PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Olbo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Cromphout (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kevin Olbo has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Olbo
vs
Cromphout

184 cm
20
150 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

165 cm
19
145 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

MMA's Best Nutrition

FIGHT19: FIGHTWEAR

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kevin Olbo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kevin Cromphout!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Olbo fails in his attempt to clinch.

Olbo moves into range and clinches up with Cromphout.
Olbo trying to stall but Cromphout improves his position.
The referee calls for Olbo to work.
Olbo is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.

Cromphout gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Olbo scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Olbo keeps the fight on the outside.

Cromphout has closed the distance and engaged Olbo in a clinch.
Olbo really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Cromphout escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cromphout wants to clinch.
Cromphout darts in trying to clinch

and Olbo counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Olbo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Olbo trying to control but Cromphout is working from the bottom.
Olbo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Olbo drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Cromphout manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Olbo has Cromphout in his guard.

Cromphout decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Olbo, up you get!
Olbo closes the distance and clinches up with Cromphout, looking for a takedown. Olbo pushes Cromphout against the ropes but Cromphout circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Olbo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Olbo is breathing heavily.
Cromphout looks like he's trying to stand up.
Olbo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cromphout keeps working.
Cromphout works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cromphout is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Olbo tries to free his leg and advance position but Cromphout is retaining full guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Olbo throws a strike but Cromphout rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Olbo is trying to control the position but Cromphout postures up.
Olbo wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cromphout tries to stand but Olbo is controlling from the bottom.
Olbo will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Olbo looking for a sweep. Not yet Olbo, not yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Olbo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Cromphout paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A jab lands there for Cromphout.
Olbo shoots in looking for a takedown. Cromphout tries to sprawl out of it but Olbo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Cromphout manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Cromphout rushes Olbo and presses him up against the ropes.
A nice left hand lands by Cromphout.
Cromphout lands with a right to the head.
Cromphout tries for a takedown. No joy.
Cromphout works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Cromphout lands a left hand that snaps the head of Olbo backwards.
Cromphout lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
with the fighters clinched against the ropes, Cromphout creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Olbo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cromphout tries to clinch but Olbo moves out of range.
Cromphout shoots in and drives through. Olbo sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Olbo throws a series of strikes that have Cromphout backpedaling.

Cromphout is rocked!
Olbo shoots for a double leg takedown but Cromphout sprawls well. He's pushed Olbo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Cromphout is still on wobbly legs! Can Olbo finish him?
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kevin Olbo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Olbo clinches but Cromphout breaks the clinch
and Cromphout counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Olbo shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Olbo was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Olbo working Cromphout over with strikes here.
Olbo trying to control but Cromphout is having none of it.
Cromphout seems to have recovered his senses.
Cromphout throwing hammer fists to the chest of Olbo. What's that going to do exactly?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Olbo thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Cromphout tries to hold on but Olbo postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Olbo dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cromphout tries to clinch

and Olbo counters with a single leg into guard. Cromphout didn't expect that.
Olbo stops Cromphout from standing up.
Olbo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cromphout works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Olbo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cromphout is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Olbo is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cromphout preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Olbo tries for a takedown but Cromphout sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cromphout has a takedown stuffed.
Kevin Olbo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Olbo keeps the fight on the outside.
Olbo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cromphout swivels and escapes.
Olbo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Cromphout instigates a clinch.
Cromphout doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cromphout lands a body punch in the clinch.
Cromphout misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cromphout gets through Olbo's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Olbo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Cromphout breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cromphout bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Olbo's head backwards.
Cromphout stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kevin Olbo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cromphout gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Olbo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Olbo throws a head kick but Cromphout moves out of range.
Cromphout darts in trying to clinch
and Olbo counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cromphout thinking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Olbo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Cromphout doesn't seem bothered though.
Cromphout throws a lazy uppercut
and Olbo counters with a nice low kick that buckles Cromphout's knee momentarily.
Olbo tries to clinch up.
Nice sprawl there from Cromphout as Olbo shoots in.

Olbo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Olbo wants to take a breather but Cromphout manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Olbo.

Cromphout has his feet on Olbo's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Olbo.

Cromphout closes the distance and clinches.
Cromphout is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Olbo is keeping busy.
Cromphout lands a right hand that snaps the head of Olbo backwards.
Cromphout wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Olbo has him pressed against the ropes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cromphout lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Cromphout tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Good body shot from Cromphout.
A right handed body shot lands from Cromphout.

Cromphout breaks from the clinch.
Cromphout tries to clinch but Olbo moves away

and Olbo counters with a shoot takedown. Cromphout fights it but they end up in guard.

Cromphout pushes Olbo off and scrambles back to his feet.
Cromphout tries to clinch

so Olbo counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Olbo gets to his feet - Cromphout follows without any prompting.
Cromphout lands a lovely overhand right.
Olbo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Cromphout instigates a clinch.
Cromphout lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Olbo lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Olbo seems to be working for a kimura but Cromphout defends the submission attempt.
Olbo is just content to waste time from the top position. Cromphout takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Olbo throws and elbow that misses. Cromphout uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Olbo's guard. Nice move by Cromphout!

Cromphout stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Cromphout tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Olbo finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Olbo shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Kevin Cromphout seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cromphout tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Olbo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cromphout tries to clinch but Olbo moves away

and Olbo counters with a nice double leg into side control. Cromphout won't be happy with that.
Cromphout sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Olbo looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Cromphout with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Kevin Olbo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Olbo thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Olbo dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Olbo keeps the fight on the outside.
Cromphout tries to clinch up.
Cromphout fails with an attempt to clinch.
Olbo slow jab from Cromphout misses its intended target.
Cromphout is looking to slow Olbo down with leg kicks.
Olbo takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Olbo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Cromphout counters with a left to the body.
Olbo fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Olbo keeps the fight on the outside.

Cromphout gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Cromphout works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Cromphout stopping the sweep attempt from Olbo.
Cromphout wants to control from the top but Olbo keeps moving.
Cromphout wants to stand but Olbo is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Olbo manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Olbo raining down shots from the mount!
Cromphout blocking the ground and pound.
Cromphout wants to get back to his feet.
Cromphout takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Olbo.
Olbo lands a heavy elbow.
Olbo punishing his opponent with strikes.
Olbo lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

Olbo jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Cromphout is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Cromphout and Olbo has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
You can see the frustration on Cromphout's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Olbo throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Cromphout's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cromphout holds on to Olbo's head and controls the position momentarily.
Olbo with the ground and pound but Cromphout regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Olbo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Olbo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cromphout won't allow Olbo to pass to mount.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Olbo tries to clinch but Cromphout moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Cromphout. No joy for Olbo on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kevin Olbo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A thudding body kick lands there by Cromphout!
Olbo lands a nice looking body kick.

Olbo closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Olbo not doing much here.
Cromphout wants to get back to his feet.
Kevin Cromphout has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Olbo working over Cromphout with some ground and pound. Cromphout looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kevin Olbo.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Olbo, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kevin Olbo!