PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rene Croix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fergus Mitchell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Croix comes to the cage accompanied by Edith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien. Mitchell has chosen Get Up as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Croix
vs
Mitchell

170 cm
25
140 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

177 cm
24
151 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Enjoys gardening

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Rene Croix!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Fergus Mitchell!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Richard Clark and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Croix throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Croix shoots in looking for a takedown but Mitchell manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Croix's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Croix throws a head kick that misses.
Croix throws a head kick that misses.
Croix blocks a head kick by Mitchell.

Croix has Mitchell up against the cage in a clinch.
Croix scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Mitchell looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Croix has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Mitchell avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Croix lands a shoulder strike.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Croix creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Croix just misses with a elbow thrown towards Mitchell's brow.
Croix misses with a hook from the clinch.
A hook to the body from Croix.
Croix tries a body shot but Mitchell blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Croix lands a left hand that snaps the head of Mitchell backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Croix creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Croix swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Croix tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Croix lands a left hand.
Croix using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mitchell has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Stalling in the clinch from Croix.
Mitchell is working for takedown but Croix is calmly controlling the position for now.
Croix tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Croix stops a takedown attempt from Mitchell.
Croix tries to throw a body punch but Mitchell avoids it by throwing Croix back against the cage.
Croix has a couple of punches blocked by Mitchell.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Croix tries a body shot but Mitchell blocks it.
Croix pushes Mitchell back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mitchell takes an elbow to the forehead.
A hook to the body from Croix.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Croix.

Croix escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Croix throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Croix throws a low kick, looking for Mitchell's leg but Mitchell calmly moves out of range.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Croix.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Croix throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Mitchell chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Croix can pounce on him.
Croix lands with a thumping leg kick.
Croix throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Croix dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Mitchell. That did some damage!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Croix.
Mitchell finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

Croix drives through and clinches with Mitchell against the cage.
Croix scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Croix lands a left hand that snaps the head of Mitchell backwards.

Croix's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've been informed that Mitchell has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Mitchell checks the leg kick nicely there.
Mitchell throws a head kick that misses.
Croix throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Mitchell blocks a low kick nicely.
Croix motions for Mitchell to come forward. Croix throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Croix lands a nice looking body kick.
Mitchell blocks the body kick.
Mitchell goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Croix tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Croix throws a head kick but Mitchell moves out of range.
Croix is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Croix misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Croix is looking to slow Mitchell down with leg kicks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The fighters circling - Mitchell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mitchell misses with a series of wild punches.
Croix slips a straight right by Mitchell.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Mitchell fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A solid leg kick lands there for Croix.
Mitchell ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Mitchell fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Croix to the ground. Mitchell is now in Croix's guard.
Croix working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mitchell.
Croix is looking to sweep but instead, Mitchell has passed into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mitchell trying to control the action but Croix is working from the bottom.
Croix keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mitchell thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Croix's head.
Mitchell throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Croix to regain full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell postures up in Croix's guard and throws a big left but Croix blocks it.
Mitchell is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mitchell throwing strikes but missing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mitchell working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Croix working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mitchell.
Mitchell throws a strike but Croix rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Mitchell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Mitchell is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mitchell is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Croix defends well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Croix in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Croix trying to move into half guard but instead Mitchell has managed to sweep!
Mitchell throws a big right hand that misses.
Mitchell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mitchell with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Croix wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mitchell drops back, looking for a kneebar! Croix looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Croix looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Croix!
Mitchell gets back to half guard.
Croix thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mitchell's head.
Croix missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mitchell is looking to escape.
Croix throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Croix tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mitchell knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Mitchell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mitchell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Mitchell flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Croix is working for an americana but Mitchell has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Croix was thinking about the submission.
Croix throws a big right hand that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Croix trying to control but Mitchell is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fergus Mitchell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Croix scores with a head kick. Mitchell tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Croix changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Mitchell blocks a jab.
Croix throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Mitchell throws a low kick but Croix moves out of range easily.
Croix throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Mitchell tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Croix is able to avoid easily.
Croix tries a head kick but it misses.
Mitchell looks to land a body kick but Croix moved away.
Rene Croix seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Croix lands a nice looking kick to the body. Mitchell takes a step back to recover.

Croix darts in and clinches Mitchell up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Croix lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Croix leaning his opponent against the cage.
Mitchell blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Croix misses with a hook to the ribs.
A nice left hand lands by Croix.

Croix's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Croix tries to clinch there but Mitchell circles away.
Croix dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Mitchell. That did some damage!
Croix swings for the body but Mitchell moves out of range.
Croix uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mitchell.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Croix tries to close the distance and clinch but Mitchell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mitchell throws a jab when Croix was well out of range.
Croix throws a half hearted mid kick.
Croix lands with a nice body kick.
Croix misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Croix looks for the body kick but Mitchell saw that one coming.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Croix moves into the clinch.
Croix swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Croix misses with a short punch on the inside.
Croix tries to work over Mitchell's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Croix tries a knee to the head but Mitchell blocks it.
Mitchell has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Croix.
Croix misses with a punch on the inside.
Mitchell has Croix pressed against the cage, preventing Croix from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell is trying to pull guard but Croix turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Croix digs a right hand into Mitchell's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Mitchell's gas tank.
Croix holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Mitchell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Croix scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Croix tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mitchell avoids it.
Mitchell blocks a body shot from Croix.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Croix.
Croix trying to stall but Mitchell improves his position.
Mitchell is looking to break free of the clinch but Croix has double underhooks.
A short left from Croix.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Croix.
Croix misses with the head strike.
Mitchell is trying to pull guard but Croix turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rene Croix has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fergus Mitchell.
Croix throws an elbow that misses.
Croix lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Croix softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Croix works on Mitchell's body with a couple of short punches.
Mitchell tries to pull guard but Croix holds him up against the cage and eventually Mitchell drops back down to his feet.
A knee to the head by Croix.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mitchell blocks an elbow strike.
Croix is leaning against Mitchell and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rene Croix showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Croix 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rene Croix!
During a confident post fight interview, Rene Croix thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.