PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dean Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Austin Worner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Cross
vs
Worner

170 cm
26
147 lbs
5 - 10 - 0

170 cm
27
146 lbs
11 - 15 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 5 - 10 - 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 11 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Austin Worner!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Wesley Smith and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Worner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Worner closes the distance but Cross moves to the side
and Cross counters with a leg kick.
Cross avoids a punch combination nicely.
Worner swats away the attempt to clinch by Cross.
Cross is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Worner misses with a few strikes there.

Worner decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Cross is trying to stand back up but Worner is controlling him
Worner is trying to control the action in half guard but Cross is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cross keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Worner slips a nice elbow through Cross's hands, connecting with Cross's forehead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Worner trying to control from half guard but Cross is working away.

Worner looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Cross is holding on to half guard well.
Worner seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cross does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Cross trying to control but Worner postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Worner tries to stand but can't do so whilst Cross controls his leg.
Worner missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Worner thows a huge punch but Cross dodges it nicely.
Worner throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Worner not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Worner missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cross is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Worner jumps into side control!
Worner throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Worner has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Worner looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross is trying desperately to improve position.
Worner scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cross is squirming around, avoiding Worner's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cross wants to hold on but Worner pushes him away.
Worner trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Poor strikes thrown by Worner there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Worner tries to control but Cross wriggling away.
Cross blocking the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cross is looking to get to half guard.
Cross holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Worner tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Worner shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Cross keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.

Cross looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Worner passes into half guard.
Cross knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Worner on the ground.
Worner slips a nice elbow through Cross's hands, connecting with Cross's forehead.
Cross is staying active underneath Worner, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Austin Worner has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cross wants to get back to full guard.
Cross is refusing to be controlled, as Worner sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross is looking for a sweep. Worner is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Worner seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cross does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Austin Worner was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Cross closes this distance looking for a takedown but Worner circles away.
Worner looks to land a combination but Cross avoids it well.
Worner tries to clinch but Cross is having none of it.
Cross shoots in looking for a takedown. Worner tries to sprawl out of it but Cross keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Worner manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Cross gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Worner to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Cross is working an open guard so Worner takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Worner is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cross's half guard.
Cross is refusing to be controlled, as Worner sits in half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cross blocking the ground and pound attempt from Worner.
Cross wants to get back to full guard.
Worner slows the pace down in half guard.
Cross wants to get back to full guard but Worner has passed into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Worner thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Worner controlling the position.
Cross tries to bench press Worner off him but Worner keeps the position.

Worner decides to stand back up. Worner steps back and let's Cross get back to his feet.
Worner scores with the left hand. Cross knows he should have avoided that one.

It looks like Dean Cross has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Worner shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cross sprawls well. Cross wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Worner gets slowly back to his feet.
Worner throws a half hearted mid kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Worner.
Cross misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Worner has closed the distance and engaged Cross in a clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Cross pulls guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Worner throws a big elbow that misses.
Worner has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Worner advances position into side control!
Cross is not content to let Worner control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Worner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dean Cross's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Worner looking to score a takedown here. Cross is defending well but Worner drives through and ends up in Cross's guard.
Cross keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.
Worner pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cross is keeping the position for now.
Cross keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Austin Worner.
Worner fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Worner shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Worner showed some decent athleticism there.

Cross looking for submissions off his back.
Worner seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cross does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Worner decides to return to a standing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Worner.
Cross misses with a double jab

and Worner counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Worner.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cross is trying to control the position but Worner postures up.
Worner wants to control from the top but Cross keeps moving.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Austin Worner.
Worner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cross pushes Worner up against the cage in a clinch.

Cross pulls guard.

Cross is working an open guard so Worner takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Cross fails to land the takedown.
Worner has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Worner misses with an attempted mid kick.
Cross goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Cross moves in looking to clinch but Worner pushes him off.
Cross tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Worner paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Worner closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Cross quickly recovers to half guard.
Worner missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Worner is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Worner seems to be looking for submissions.
Worner takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cross is trying to stand up here but Worner is controlling him well.
Worner throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Worner with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Worner seems to be looking for submissions.
Dean Cross has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Austin Worner is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Cross tries to roll over but Worner keeps him under control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Austin Worner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Worner winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Austin Worner!