PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Liam Cranswick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabreal Sontos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cranswick
vs
Sontos

175 cm
20
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
19
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes comics

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Liam Cranswick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gabreal Sontos!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Bruno Hogan and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cranswick misses with a head kick.
Sontos throws a head kick but Cranswick moves out of range.
Gabreal Sontos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Cranswick moves into the clinch.

Sontos pulls guard effortlessly.
Sontos looking for a sweep. Not yet Sontos, not yet.
Cranswick prevents Sontos from getting back to his feet.
Cranswick postures up.
Sontos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cranswick wants to get up but he can't break Sontos's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sontos manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Cranswick can't escape the position.
Sontos postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cranswick looks a forlorn figure.
Cranswick can't escape the position.
Cranswick wants to control but Sontos is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cranswick is working to get back to half guard.

Cranswick bucks up and throws Sontos to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Sontos looks to score with a jab to the body but Cranswick is just out of range.
Sontos dodges the punch combination from Cranswick.
Sontos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sontos stuffs the takedown.
Cranswick slips a jab and a cross from Sontos.

Sontos gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Sontos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sontos thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cranswick throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sontos.

Cranswick shoots in and bounces Sontos off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cranswick stopping the sweep attempt from Sontos.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cranswick is fighting to break Sontos's control of his arms but Sontos is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cranswick postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sontos looking for a sweep. Not yet Sontos, not yet.
Cranswick passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Cranswick is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sontos has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Cranswick are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Cranswick has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Sontos can't do much from the bottom here.
Sontos is looking to reverse the position.
Sontos wants to control but Cranswick postures up.

Cranswick decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Sontos misses with a wild combination.
Some wild striking there from Sontos.
Sontos looks winded!
Sontos misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sontos walks into a jab.
Cranswick shoots in for a takedown but Sontos shows good takedown defense.
Cranswick swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cranswick misses with a series of wild punches.

Cranswick closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Sontos's guard.
Sontos wants to sweep here but Cranswick controlling him for the moment.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sontos wants to hit a switch here but Cranswick passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Sontos there!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sontos manages to regain half guard. Good work.
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 Liam Cranswick will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sontos is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cranswick.
Sontos dodges the punch combination from Cranswick.

Sontos shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Sontos throwing shots but Cranswick is blocking nicely.
Cranswick is not content to let Sontos control the position.
Cranswick tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Sontos wants to advance to full mount but Cranswick doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Cranswick is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cranswick has his foot on Sontos's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sontos works his way back into a safe position though.
Cranswick keeping full guard, as Sontos tries to pass.
Sontos trying to control the position from guard on top but Cranswick is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sontos looking to pass the guard.

Cranswick is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sontos wants to pass the guard but Cranswick is keeping the position.
Liam Cranswick overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sontos throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cranswick works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Cranswick looking for a guillotine here but Sontos defends easily.
Sontos wants to control from the top but Cranswick keeps moving.

Cranswick looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sontos throws a strike but Cranswick rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sontos keeping moving, preventing Cranswick from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sontos 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.
Cranswick is fighting to break Sontos's control of his arms but Sontos is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Cranswick in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sontos keeping full guard, as Cranswick tries to pass.

Sontos manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Sontos lands a really nice looking cross but Cranswick seems unphased.

Cranswick moves into range and clinches up with Sontos.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cranswick wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Cranswick escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cranswick throws a sloppy head kick and Sontos moves out of range easily.
Sontos throws a right hand that Cranswick ducks under and follows up with a left that Cranswick also avoids with ease.
Sontos throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cranswick avoids the head kick by Sontos.
Sontos throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cranswick moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Sontos showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cranswick.

Cranswick clinches up against the cage.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sontos is looking to break free of the clinch but Cranswick has double underhooks.
Sontos tries to land a knee to the head but Cranswick blocks with his arms.
Sontos prevents Cranswick from breaking the clinch.
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 Liam Cranswick will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cranswick plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Cranswick throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cranswick rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sontos moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Cranswick clinches.

Cranswick breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cranswick throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sontos displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cranswick.

Cranswick gets caught napping as Sontos dives in and scores a takedown. Cranswick manages to retain guard.
Sontos lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cranswick being controlled here, momentarily.
Sontos tries to free his leg and advance position but Cranswick is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sontos landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sontos working some strikes from top position.
Cranswick keeping moving, preventing Sontos from controlling successfully.
Cranswick working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sontos.
Sontos wants to control from the top but Cranswick keeps moving.

Sontos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sontos trying to control the position from guard on top but Cranswick is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cranswick wants to stand and escape but Sontos is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sontos pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cranswick is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sontos wants to control from the top but Cranswick keeps moving.
Sontos throws an elbow that misses. Cranswick uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sontos's guard. Nice move by Cranswick!
Sontos pulls Cranswick in close to prevent any damage.
Gabreal Sontos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Sontos is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Sontos gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Cranswick regains guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cranswick manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sontos manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cranswick is working Sontos over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Cranswick content to stall in guard here.
Sontos is looking to sweep but instead, Cranswick has passed into half guard.
Sontos tries to get to full guard but Cranswick has control of the leg.
Cranswick winds up and cracks Sontos with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sontos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cranswick lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Cranswick scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Sontos wants to control the action here but instead Cranswick manages to pass to full mount!
Sontos is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Cranswick scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Sontos?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cranswick putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Cranswick with the ground and pound from mount.
Liam Cranswick is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cranswick sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Gabreal Sontos.
I think Cranswick has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Liam Cranswick!