PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Buck Mitchell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luken Cromwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luken Cromwell will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Mitchell
vs
Cromwell

180 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Buck Mitchell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Luken Cromwell!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Steve Montenegro and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cromwell misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Cromwell has closed the distance and engaged Mitchell in a clinch.

Cromwell pulls guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mitchell accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cromwell wants to stand up but Mitchell is controlling him.
Cromwell is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mitchell's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Mitchell trying to control but Cromwell is working from the bottom.
Mitchell throws a big right hand that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mitchell stops Cromwell from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mitchell wants to control from the top but Cromwell keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mitchell tries for a takedown but Cromwell sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cromwell stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cromwell wants it to stay on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cromwell fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cromwell with a poor takedown

so Mitchell counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cromwell 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.
Mitchell wants to pass the guard but Cromwell is keeping the position.
Mitchell stays in close to Cromwell's body and controls the position.
Cromwell looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Mitchell puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Cromwell has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mitchell is working away from the top position though.
Cromwell moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Cromwell is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cromwell bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mitchell's guard.
Mitchell preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mitchell looking for a sweep. Not yet Mitchell, not yet.
Mitchell is working hard here to advance position.
Mitchell throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Mitchell manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cromwell manages to get himself to full guard.
Mitchell throwing strikes but missing.
Mitchell prevents Cromwell from getting back to his feet.
Mitchell postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell stays in close to Cromwell's body and controls the position.
Mitchell postures up and lands a big shot to Cromwell's brow.
Mitchell wants to control from the top but Cromwell keeps moving.
Mitchell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mitchell shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cromwell but Cromwell pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Buck Mitchell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mitchell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cromwell lands with a kick to the temple. Mitchell shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Mitchell tries for a takedown but Cromwell circles away easily

and Cromwell counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cromwell slows the pace down.
An elbow from Cromwell crashes against the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cromwell tries to stand but Mitchell is controlling his head.
Mitchell tries to improve position but can't.
Mitchell regains half guard.
Mitchell makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Mitchell.
Cromwell must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cromwell postures up.
Mitchell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cromwell is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Luken Cromwell will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mitchell takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Cromwell is looking to clinch.
Cromwell throws a head kick but Mitchell moves out of range.
Cromwell throws a series of punches but Mitchell avoids them all with ease.
Cromwell throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mitchell's head.
Cromwell displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mitchell.

Mitchell looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Cromwell!

Mitchell goes for an armbar but Cromwell turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Cromwell.
Mitchell wants to sweep here but Cromwell controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cromwell wants to control from the top but Mitchell keeps moving.
Cromwell preventing the sweep.
Mitchell lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cromwell!
Cromwell bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Mitchell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Cromwell trying to control the position from guard on top but Mitchell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cromwell stopping the sweep attempt from Mitchell.
Cromwell wants to control from the top but Mitchell keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mitchell manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cromwell manages to get himself to full guard.
Mitchell stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cromwell swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mitchell accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mitchell thows a big elbow that misses.
Cromwell is trying to keep Mitchell in close.
Mitchell trying to control but Cromwell is working from the bottom.

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.
Cromwell keeping full guard, as Mitchell tries to pass.
Cromwell controls Mitchell momentarily but Mitchell frees himself.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mitchell showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cromwell.
The fighters circling - Mitchell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cromwell throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mitchell's head.
Cromwell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mitchell swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cromwell fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mitchell keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luken Cromwell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're 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.

Cromwell plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Cromwell misses with a takedown attempt

and Mitchell counters with a single leg into guard. Cromwell didn't expect that.

Cromwell is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mitchell defends well.
Mitchell passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Mitchell creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Cromwell sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Mitchell working the head and body with strikes.
Mitchell works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Cromwell tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mitchell taking a breather here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell in side control lands a decent elbow.
Mitchell cracks Cromwell with a big right hand but Cromwell just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Cromwell is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Mitchell asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Cromwell takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mitchell landing a few strikes.
Cromwell on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
The strikes coming from Mitchell are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Mitchell lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Cromwell down.
Mitchell controls the position.
Cromwell is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mitchell tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Mitchell slows the pace down.
Cromwell is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mitchell in particular looking to stall.
Mitchell not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mitchell trying to pass the guard but Cromwell defending well.
Cromwell wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mitchell is trying to control the action in half guard but Cromwell is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Mitchell missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Cromwell has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mitchell is working away from the top position though.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Mitchell shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Mitchell was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Cromwell tries to lock up and control but Mitchell gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cromwell trying desperately to get to his feet.
Mitchell scoring with strikes but Cromwell is staying in there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cromwell is in all sorts of trouble here.
Mitchell pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Mitchell landing strikes, looking to finish!
A nice elbow there by Mitchell.
The referee warns Cromwell that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Mitchell lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
A nice elbow there by Mitchell.
Cromwell can't escape the position.
Mitchell landing shots from mount.
Mitchell landing shots from mount.
Buck Mitchell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Luken Cromwell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mitchell with the ground and pound from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Buck Mitchell showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cromwell has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Luken Cromwell!