PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Judo Don (ranked 2784 p4p, 2771 weight class) and Burt Craig (ranked 323 p4p, 320 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Don
vs
Craig

182 cm
25
220
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
26
212
4 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Judo Don!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Burt Craig!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, David Hoff and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craig keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Don has a takedown stuffed.
Craig looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Craig doesn't manage to clinch there - Don circles away.
Don feinted with a counter takedown.
Don will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craig goes for a double leg but Don avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Don continues to drive forward.

Craig instigates a clinch.
Don could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Craig tries for a takedown but Don manages to get underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Don tries to circle away but Craig has him pinned against the cage.

Craig is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Don can't fight it off and eventually Craig manages to take the fight to the floor. Don looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Don is adopting a defensive guard.
Craig won't allow Don to sweep him here.
Craig wants to control from the top but Don keeps moving.
Don utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Don is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Don pulls Craig in close to his closed guard and prevents Craig from doing any damage or advancing position.
Craig in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Don keeping moving, preventing Craig from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craig stopping the sweep attempt from Don.
Don controlling Craig's posture.
Craig throwing strikes from guard but Don blocks nicely.
Don pulls Craig in close to his closed guard and prevents Craig from doing any damage or advancing position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Craig must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Don keeping moving, preventing Craig from controlling successfully.
Don looking for a sweep. Not yet Don, not yet.
Craig throws a big elbow that misses.
Craig trying to control the position from guard on top but Don is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Don has been working on his balance at Cherokees Island Elite Gym, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Craig.

Craig has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Craig has clasped his hands together around Don's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Craig passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Don!
Craig punching from mount but Don doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Craig tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Don is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Don is squirming around, avoiding Craig's attempts to control the action.
Don gets back to half guard.

Craig is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Don is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Craig throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Don is looking to improve his position.
Craig seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Don does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Don controlling the position well.
Don wants to get back to full guard.
Craig throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Don works his way to full guard. Good work.
Craig stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Don swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Don seems keen to control Craig's posture.
Craig with a flurry of punches that miss.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Craig is fighting to break Don's control of his arms but Don is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Craig stopping the sweep attempt from Don.
Craig works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Craig stalling.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Burt Craig dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Don misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Don shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Craig is trying to defend but Don finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Craig can do anything to dispel that myth.
Craig regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Don.
Burt Craig has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Don scoring with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Don throws a strike but Craig rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Craig wants to control from the top but Don keeps moving.
Craig preventing the sweep.
Craig wants to pass the guard but Don is keeping the position.
Don looking to hit a scissor sweep but Craig is one step ahead there.
Craig throws a big right hand that misses.

Craig drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Don manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Craig has Don in his guard.

Don is in close to Craig's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Don throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Craig works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Don with a nice head shot there.
Don distracts Craig with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Don preventing the sweep.
Don throwing strikes from guard but Craig blocks nicely.
Craig controlling the position.
Don is working Craig over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Craig keeping moving, preventing Don from controlling successfully.
Craig seems keen to control Don's posture.
Don stands up over Craig, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Don with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Don loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Don lands a couple of digs.

It looks like Burt Craig has been cut.
Craig managing to control the position.
Don throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Don throws an elbow that misses. Craig uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Don's guard. Nice move by Craig!

Don trying to control the position.
Don seems keen to control Craig's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craig postures up in Don's guard and throws a big left but Don blocks it.
Craig postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Craig preventing the sweep.
Craig postures up in Don's guard and throws a big left but Don blocks it.
Craig trying to control the position from guard on top but Don is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Don will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Craig postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Craig trying to control but Don is working from the bottom.
Craig stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Don swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Don bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Craig's guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Craig avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Don postures up in Craig's guard and throws a big left but Craig blocks it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Judo Don dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Burt Craig's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Don will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Don keeps the fight on the outside.
Craig tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Don swivels and escapes.

Craig fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Don, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Don looking for a takedown.
Don wants to take the fight to the mat but Craig manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Judo Don. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Craig has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Don is trying to keep an underhook but Craig manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Don trying to hold on to Craig's head to control him but Craig postures up.
Don is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Don gets back to full guard.
Craig wants to control from the top but Don keeps moving.
Don utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Craig throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Craig passes Don's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Don is looking to improve his position.
Craig not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Craig scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Craig has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Don tries to roll over but Craig keeps him under control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice strikes from Craig there.
Craig wants to take a breather but Don is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Don is trying to get back to full guard.
Craig drops an elbow to the side of Don's head.
Don 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.
Don is looking to control Craig's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Don avoid being mounted?
Don is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Craig scores with a couple of nice shots.
Craig works his foot free and advances to mount.
Don holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Craig tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Don sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Don is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Craig's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Craig's back!
Don doesn't have the hooks in and Craig manages to turn into his guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Don is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Don is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craig is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Craig avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Don missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Craig not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Craig preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Don postures up in Craig's guard and throws a big left but Craig blocks it.
Craig preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Craig working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Don.
Our spies down at at Freaky Fight Club inform us that Craig has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Craig working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Don.
Don stops Craig from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Don throws a big elbow that misses.
Don postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Don with a nice head shot there.
Don landing some decent shots from guard.
Don stands up over Craig, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Don lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Craig is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Don throwing strikes but missing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Don trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

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 Judo Don.
I think Don 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Judo Don!
Burt Craig spoke after the fight, saying 'Kick a fucking bucket.'.