PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Karol Cropp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jay Jay Mutombo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jay Jay Mutombo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cropp
vs
Jay Mutombo

209 cm
25
290 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

195 cm
26
264 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Hellbent
Fight Night Nutrition

Mango Nutrition
Backyard Fighting

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Karol Cropp!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jay Jay Mutombo!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Fedor Mirinova and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cropp.
Mutombo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cropp misses with a few strikes there.
Cropp shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Mutombo sprawls well. Mutombo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cropp gets slowly back to his feet.
Cropp lands a lovely overhand right.

It looks like Jay Jay Mutombo has been cut.
Cropp has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Karol Cropp. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mutombo moves away from the strike by Cropp.
Mutombo lands a right hook to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mutombo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cropp manages to avoid it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cropp is defended easily by Mutombo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cropp throws a hook to the side of Mutombo's head but Mutombo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Cropp closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Mutombo struggling a bit here.
Mutombo tries to buck Cropp off but Cropp is having none of it.
Cropp working the ground and pound.
Cropp is looking to take a break and control but Mutombo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mutombo is looking for a sweep.
Cropp slows the pace down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cropp wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mutombo keeps working.
Sloppy strikes there by Cropp.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Cropp tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cropp has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cropp lands a nice forearm strike.
Mutombo stops Cropp from passing to mount.
Cropp working away.
Cropp misses with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cropp working away.
Cropp throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Cropp prevents Mutombo from escaping the position.
Cropp misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Mutombo is working to avoid the ground and pound but Cropp connects with a decent elbow.
Cropp 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.
Cropp trying to control the position but Mutombo is working away.
Mutombo is trying to improve his position.
Cropp working the body and head with strikes.
Cropp will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Cropp controlling the position.
Sloppy strikes there by Cropp.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cropp trying to control the position but Mutombo is working away.
Mutombo can't do much from the bottom here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cropp is looking to take a break and control but Mutombo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cropp fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Cropp misses with the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mutombo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cropp wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
You can see the frustration on Mutombo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cropp working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karol Cropp dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jay Jay Mutombo's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mutombo throws a hook but Cropp blocks it.
Cropp fails to land with a series of punches.
Cropp avoids the body shot from Mutombo.
Mutombo tries to clinch but Cropp moves out of range.
A nice leg kick lands there from Mutombo.
A nice leg kick lands there from Mutombo.
Karol Cropp seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A right-left combo lands from Cropp.
Cropp misses the shot to the body.
Mutombo moves out of range of the body kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mutombo loads up on a big right hand but Cropp slips the punch.
Cropp shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mutombo as he jumps to the side.
Mutombo throws a front kick aimed at Cropp's knee but Cropp avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cropp keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mutombo.
Mutombo lands with a straight right. Cropp didn't see that one coming.
Cropp moves into range and connects with a jab.
Mutombo thumps Cropp with a low kick.
Cropp stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cropp shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Nice jab there from Cropp.
Mutombo thows a body kick. Cropp tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Mutombo misses the shot to the body.
Mutombo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cropp.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mutombo fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cropp has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Decent striking displayed by Cropp there.
Cropp scores with a punch to the head.
Mutombo keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cropp.
Mutombo ducks under a wild hook from Cropp.
A big right from Cropp misses.
Jay Jay Mutombo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cropp uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Mutombo.
Cropp swings widly with a right hand
and Mutombo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cropp is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Mutombo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cropp lands with a right hand.
Cropp swings for the body but Mutombo moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mutombo scores with a shot to the body.
Cropp throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Karol Cropp is winning the standup battle so far.
Cropp on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Cropp is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mutombo.
Cropp ducks under a wild hook from Mutombo.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Mutombo, right into the meat.
Cropp is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Cropp fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mutombo manages to avoid it.
Mutombo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cropp sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Mutombo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cropp.
Cropp lands a jab.
Mutombo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mutombo throws a body punch but Cropp moves out of range.
Mutombo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cropp.
Cropp moves out of range of the strikes.
Mutombo uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cropp has time to react.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cropp throws a left and a right that both miss
and Mutombo counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cropp thinking.
Mutombo throws a lazy right hand but Cropp sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cropp circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cropp missing with a left hand there. Mutombo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cropp scores with a jab.
Nice sprawl there from Mutombo as Cropp shoots in.
Cropp throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karol Cropp dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jay Jay Mutombo's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cropp will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cropp slips under a jab.
Mutombo moves out of range of the strikes.
Mutombo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Mutombo avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mutombo thuds his right hand into Cropp's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Cropp ducks under a wild hook from Mutombo.
Mutombo lands a jab.
Donk. Cropp catches Mutombo right on the button with a cross.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Cropp shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Mutombo's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cropp's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cropp passes into half guard.

Cropp is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Mutombo defends it well.
Mutombo trying to hold on to Cropp's head to control him but Cropp postures up.
Cropp looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cropp is keen to just control but Mutombo is a slippery customer.
Karol Cropp overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jay Jay Mutombo was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Cropp ducks under a wild hook from Mutombo.
Cropp steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Mutombo.
Mutombo scores with a jab.
Mutombo throws a jab when Cropp was well out of range.
Cropp will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Jay Jay Mutombo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mutombo fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Some wild striking there from Cropp.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mutombo catches Cropp with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Mutombo scores with a sloppy right hand. Cropp should have avoided that one.
Mutombo walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Cropp checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Mutombo throws a big shot that misses.
Cropp ducks under a wild hook from Mutombo.
Mutombo scores with a three punch combo!
Cropp thows a body shot but no joy.
Cropp works the jab nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cropp keeps the fight on the outside.
Cropp throws out a loose jab but Mutombo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Karol Cropp is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mutombo lands a glancing blow to the side of Cropp's head.
Cropp connects with the punch.
Nice uppercut there from Cropp.
A big left from Cropp misses.
Cropp clobbers Mutombo with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Mutombo takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Cropp lands a right hook to the body.
Mutombo throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cropp stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A slow jab from Mutombo misses its intended target.
Cropp keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cropp throws a shot from downtown. Mutombo moves away and avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jay Jay Mutombo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cropp 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Karol Cropp!
After the fight, Karol Cropp was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.