
Booker is continuing to stall.

Booker is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Cross sees it coming and defends easily.
Horace Cross overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross wants to control the action here but instead Booker manages to pass to full mount!
Cross slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Cross wants to control but Booker is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Cross is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Booker's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Booker's back!
Cross has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Booker's body.

Booker preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cross lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Booker hold on?!
Cross avoiding Booker 's attempts to control his hands.

Cross is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Booker tries to break free.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
I would not like to be Booker right now.
Danny Booker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Horace Cross is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Booker tries to escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Horace Cross.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cross, 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Horace Cross!