PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dean Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Keith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dean Cross is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Cross
vs
Keith

170 cm
26
147 lbs
4 - 9 - 0

176 cm
25
145 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Knockout power

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 4 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dean Cross!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Randy Keith!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Cecil Peabody and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keith throws a leg kick but Cross sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Keith throws a body punch but Cross moves out of range.
Cross shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Keith sprawls well. Keith wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cross gets slowly back to his feet.
Cross looks to land a body kick but Keith moved away.
Keith ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cross moves away.
Keith tries to clinch but Cross moves out of range.
Cross shoots in for a takedown but Keith shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Keith closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cross to the mat! Cross manages to get full guard.
Cross wants to stand but Keith is controlling the position.
Keith stays in close to Cross's body and controls the position.
Cross avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keith sitting in guard here, content to control.
Keith slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Cross tries to improve position but can't.

Keith decides to stand back up. Keith steps back and let's Cross get back to his feet.
Cross with a lazy takedown attempt
and Keith counters with a flying knee. Nice.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sloppy strikes from Cross. Those never looked like landing.

Keith closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cross to the mat! Cross manages to get full guard.

Keith got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cross has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Keith has managed to get both his arms back between Cross's legs - danger averted.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Keith controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keith tries to free his leg and advance position but Cross is retaining full guard.
Keith really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cross. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Randy Keith wasn't active enough on the ground.
Keith throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keith fails to land with a series of punches.

Cross gets caught flat footed, as Keith shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Keith postures up.
Cross wants to stand and escape but Keith is having none of it.
Keith slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Keith must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cross wants to stand but Keith is controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Keith misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Keith looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Cross!
Cross is looking to regain half guard here but Keith keeps moving and retains side control.

Keith decides to stand back up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Keith keeps the fight on the outside.

Keith shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Cross manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Keith missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Keith is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Keith dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Keith scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cross wants to control but Keith postures up.

Keith goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Cross rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Keith's guard! Nice work there by Cross!
Keith is looking to stand up but Cross isn't so interested in that idea.

Keith is looking for a triangle here but Cross uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Keith is not content to let Cross control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross wants to stand but Keith has his arm trapped.
Keith is looking to regain half guard here but Cross keeps moving and retains side control.
Cross tries to stand but Keith is controlling his head.
Cross working away.
Keith tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross tries to move into full mount but can't pass Keith's legs.
Keith is looking to reverse the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Keith can do anything to dispel that myth.
An elbow from Cross crashes against the mat.
Cross wants to control but Keith is keeping him busy.
Keith can't do much from the bottom here.
Cross moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Keith is looking for a sweep.
Keith tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Cross presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Keith is squirming around, avoiding Cross's attempts to control the action.
Keith tries to hold on but Cross pushes him away.
Cross is looking to stand but Cross has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.
BOOM! Cross connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Randy Keith has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cross looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Cross looking to control but Keith is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Keith sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Keith trying to hold on to Cross's head to control him but Cross postures up.
Keith tries to roll over but Cross keeps him under control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cross looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
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 Dean Cross will probably get the nod.
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!

Keith looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Cross!
The ground and pound from Keith seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Cross is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Keith's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Cross throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Keith in particular looking to stall.
Cross gets back to full guard.
Keith is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keith with a flurry of punches that miss.
Keith passes Cross's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Cross looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Keith tries to pass the half guard into mount. Cross knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Keith wants to stand but Cross has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross blocking the ground and pound attempt from Keith.
Keith is looking to pass Cross's guard but actually Cross recovers to full guard.
Keith makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Keith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cross is looking to stand up but Keith isn't so interested in that idea.
Keith controlling from the top position.
Cross wants to stand and escape but Keith is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keith controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Keith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Randy Keith wasn't active enough on the ground.
Cross swinging wildly here.

Keith dives in and scores a takedown into Cross's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Keith controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cross has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Keith doesn't defend quickly enough and Cross has managed to lock this one up! Can Keith escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Cross on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Dean Cross!