PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Domenic Bauer (ranked 4673 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zachary Crawford (ranked 24855 p4p, 0 weight class). Domenic Bauer is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Bauer
vs
Crawford

220 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Domenic Bauer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zachary Crawford!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Sergei Dronov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bauer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Bauer closes the distance and clinches.
Crawford is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bauer gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Bauer tries to pull guard but Crawford holds him up against the cage and eventually Bauer drops back down to his feet.
Bauer tries to pull guard but Crawford forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Crawford looking to stall.
Bauer has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Crawford avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Domenic Bauer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bauer is trying to break the clinch but Crawford is controlling him.
Bauer tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Crawford just stands there and leans against the cage.
Crawford stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Crawford prevents Bauer from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bauer tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Crawford smiles and moves away.

Bauer drives through and clinches with Crawford against the cage.

Bauer pulls guard effortlessly.
Crawford won't allow Bauer to get back to his feet.
Bauer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bauer manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Crawford pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Crawford looks winded!

Bauer has Crawford up against the cage in a clinch.
Bauer wants to get back to striking at distance but Crawford won't allow it.
Bauer tries to pull guard but Crawford holds him up against the cage and eventually Bauer drops back down to his feet.
Bauer tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Crawford smiles and moves away.
Bauer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bauer tries for a takedown but Crawford sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bauer really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crawford dodges the punch combination from Bauer.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The referee calls for Crawford to work.

Bauer has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Crawford uses from the top position.

Bauer escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Crawford gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bauer wants to get back to his feet but Crawford is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crawford working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Crawford controls from within his opponent's guard.
Bauer wants to stand but Crawford is controlling the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bauer wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Crawford manages to pass to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Domenic Bauer dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bauer tries to clinch up
and Crawford counters with a left and a right that stings Bauer.

Crawford moves into the clinch successfully.
Bauer jumps guard but Crawford turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Bauer gets control of Crawford's arms and successfully pulls guard. Bauer will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Bauer is wriggling around but Crawford manages to pass to half guard.
Crawford not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Crawford thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bauer's head.

Crawford is working for a kimura but Bauer is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crawford controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Crawford is breathing heavily.
Crawford's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Bauer wants to get back to his feet.

That's two 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.
Bauer has a hand on Crawford's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Crawford takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

Crawford goes for an armbar but Bauer turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Bauer.
Bauer is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Bauer is looking to work some ground and pound but Crawford has wrist control.
Bauer pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Crawford is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crawford 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.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bauer accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bauer postures up and lands a big shot to Crawford's brow.
Bauer postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Bauer throws a big elbow that misses.
Bauer scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bauer accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Bauer got a little sloppy there for a moment and Crawford has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bauer has managed to get both his arms back between Crawford's legs - danger averted.
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.
Bauer postures up and lands a big shot to Crawford's brow.
Bauer is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Bauer throwing strikes but missing.
Bauer cracks Crawford with a solid left hand.
Bauer throws an elbow that misses. Crawford uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bauer's guard. Nice move by Crawford!

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Crawford won't allow Bauer to get back to his feet.
Bauer throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zachary Crawford will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Crawford shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bauer as he jumps to the side.
Crawford dodges the punch combination from Bauer.
Bauer connects with a crisp jab.
Bauer slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Crawford keeps the fight on the outside.
Crawford tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bauer takes a swing at Crawford's ribcage but misses.
Crawford lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Bauer throws a series of strikes that have Crawford backpedaling.
Bauer is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Crawford can do to turn this around?
Bauer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Crawford tries to counter by closing the distance.
Crawford takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Crawford swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bauer fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Crawford fails in his attempt to clinch.
A cross from Bauer lands.
Bauer fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bauer throws a nice looking combination but Crawford bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bauer looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Crawford has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Crawford there as he acknowledges the shot.

Bauer closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Bauer can't get the takedown.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Crawford.
Bauer moves out of range as Crawford throws a body kick.

Crawford looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Bauer manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bauer prevents a body shot from Crawford.

Crawford pulls guard successfully.
Crawford utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bauer scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bauer postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crawford not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Bauer scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bauer lands a couple of elbows.
Bauer scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bauer working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Crawford's head.
Bauer scoring with some ground and pound.
Bauer stands up over Crawford, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Bauer will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Crawford tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bauer throws an elbow that misses. Crawford uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bauer's guard. Nice move by Crawford!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Crawford gets to his feet - Bauer follows without any prompting.
Bauer moves in looking to clinch but Crawford pushes him off.
Zachary Crawford seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Crawford.
Crawford shoots for a double leg takedown but Bauer sprawls well. He's pushed Crawford's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Domenic Bauer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zachary Crawford.
A nice combination there by Bauer.
Bauer leaves Crawford with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Bauer fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Domenic Bauer showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Bauer has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Domenic Bauer!