PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Martin Craftt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucas Soares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Craftt
vs
Soares

165 cm
27
145 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

168 cm
20
140 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Spartan Nutrition
GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Martin Craftt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lucas Soares!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Edson Gomes and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soares misses with a hook

and Craftt counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Craftt manages to break the clinch.
Soares misses with an uppercut. Craftt saw that one coming.
Craftt avoids the body shot from Soares.

Craftt gets a clinch.
Craftt using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Soares has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Craftt.

It looks like Lucas Soares has been cut.
Soares is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craftt lands an elbow that stopped Soares in his tracks for a moment.
Soares is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soares is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Soares swings wildly with an uppercut but Craftt uses good head movement to avoid it.
Craftt working Soares over with knees to the body.
Soares is trying to break the clinch but Craftt has him pressed against the cage.
Craftt scores a nice knee to the body.
Soares tries to break free but Craftt pushes him back against the cage.
Craftt has Soares pressed against the cage, preventing Soares from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soares wants to break free but Craftt has control.
Craftt putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Soares in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Craftt gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That has opened up Lucas Soares's cut even more.
Craftt lands an elbow just above Soares 's eye.
Soares is trying to force a seperation but Craftt has the dominant position.
Stalling in the clinch from Craftt.

Soares breaks from the clinch.

Craftt scores with a takedown into Soares's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Craftt prevents Soares from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soares can't keep his opponent in guard - Craftt advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Craftt is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Soares sees it coming and defends easily.
Soares is trying to stand up here but Craftt is controlling him well.
We've been informed that Soares has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Soares can do anything to dispel that myth.

Craftt is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Soares really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Craftt. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Soares looks like he's trying to stand up.
Soares is not content to let Craftt control the position.
Craftt stops Soares from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Craftt is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Soares has managed to free his arm - good work.
Craftt definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Craftt prevents Soares from standing back up.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Craftt is working for a submission of some sort.

Craftt is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Craftt is looking for a kimura but Soares is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Craftt to get the leverage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Craftt dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lucas Soares's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Craftt shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Craftt lands with a kick to the temple. Soares shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Craftt throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Soares's waist but Soares gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Craftt off to one side.
Soares lands a glancing blow to the side of Craftt's head.
Martin Craftt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Craftt has Soares up against the cage in a clinch.
Soares is trying to push Craftt away but Craftt has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Craftt comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

The cut above Lucas Soares's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craftt landing knees to the body.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Craftt gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Craftt slows down the pace here.
Soares throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Soares throws a punch but it's blocked by Craftt.
Soares is looking to break free of the clinch but Craftt has double underhooks.
Craftt content to slow the pace in the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Craftt takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Craftt creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Soares's defenses.
Soares looking to stall.
Soares is trying to break free.
Soares can't break the clinch.
Soares throws an elbow but it's blocked.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soares stuffs the takedown attempt from Craftt. Craftt gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martin Craftt. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A big left from Soares misses.
Craftt tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Soares defends well and Craftt ends up having to push Soares into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Soares feints the counter takedown.
Lucas Soares is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Craftt clinches with his opponent.

Craftt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Craftt closes the distance and clinches.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Craftt lands a body shot in the clinch.
Soares has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soares takes a shot to the head.

Lucas Soares's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Craftt putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Soares in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Craftt is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Soares can do to turn this around?
Nice elbow from Craftt.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Lucas Soares's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Martin Craftt!
Martin Craftt seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.