PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ed Frettish (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martin Craftt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Frettish
vs
Craftt

157 cm
28
142 lbs
15 - 6 - 0

165 cm
30
145 lbs
16 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ed Frettish!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Martin Craftt!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Luis Engracia and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Frettish throws a good cross that connects.

Craftt has managed to clinch.
Frettish lands a body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Craftt.
Frettish tries a body shot but Craftt blocks it.
Frettish struggles to land a body shot inside as Craftt controls his hands.
Frettish is looking to break free of the clinch but Craftt has double underhooks.
A frustrated look appears on Frettish's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Frettish stalls.
Frettish can't break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Craftt struggles to land a body shot inside as Frettish controls his hands.
Frettish can't break the clinch.
Frettish misses with the head strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Frettish stalls.
Craftt lands a damaging elbow.
Frettish swings wildly with an uppercut but Craftt uses good head movement to avoid it.
A nice left hand lands by Frettish.
A head punch on the inside from Frettish fails to land.
Frettish misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Frettish taking a breather.
Frettish takes an elbow to the forehead.
Craftt lands an elbow just above Frettish 's eye.
Frettish swings wildly with an uppercut but Craftt uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craftt blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

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

Craftt clinches.
Frettish tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Craftt leaning his opponent against the cage.
Frettish misses with a body punch.

Craftt breaks from the clinch.
Craftt tries to move into range but Frettish moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Craftt fails with an attempt to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craftt prevents a body shot from Frettish.
Craftt blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Craftt breaks the clinch.
Craftt fails in his attempt to clinch.
Craftt wants to clinch up but Frettish keeps it at a distance.

Craftt has taken the fight to the clinch.
Frettish's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Frettish swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Craftt.
Frettish misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Frettish throws a head punch that misses.
Frettish is trying to break the clinch but Craftt is controlling him.
Craftt avoiding damage.
Frettish throws a punch but it's blocked by Craftt.
Craftt lands an elbow that stopped Frettish in his tracks for a moment.
Craftt avoiding damage.

Craftt breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Craftt tries to clinch but Frettish is having none of it.
A little feinted left hand from Frettish on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Craftt drives through and clinches with Frettish against the cage.
Frettish lands a left hand.
Frettish slowing the pace effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ed Frettish will probably get the nod.
That's time! Frettish's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Craftt tries to clinch up.

Craftt closes the distance and clinches.
Craftt stalling against the cage.
Frettish has had enough of the clinch but Craftt keeps him there for the moment.
Craftt has Frettish pressed against the cage, preventing Frettish from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Frettish has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Craftt blocks an uppercut.
Frettish content to slow the pace in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Frettish tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Frettish tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Frettish throws a punch but it's blocked by Craftt.
Frettish stalls.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craftt lands a nice knee to the body.
Frettish struggles to land a body shot inside as Craftt controls his hands.
Craftt lands an elbow inside.
Craftt is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Frettish looking to slow down the pace here.
Craftt has Frettish pushed against the cage.
Frettish lands a body shot.
Frettish is trying to maintain a safe position but Craftt gets an underhook and turns Frettish into the cage.
Frettish manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Craftt blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Frettish misses with a hook to the ribs.
Frettish is looking to control Craftt's arms but Craftt gets an underhook and turns him. Now Frettish has his back to the cage.
Frettish misses with the head strike.

Craftt breaks the clinch.
Craftt tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Frettish paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Craftt tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Craftt tries to clinch up but Frettish circles away and keeps his distance.

Craftt clinches up against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Frettish.
Frettish wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craftt putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Frettish in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Craftt lands a nice knee to the body.
Craftt scores with a shot to the side of Frettish's head.
Frettish lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short uppercut from Craftt.
Frettish tries to work over Craftt's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Craftt lands an elbow that stopped Frettish in his tracks for a moment.
Frettish is trying to stall.
Frettish misses with a punch on the inside.
Frettish working aggressively here.
Frettish working hard to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Frettish stalling in the clinch but Craftt improves position.

Craftt breaks from the clinch.
Frettish tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Craftt was well out of range. Poor timing from Frettish.
Craftt tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Frettish counters with a stiff right hand.

Craftt clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Frettish is pushing Craftt up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Frettish manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Craftt unloads a knee to the mid-section. Frettish lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Craftt showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Craftt tries to close the distance and clinch up but Frettish swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Craftt doesn't manage to clinch there - Frettish circles away.
Martin Craftt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Craftt clinches up with Frettish and pushes him back against the cage.
Craftt is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Frettish swings wildly with an uppercut but Craftt uses good head movement to avoid it.
Frettish lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Craftt.
Craftt comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Craftt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Craftt closes the distance and pushes Frettish back into the cage.

Craftt breaks the clinch.

Craftt clinches up with Frettish and pushes him back against the cage.
Frettish misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craftt with a knee to the head.
Frettish misses with the head strike.
Craftt lands with a short shot to the head.
Frettish misses with some punches.
Craftt has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Frettish misses with a hook from the clinch.
Frettish misses with a punch on the inside.
Frettish tries to stall but Craftt uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Martin Craftt seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Frettish working hard to break the clinch.
Frettish scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Craftt breaks from the clinch.
Craftt closes the distance looking to clinch
and Frettish counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Craftt gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Craftt.
Frettish tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Craftt breaks the clinch.

Craftt moves into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Frettish is looking to break free of the clinch but Craftt has double underhooks.
Craftt is leaning against Frettish and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Craftt keeps control of Frettish as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Craftt blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Craftt blocks a body shot from Frettish.

Craftt pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Frettish connects with a single shot there.
Ed Frettish is winning the standup battle so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Craftt closes the distance and clinches.
Frettish is trying to force a seperation but Craftt has the dominant position.
Frettish goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Frettish.
Frettish misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Frettish is looking to control Craftt's arms but Craftt gets an underhook and turns him. Now Frettish has his back to the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Craftt manages to break the clinch.
Craftt tries to close the distance and clinch up but Frettish swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Frettish looks to land a combination but Craftt avoids it well.
Craftt tries to clinch but Frettish moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Craftt tries to clinch but Frettish is having none of it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Frettish breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Craftt doesn't manage to clinch there - Frettish circles away.
Frettish throwing a counter right hand but Craftt manages to avoid it.
Craftt tries to clinch but Frettish is having none of it.
An attempted straight right counter from Frettish misses the target.
The fight stays on the outside here - Craftt looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Craftt pushes Frettish up against the cage in a clinch.
Frettish misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Craftt.
Frettish has a couple of punches blocked by Craftt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin Craftt comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Craftt 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Craftt!
During a confident post fight interview, Martin Craftt thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.