PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Denny Crane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hyonjo Joung (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Crane comes to the cage accompanied by TOUCHED. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Crane
vs
Joung

185 cm
22
215 lbs
7 - 10 - 0

190 cm
24
210 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 7 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Denny Crane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hyonjo Joung!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Joung looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Crane looking for a sweep. Not yet Crane, not yet.

Crane has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Joung can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Crane looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Crane has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Joung can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Joung got a little sloppy there for a moment and Crane has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Joung has managed to get both his arms back between Crane's legs - danger averted.
Joung sitting in guard here, content to control.
Joung trying to control but Crane is working from the bottom.
Joung content to stall in guard here.

Crane has his foot on Joung's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Joung works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crane bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Joung's guard.
Joung lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Crane!
Crane keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Joung controlling the position easily from mount.
Joung connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Crane wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Crane has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Crane turns into Joung and is now in his guard.
Joung working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Crane.

Joung working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Crane doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Crane manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Joung trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Joung bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Crane's guard.
Joung stops Crane from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crane can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Joung controls the pace.
Joung with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Crane manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Crane goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Joung is on top in guard.
Crane is breathing heavily.
Joung trying to control the position from guard on top but Crane is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Crane lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Joung!
Joung tries to hold on but Crane pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crane putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Joung tries to reverse the position but Crane maintains control.
Crane landing strikes, looking to finish!
Crane scoring with strikes but Joung is staying in there.
Crane with good strikes from the mount here!
Joung is trying to escape the mount.
Crane avoids the attempt from Joung to control.
Crane connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Denny Crane will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Crane stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Crane wants it to stay on the feet.
Crane stuffs the takedown.

Crane clinches up with Joung and pushes him back against the cage.
Joung jumps guard but Crane stands there with Joung around his waist. Joung gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Denny Crane has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hyonjo Joung.
Crane prevents a takedown attempt there.

Crane lands a takedown into guard.

Crane postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Joung is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Crane, into his guard.

Crane is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Joung defends well.
Crane looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Crane looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crane can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Joung controls the pace.
Joung's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Crane is looking for a triangle here but Joung uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Crane is looking to reverse the position.
Joung wants to lay and pray for a moment but Crane keeps working.
A lull in the action here.

Joung is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Crane is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Crane tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Joung wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Joung wants to control but Crane is keeping him busy.
Crane is trying to improve his position.
Crane sneaks back into half guard.
Joung is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Crane is refusing to be controlled, as Joung sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Hyonjo Joung just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Crane turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Joung shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Joung wants to control but Crane is keeping him busy.
Joung content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Joung not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Joung trying to control the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Crane misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Joung looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Crane looking for submissions off his back.
Joung is keen to just control but Crane is a slippery customer.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Crane misses with a takedown

and Joung counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Crane's guard now.

Crane working for a triangle but Joung defends it easily.
Crane looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Joung's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Crane is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Joung tries to free his leg and advance position but Crane is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hyonjo Joung showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Crane slaps away a takedown attempt from Joung, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Joung dives in and grabs Crane's left leg, looking for a takedown. Crane pushes down on Joung's head and hops out.
Crane tries to clinch but Joung is having none of it.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Joung crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Crane - the referee stops the clock and Joung gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Crane. Joung manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Crane tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Joung swivels and escapes.

Crane closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Crane lands in his opponent's guard.
Joung manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Crane manages to get himself to full guard.

Crane has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Joung off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Joung with a poor takedown

and Crane counters with a nice double leg into side control. Joung won't be happy with that.
Denny Crane has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hyonjo Joung.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Joung can't do much from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crane throwing strikes but Joung manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Crane tries to improve position but can't.
A lull in the action here as Joung stalls from top position.

Joung decides to stand back up. Joung steps back and let's Crane get back to his feet.
Joung takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Crane closes the distance looking to clinch

and Joung counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Crane is looking for a sweep. Joung is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hyonjo Joung has got the better of the ground game so far.

Crane looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joung slows the pace down in half guard.
Crane wants to improve his position but Joung is controlling well.

Crane looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Joung stalling.

Crane is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Joung pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joung content to control rather than advance.
Crane wants to get back to full guard.
Joung perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Joung tries to pass to full mount but Crane defends it.
Joung slows the pace down in half guard.

Crane looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Crane tries to roll over but Joung keeps him under control.
Joung perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Crane is looking to improve his position.

Crane looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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

Joung fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Crane sprawls well initially but Joung persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Joung seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Hyonjo Joung.
I think Joung 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Hyonjo Joung!