PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alex Nguyen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Teofilo Crespo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Alex Nguyen has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Nguyen
vs
Crespo

173 cm
28
205 lbs
2 - 12 - 0

185 cm
27
213 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Alex Nguyen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Teofilo Crespo!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Crespo moves into range and clinches up with Nguyen.

Crespo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Crespo moves into range and clinches up with Nguyen.

Crespo jumps guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Crespo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nguyen is controlling him.
Nguyen wants to control from the top but Crespo keeps moving.

Crespo working for a triangle but Nguyen defends it easily.
Nguyen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Crespo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nguyen's guard.
Nguyen is looking to stand up but Crespo isn't so interested in that idea.
Crespo trying to control but Nguyen is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nguyen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nguyen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Crespo is one step ahead there.
Nguyen keeping moving, preventing Crespo from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Teofilo Crespo.

Crespo shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Nguyen's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Crespo showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crespo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nguyen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nguyen keeping moving, preventing Crespo from controlling successfully.
Crespo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Crespo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Nguyen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Crespo postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nguyen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Crespo counters by clinching up.
Nguyen is trying to break the clinch but Crespo has him pressed against the cage.

Crespo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nguyen tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Crespo moves into the clinch.
Crespo connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Alex Nguyen has been cut.
Nguyen is trying to pull guard but Crespo turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Crespo with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Crespo lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Crespo manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Nguyen fails to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crespo with a knee to the head.
Nguyen tries to stall but Crespo uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nguyen is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Crespo to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Nguyen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nguyen wants to break free but Crespo has control.
Crespo with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Nguyen tries to break the clinch but Crespo is controlling the position.
Crespo connects with a knee to the head.
Crespo wants to take the fight to the mat but Nguyen manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Crespo has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Nguyen after a bit of a struggle.
Nguyen takes a knee right on the jaw!

Crespo successfully pulls guard.
Crespo wants to stand but Nguyen is controlling the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nguyen trying to control the position from guard on top but Crespo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Teofilo Crespo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alex Nguyen'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.

Crespo shoots in for a takedown but Nguyen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Crespo tries a head kick but it misses.
Alex Nguyen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Some wild striking there from Nguyen.
A head kick misses from Crespo.
Nguyen throws a series of punches but Crespo moves out of range.
Nguyen stuffs the takedown attempt from Crespo. Crespo gets slowly back to his feet.
Nguyen misses with a shot to the body

and Crespo counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Nguyen tries to throw a body punch but Crespo avoids it by throwing Nguyen back against the cage.
Nguyen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Crespo unloads a knee to the mid-section. Nguyen lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Crespo lands a nice knee to the body.
Nguyen is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Crespo to keep the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nguyen wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nguyen has had enough of the clinch but Crespo keeps him there for the moment.
A knee to the head by Crespo.
Come on Crespo - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Crespo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Crespo dives in and grabs Nguyen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Nguyen pushes down on Crespo's head and hops out.
Alex Nguyen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Teofilo Crespo.
Nguyen thuds a left hand into Crespo's body.
Nguyen looks to throw a body kick

and Crespo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Crespo.
Nguyen throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Crespo trying to control but Nguyen is working from the bottom.
Crespo looking to sit in guard and control but Nguyen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nguyen stopping the sweep attempt from Crespo.
Nguyen wants to control from the top but Crespo keeps moving.
Crespo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nguyen manages to get himself to full guard.
Crespo trying to control but Nguyen is working from the bottom.
Nguyen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Crespo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crespo looking to pass the guard.
Crespo is looking to work some ground and pound but Nguyen has wrist control.
Nguyen controls Crespo momentarily but Crespo frees himself.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Crespo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Crespo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nguyen keeping moving, preventing Crespo from controlling successfully.
Crespo is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nguyen is looking to stand up but Crespo isn't so interested in that idea.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Teofilo Crespo hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Crespo wants to clinch.
Crespo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Crespo moves into the clinch successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Crespo breaks from the clinch.
Crespo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Nguyen sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Nguyen cracks Crespo with an open hand slap.
Crespo shoots for a takedown but Nguyen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Teofilo Crespo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Alex Nguyen'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. And we move into the final round!

Nguyen throws a sloppy head kick
and Crespo counters with a big head kick but Nguyen shrugs it off.
Teofilo Crespo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Crespo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nguyen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Crespo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sloppy strikes from Nguyen. Those never looked like landing.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Crespo is defended easily by Nguyen.
A nice inside leg kick there by Crespo. That's going to slow Nguyen down.
A left and a right from Nguyen both land. Nice combination.
Crespo tries to clinch but Nguyen moves out of range.

Crespo forces Nguyen back against the cage and clinches.
Crespo content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Crespo keeps control of Nguyen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nguyen is looking to take this one to the mat.
Crespo landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Crespo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Crespo takes the fight into the clinch.
Crespo utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Crespo landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Crespo using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
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!
Nguyen takes an elbow to the forehead.
Crespo with a knee to the head.
Crespo scores with a knee to the head.
Crespo stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Crespo manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Crespo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nguyen is controlling him.
Crespo is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Crespo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nguyen is standing up over Crespo. Crespo looks to escape but Nguyen dives into side control.
Crespo tries to bench press Nguyen off him but Nguyen keeps the position.
Crespo takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Crespo tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Nguyen avoids the attempt from Crespo to control.
Nguyen trying to control but Crespo is having none of it.
Crespo really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Crespo really wants to buck Nguyen off and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nguyen looking to control but Crespo is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Nguyen looking to control and managing it successfully.
Crespo manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Crespo is trying to stand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Crespo tries to get to full guard but Nguyen has control of the leg.
Alex Nguyen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Teofilo Crespo is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Crespo is concentrating on defense, preventing Nguyen from advancing position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Teofilo Crespo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Crespo has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Teofilo Crespo!