PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nate Crook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Crook kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Hall of Fame. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Crook
vs
Souza

191 cm
23
200 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Prefers standup

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nate Crook!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jake Souza!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Stewart Dunkirk and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Crook clinches.
Souza fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Crook tries to break the clinch but Souza is controlling the position.
Souza tries a knee to the head but Crook blocks it.
Souza drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Crook gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Crook prevents a takedown attempt there.
Souza is working Crook over against the cage.
Souza misses with the head strike.
Crook wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Souza lands with a light punch inside.
Souza is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Nate Crook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Souza.
Crook looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Crook cracks Souza with a nice body shot.

Crook's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nate Crook seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Crook throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Crook throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
The fighters circling - Crook throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza throws a leg kick which misses Crook's front leg but catches the back leg as Crook tries to avoid it.
Crook misses with a few strikes there.
Crook jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Crook throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Souza slips a jab from Crook.
Souza avoids the body shot from Crook.
Crook throws a lazy uppercut
and Souza counters with a three punch combo that has Crook backing up. Crook nods at Souza to acknowledge the strikes.
Crook thows a body shot but no joy.
Crook throws a series of punches but Souza moves out of range.
Crook throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Crook throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Souza avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Crook tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Souza counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Crook's guard now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Crook is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Crook keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.
Souza is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Souza missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Souza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Souza drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Souza jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Souza has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Souza trying to control but Crook is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Crook avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Crook looking for a sweep. Not yet Crook, not yet.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Jake Souza hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Crook throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Souza drops his hands momentarily and Crook takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Souza misses with an uppercut. Crook saw that one coming.
Nate Crook is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crook jabs Souza right on the nose. Souza blinks but takes it well.
Crook moves in looking to clinch but Souza pushes him off.
Crook lands a slapping body shot.
Souza takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Crook swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Souza takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Souza ducks under a wild hook from Crook.
Crook throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but Crook shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Souza slips a straight right by Crook.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Crook misses with a hook.
Souza takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

It looks like Jake Souza has been cut.
Crook looks to land a left hand but Souza moved out of range nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Crook dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jake Souza's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Some wild striking there from Crook.
Decent striking displayed by Crook there.
Crook thuds a left hand into Souza's body.

Souza clinches with his opponent.
Crook lands with a right to the head.
Souza is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Crook is defending well for now.
Crook has had enough of the clinch but Souza keeps him there for the moment.
Souza drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Souza misses with the head strike.
Crook lands a hook that snaps the head of Souza backwards.
Souza misses with a punch on the inside.
Crook lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Souza or not.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Crook blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crook prevents the takedown attempt.
Crook lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Souza.
Crook working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Crook prevents a body shot from Souza.
Souza tries for a takedown but Crook manages to get underhooks.
Nate Crook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Souza.
Crook is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Crook prevents a body shot from Souza.
Crook prevents a body shot from Souza.
Souza has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Crook avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Souza is breathing heavily.
Crook wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Souza has him pressed against the cage.
Souza tries for a takedown. No joy.
Crook scores with a nice hook to the head.
Crook prevents a body shot from Souza.
A shot in the inside from Crook.
Crook lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Crook is trying to force a seperation but Souza has the dominant position.
Souza drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
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!
Crook lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Souza backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crook lands a left hand.

Crook breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Crook tries to clinch up but Souza circles away and keeps his distance.
Souza walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Crook throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Souza to counter with a crisp jab.
Crook throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sloppy strikes from Crook. Those never looked like landing.
Crook misses with a lunging right hand

and Souza counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Souza trying to control but Crook is working from the bottom.
Souza throwing strikes but missing.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Crook is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza throws a big elbow that misses.

Souza drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Crook dives on top into guard.
Crook sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Souza escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Crook gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Crook stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Souza swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Crook preventing the sweep.

Crook thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Souza looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Souza looking for a guillotine here but Crook defends easily.

Souza working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Crook doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Crook manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Souza is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Crook is aware though and is defending well.
Crook content to stall in guard here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Crook pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Souza is keeping the position for now.
Crook is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nate Crook will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jake Souza's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Souza uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Crook.
Crook misses with a wild body shot.
A jab from Crook misses.
Crook slips a jab and a cross from Souza.
Souza shoots for a double leg takedown but Crook sprawls well. He's pushed Souza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Crook closes the distance and pushes Souza back into the cage.
Crook lands a nice uppercut.
Souza is working for takedown but Crook is calmly controlling the position for now.
Crook lands a body punch in the clinch.
Crook wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Souza has him pressed against the cage.
Crook gets through Souza's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Souza tries a body shot but Crook blocks it.
Crook lands with a left to the head.
Souza's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Souza has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Crook avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Nate Crook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Souza.
Souza takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza lands a shot to the body.
Souza struggles to land a body shot inside as Crook controls his hands.

Crook escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Crook lands a left and a right that send Souza crashing to the mat, dazed. Crook thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Crook looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Crook throws a shot from downtown. Souza moves away and avoids it.
Jab from Crook.
Crook looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but Crook shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Crook takes the fight into the clinch.
A short uppercut from Crook.
Souza misses with a punch on the inside.
Nate Crook has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Souza tries a body shot but Crook blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Crook scores with a nice short uppercut.
Crook stalling.
Crook gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Souza.
Crook blocks a body shot from Souza.
Crook wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Crook.
Crook is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Souza has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Crook is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Souza has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Crook after a bit of a struggle.
Crook has Souza pushed against the cage.
Souza goes for a takedown attempt but Crook pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Crook lands with a hook. Souza tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Nate Crook is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Crook. That snapped Souza's head back.
Crook scores with a shot to the body.
Crook lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Souza moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Souza is rocked!
Nate Crook is winning the standup battle so far.
Crook looks to land a combination but Souza avoids it well.

Crook pushes Souza up against the cage in a clinch.
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!

Crook escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Crook lands a left and a right that send Souza crashing to the mat, dazed. Crook thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Souza is still on wobbly legs! Can Crook finish him?
No joy there for Crook, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Crook batters Souza with a massive right followed by a huge left! Souza is out on his feet looking like a zombie as Crook lands a final crushing right hand to drop Souza to the mat with a gruesome thud! Crook is running around like a mad man after that fight and for good reason!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Nate Crook!
An out of breath Nate Crook thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.