Chris Tickle vs Daron Cruickshank
by Dr. Octagon, J.D.
Round 1: Chris Tickle comes forward quickly, Daron Cruickshank shoots and gets his head caught in a choke. Tickle works a trip and drags Daron to the ground. He might be a little too high; Daron is now on top and no longer being choked. That must be nice. Daron gets a nice elbow from the top position, but for the most part Tickle is defending well.
Tickle pushes Daron off and stands up, but Daron trips Tickle and puts him back on his back. Daron lands another nice elbow. Tickle landed an upkick when Cruickshank was on his knees. I think Referee Mazzagati should take a point. On replay the blow didn’t look very solid. [[MORE]]
Tickle knows he’s losing the round by two now, and goes after Cruickshank. I like the sense of urgency. Cruickshank works another trip and has Tickle on his back. Cruickshank landing more elbows from the top position for the last minute. Daron winning this fight by trips and top control.
10-8 for Cruickshank.
Round 2: Cruickshank throws a spinning back kick. Tickle comes forward with a flurry locked in bullshit-looking neck crank of some sort that doesn’t look like it is on properly. Cruickshank gets out of it and has top control. Cruickshank is covering Tickle’s mouth. Mazzagati doesn’t think they’re working and stands them up. Tickle lands a big left while Cruickshank lands a kick. Tickle taunts Cruickshank who comes running face first into a right hand. That’s the first time I’ve seen taunting work so well. The Diaz bros would love it if their opinions did that shit while taunted. Tickle is on top now, but isn’t doing shit. Again it looks like Tickle is going for a half-baked submission. Now Cruickshank has one of his arms, but he is punching with the other one. Bush league BJJ in the last two fights bra.
Round 3: Leg kicks from each fighter. Tickle comes forward swinging. Tickle charging forward and going for a takedown. I think this is a terrible strategy. Tickle needs a finish and he doesn’t look like he has the foggiest clue how to win it on the ground. Cruickshank is sucking wind, but is defending pretty well. Tickle jumps on Cruickshank’s back and is thrown off and Tickle is on his back, about to get pounded for the next three minutes. Thanks god Cruickshank found a way to reverse because if Tickle won this round, the fight would have been a certain draw and no one wants to see that. Cruickshank is working some of his most effective ground and pound, lands a nice short elbow. Tickle knows he has to get up, but Cruickshank is maintaining control. Tickle is able to get up to his feet breefly, but Cruickshank works another trip into the full mount and Tickle is eating a shit ton of elbows. Cruickshank tries to sink in a guillotine, but it doesn’t look like anything dangerous, he just needs to hang on to it for another thirty seconds. Tickle gets on top, but is reversed as the round ends.
10-9 Cruickshank.
29-27 Cruickshank according to my card. All three judges agree.