PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rusty Kuntz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel Crowley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kuntz
vs
Crowley

200 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rusty Kuntz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gabriel Crowley!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Anthony Taglia and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crowley closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kuntz circles away.
Kuntz fails with the takedown

and Crowley counters by clinching up.
Crowley jumps guard but Kuntz stands there with Crowley around his waist. Crowley gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Crowley wants a takedown.
Rusty Kuntz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gabriel Crowley.
Kuntz is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Crowley pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Crowley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Crowley ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kuntz moves away.
Kuntz misses with a takedown attempt

and Crowley counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Crowley trying to advance position but Kuntz counters by regaining guard.
Crowley won't allow Kuntz to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crowley trying to control but Kuntz is working from the bottom.
Kuntz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Kuntz throws his legs up looking for a submission but Crowley uses it to pass to side control.
Kuntz is breathing heavily.

Crowley decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Crowley gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Kuntz tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Crowley just stands there and leans against the cage.
Crowley is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Crowley jumps guard.
Crowley looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Crowley is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Kuntz wants to get back to his feet.
Crowley sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Kuntz is refusing to be controlled, as Crowley sits in half guard.

Kuntz actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crowley is taking a breather. Kuntz says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Crowley is nestled in close to Kuntz, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Crowley is keen to just control but Kuntz is a slippery customer.
Crowley seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Crowley tries to pass to full mount but Kuntz defends it.
Kuntz tries to kick Crowley off but Crowley keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Crowley controlling the action here.
Crowley wants to free his trapped foot but Kuntz is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Crowley is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Crowley is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Crowley moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Crowley dominated that round.
That's time! Kuntz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Crowley is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rusty Kuntz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kuntz tries for a takedown but Crowley circles away easily

and Crowley counters with a shoot takedown. Kuntz fights it but they end up in guard.
Kuntz keeping moving, preventing Crowley from controlling successfully.
Kuntz has Crowley pulled in close to control his posture.
Kuntz keeping full guard, as Crowley tries to pass.
Crowley is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Crowley really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kuntz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kuntz is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Crowley is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuntz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Crowley controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kuntz throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Crowley accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Crowley gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Kuntz keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Crowley fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kuntz tries for a takedown but Crowley circles away easily
and Crowley counters with a nice leg kick.
Crowley fails with a takedown attempt.
Rusty Kuntz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gabriel Crowley.
Crowley scores with the left hand. Kuntz knows he should have avoided that one.
Crowley throws a head kick that misses.

Crowley looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kuntz!
Kuntz is bucking up trying to escape but Crowley cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuntz is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Crowley sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Crowley controlling the position easily from mount.
Crowley misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Kuntz wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Crowley.
Crowley landing strikes from the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Crowley controlling his opponent.
Kuntz is trying to stand up.
Crowley fails to move to back control.
Crowley trying to control but Kuntz is having none of it.
Crowley putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Crowley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kuntz blocks a head kick by Crowley.

Crowley feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Kuntz controls Crowley momentarily but Crowley frees himself.
Kuntz working a defensive guard but Crowley manages to pass into side control anyway.

Crowley looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Crowley decides to stand back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Crowley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kuntz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crowley tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Crowley misses with a takedown

and Kuntz counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Crowley is on top in guard.
Crowley stays in close to Kuntz's body and controls the position.
Kuntz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Kuntz wants to pass the guard but Crowley is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crowley manages to get to full guard.
Crowley wants to sweep here but Kuntz controlling him for the moment.
Kuntz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Crowley swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Crowley can do anything to dispel that myth.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Crowley holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kuntz stopping the sweep attempt from Crowley.
Crowley is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Crowley is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Crowley controlling the pace.

Crowley stands up out of the half guard.
Crowley has his takedown stuffed

and Kuntz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kuntz.
Kuntz trying to control but Crowley is working from the bottom.
Crowley is trying to control the position from the bottom.

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 Rusty Kuntz.
I think Crowley 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gabriel Crowley!