PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pavel Cruze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juan Chavez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruze comes to the cage accompanied by How I could just kill a man. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Cruze
vs
Chavez

186 cm
19
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
18
212 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pavel Cruze!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Juan Chavez!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Mauricio Rocha and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chavez thows a body shot but no joy.
Cruze misses with a head kick.
Chavez tries to clinch but Cruze moves out of range.
Cruze swats away the attempt to clinch by Chavez.
Cruze looks for a takedown but Chavez sprawls well.
Cruze shoots in but no luck this time.

Chavez rushes Cruze and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Cruze tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Chavez smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pavel Cruze. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruze closes the distance and clinches up with Chavez, looking for a takedown. Cruze pushes Chavez against the cage but Chavez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Chavez takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Chavez moves in looking to clinch but Cruze pushes him off.
Chavez avoids the body shot from Cruze.
Cruze throws a head kick but Chavez moves out of range.

Cruze tries to keep at a distance but Chavez has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cruze tries to break the clinch but Chavez is controlling the position.
Chavez cracks Cruze with a nice body shot.
Chavez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Cruze backwards.

Cruze breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cruze misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cruze wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruze throws a leg kick which misses Chavez's front leg but catches the back leg as Chavez tries to avoid it.
Cruze is looking to clinch but Chavez is avoiding it.
Chavez is looking to clinch.
Chavez clinches but Cruze breaks the clinch
and Cruze counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Nice body punch from Cruze.
Cruze shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Chavez wants to clinch up but Cruze keeps it at a distance.
Cruze throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
An inside leg kick lands from Cruze.

Chavez gets a clinch.
Chavez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Chavez lands a body punch.
Cruze is breathing heavily.
Chavez throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cruze blocks the elbow strike.
Chavez landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Chavez scores with a knee to the head.
Chavez looking to throw knees to the head but Cruze is blocking nicely.
Chavez lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Chavez is stalling here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruze on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A short body shot lands from Chavez as the two fighters clinch.
Chavez lands a body punch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Chavez.
Chavez lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Chavez missing with knees to the body.
Chavez slows down the pace here.
Cruze dodges an elbow strike from Chavez.
Chavez works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Chavez pressing his opponent against the cage.
Chavez missing with knees to the body.
Chavez lands a nice elbow.
A bit of stalling here from Chavez.
Cruze is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Chavez is keeping busy.
Chavez lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Chavez holding his opponent close, against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Chavez.
Chavez lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Chavez is leaning against Cruze and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Chavez tries to land knees in the clinch but Cruze avoids the damage to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chavez stalling against the cage.
Cruze tries to break the clinch but Chavez is controlling the position.
Nice body punch from Chavez - that landed with a thud.
Chavez trying to land knees to the body.
Cruze wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Chavez has him pressed against the cage.
Cruze misses with a body punch.
Chavez scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Chavez lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Chavez lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Chavez pushes Cruze back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Chavez misses with a knee to the head.
Cruze wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Chavez has him pressed against the cage.
Chavez is leaning against Cruze and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Chavez pressing his opponent against the cage.

Cruze escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Chavez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cruze manages to avoid it.

Cruze moves into the clinch successfully.
Cruze has had enough of the clinch but Chavez keeps him there for the moment.
Chavez stalling in the clinch but Cruze improves position.

Cruze pulls guard successfully.
Cruze controlling the position.
Chavez postures up in Cruze's guard and throws a big left but Cruze blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruze wants to stand but Chavez is controlling the position.
Chavez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Chavez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cruze is keeping the position for now.
Cruze pulls Chavez in close to prevent any damage.
Cruze keeping moving, preventing Chavez from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juan Chavez dominated that round.
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.

Chavez looks to score with a jab to the body but Cruze is just out of range.

Chavez has taken the fight to the clinch.
Chavez using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Cruze on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cruze fails to pull guard.
Chavez lands with a left to the head.

Cruze manages to break the clinch.
Chavez throws a head kick that misses.

Cruze closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Chavez moves into full guard.
Chavez keeping moving, preventing Cruze from controlling successfully.

Chavez pushes Cruze off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Chavez wants to clinch but Cruze slips to the side
and Cruze connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Chavez moves in looking to clinch but Cruze pushes him off.
Chavez avoids the body shot from Cruze.
Chavez tries to clinch but Cruze moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chavez throws a jab but it's blocked by Cruze.
Juan Chavez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Chavez misses with a body shot.

Chavez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cruze, pushing him back against the cage.
Cruze wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cruze tries to pull guard but Chavez won't allow it.
Cruze fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pavel Cruze. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chavez cracks Cruze with a nice body shot.
Cruze tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Cruze tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Chavez scores with a hook to the body.
Chavez works on Cruze's body with a couple of short punches.
Chavez blocks the elbow strike.
Chavez works on Cruze's body with a couple of short punches.
Chavez using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Chavez.
A body shot lands from Chavez.
A body shot lands from Chavez.

Cruze jumps guard.
Cruze is looking to stand up but Chavez isn't so interested in that idea.
Cruze tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cruze is trying to control the position but Chavez postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chavez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Chavez wants to pass the guard but Cruze is keeping the position.
Cruze working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Chavez.
Cruze looking to control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cruze uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Chavez.
Cruze shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cruze misses with a head kick.
Cruze misses with a low kick.
Cruze misses with a takedown attempt - Chavez sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Cruze throws a body kick that misses.

Chavez clinches up against the cage.
Cruze scores with a shoulder strike.
Chavez takes an elbow to the forehead.
Cruze wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cruze tries to pull guard but Chavez holds him up against the cage and eventually Cruze drops back down to his feet.
A head punch on the inside from Chavez fails to land.

Cruze escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chavez moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Cruze gets a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chavez wants to improve his position but Cruze is controlling well.
Chavez works his way to full guard. Good work.
Chavez trying to keep a closed guard but Cruze is proving a slippery customer.
Chavez has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Cruze has passed into side control.
Chavez is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Cruze trying to control the position but Chavez is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chavez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Cruze trying to control from half guard but Chavez is working away.
Chavez tries to roll over but Cruze keeps him under control.

Cruze decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Cruze fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Cruze looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Chavez!

Cruze stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Juan Chavez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. This is the final round!

Cruze closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cruze lands in his opponent's guard.
Cruze won't allow Chavez to sweep him here.
Chavez controls Cruze momentarily but Cruze frees himself.
Cruze stops Chavez from standing up.
Cruze sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Cruze looking to pass the guard.
Chavez pulls Cruze in close to prevent any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chavez is striking but Cruze is not phased and passes to half guard.
Chavez tries to roll over but Cruze keeps him under control.
Chavez trying to control but Cruze postures up.
Chavez is looking to improve his position.

That's two 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.
Chavez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Chavez throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Chavez - that will leave a mark!
Chavez wants to clinch
and Cruze counters with a leg kick.
A head kick from Cruze lands but Chavez takes it in his stride.
Chavez just misses with a punch to the body.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Cruze!
Cruze throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Chavez.
Cruze darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Chavez darts in and clinches Cruze up against the cage.

Cruze breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chavez tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Cruze counters with a good low kick that Chavez was not able to check.
Chavez tries to clinch there but Cruze circles away.
Chavez throws a leg kick but Cruze checks it.
Cruze's corner calls for a 1-2. Cruze obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Chavez is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Cruze rather than just go for the knockout.
Chavez just misses with a punch to the body.
Chavez moves in looking to clinch but Cruze pushes him off.
Cruze avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pavel Cruze seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruze throws a right and a left that Chavez avoids nicely.
Chavez lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Cruze misses with a jab to the body
and Chavez counters with a one-two to the body.
Cruze lands a head kick!
Chavez doesn't manage to clinch there - Cruze circles away.
Cruze looks for a takedown but Chavez sprawls well.
Pavel Cruze is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Chavez lands a with a good body shot.

Cruze drives through and clinches with Chavez against the cage.

Cruze manages to pull guard.
Chavez being controlled here momentarily.
Cruze has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruze has his feet on Chavez's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Cruze with a lazy takedown attempt

and Chavez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Chavez taking a breather.
Cruze looking to stall.
Cruze is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Chavez pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pavel Cruze. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chavez slows down the pace here.
Chavez can't find room to land a body shot as Cruze controls the action.
The referee calls for Cruze to work.
Chavez lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Chavez scores with a hook to the body.
Chavez lands a body shot in the clinch.

Cruze pulls Chavez into guard.
Chavez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Pavel Cruze has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Chavez stands up and waves to Cruze to follow him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pavel Cruze showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Chavez 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juan Chavez!