PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Chris Cree (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Viktor Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cree
vs
Jones

167 cm
25
138 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
135 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Chris Cree!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Viktor Jones!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Sam Margolis and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cree gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Jones to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Jones stays in close to Cree's body and controls the position.
Cree wants to get back to his feet but Jones passes into half guard.
Cree is trying to escape back to his feet but Jones uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Cree knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Jones on the ground.
Cree pushes Jones away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Jones gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cree is pushing Jones's head away, looking to escape. Jones manages to hold on to the position though.

Jones stands up.

Cree gets tackled into the cage by Jones. Jones maintains the clinch.
Cree misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cree utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Jones wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cree fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cree swings wildly with an uppercut but Jones uses good head movement to avoid it.
Jones is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cree lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Jones manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Jones can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cree wants to get up but he can't break Jones's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Jones has his hands on Cree's head, controlling the position.
Jones trying to strike off his back.
Jones lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Jones controls from within his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jones gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Cree will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Chris Cree seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jones takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Jones shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cree pinned against the cage. Cree gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cree wants to clinch

so Jones counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Jones is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Cree is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Cree has escaped and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cree wants to get up but he can't break Jones's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Jones looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cree is one step ahead there.

Jones escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cree gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cree has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Cree wants to stand and escape but instead Jones has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jones 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Viktor Jones dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Jones moves into the clinch.
Cree is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Jones is defending well for now.
Cree lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Cree tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Jones has Cree pressed against the cage, preventing Cree from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cree throws a head punch that misses.
Jones wants to break free but Cree has control.
Jones drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cree lands with a left to the head.
Jones blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cree is fighting off a takedown attempt but Jones is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Cree to the mat. Cree regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Jones advances to half guard.
Jones looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Cree with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Jones lands strikes from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cree is looking to escape.

Jones is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Cree sees it coming and defends easily.
Jones takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Jones prevents Cree from standing back up.
Jones controlling the pace.
Jones works his way into side control.
Cree bucks up and tries to throw Jones off but instead Jones has got his back!
Cree wants to get back to his feet.
Jones controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cree trying to get back to his feet but Jones is in full control for now.

Jones looking for the choke but no joy.

Cree is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Jones gets his way!
Good control from Jones.

Jones is persistently looking for the submission but Cree is defending it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones lands strikes to the head.
Jones is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Jones is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Cree up.
Cree is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cree is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Jones controlling the positon.

Jones working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Cree trying to get back to his feet but Jones is in full control for now.
Jones has good solid back control here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Cree defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Jones's arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Viktor Jones 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!

Cree lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Nice takedown defense from Cree. No joy for Jones on that attempt.
Jones keeps the fight on the outside.
Cree throws a head kick that misses.
Jones steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Cree.
Cree lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cree.

Cree drops Jones with a beautiful combination! Jones stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Cree is looking for the KO!

Jones is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cree fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jones is still on wobbly legs! Can Cree finish him?
Cree tries to clinch up.
Cree swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Jones counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Cree scores with a knee to the head.
Jones stalling against the cage.
Jones wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cree misses with a punch on the inside.
Cree tries a body shot but Jones blocks it.
Jones controlling the action here for a moment.
A nice left hand lands by Cree.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jones pulls guard successfully.
Cree wants to stand and escape but instead Jones has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Jones controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Jones stands up from Cree's guard - Jones perhaps looking for a knockout.
Jones seems to have recovered his senses.
Cree tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Jones manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cree tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cree tries to clinch but Jones is having none of it.
Jones throws a fast counter high kick but Cree manages to duck under it in time.
Cree swinging wildly here.
Chris Cree is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Jones shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Cree's guard.
Jones stands and throws Cree's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Jones content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Cree is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Jones stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Jones instigates a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cree scores a nice knee to the body.
Jones tries to break the clinch but Cree is controlling the position.
A frustrated look appears on Cree's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cree gets through Jones's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Cree lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Jones.
Cree lands a good knee to the midsection. Jones won't want to take too many of those.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cree.
Cree lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Jones.

Jones pulls guard.

Jones looking for a guillotine here but Cree defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cree would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Jones tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Jones is pulling down on Cree's head to control his posture.
Cree wanted to stand there but Jones had control of the position.
Jones controlling Cree's posture.
Let's hope that Jones has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Jones has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cree wanted to stand there but Jones had control of the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Jones fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cree, pushing him back against the cage.
Cree is trying to force a seperation but Jones has the dominant position.
Cree lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Jones lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Jones is trying to work for a kimura but Cree is defending well.
Jones slows the pace down in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Chris Cree.
I think Jones has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 William Gold scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Viktor Jones!
Chris Cree was interviewed post fight and said 'Let's fight again i will knock yo bitch ass out'.