PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Benedict Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michaels has chosen Hillbilly Deluxe as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cruz
vs
Michaels

193 cm
22
223 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

185 cm
24
215 lbs
12 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Powerful

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 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Benedict Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 1, fighting out of New York, Max Michaels!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Russell Pearce and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michaels moves out of range of the leg kick from Cruz.
Cruz on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Michaels throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruz.
Michaels tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Cruz counters with a nice body kick.
Michaels rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cruz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cruz with a nice cross.
Michaels throws a head kick but Cruz moves out of range.
Michaels misses with a left hand
and Cruz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nice body kick there by Cruz.
Cruz misses with a straight left.
A big right from Cruz misses.
Michaels throws a poor cross that misses
and Michaels takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz takes a swing at Michaels's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz dodges the punch combination from Michaels.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Cruz.
A head kick by Michaels misses
and Cruz counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Cruz misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Michaels to counter with a crisp jab.
Cruz connects with a body shot that sends Michaels's belly button to the back.
Michaels with a jab.
Cruz misses with a looping left.
Cruz scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Cruz misses with an uppercut
and Michaels counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Michaels walks into a stiff left hand from Cruz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michaels throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Michaels shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Michaels takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Michaels gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Michaels throws a left and a right that both miss
and Michaels takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Michaels tries to bum rush Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice uppercut there from Cruz.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Michaels throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cruz counters with a straight right hand.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Michaels throws a lazy right hand but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Michaels looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cruz. Michaels does a little dance to reset his feet.
Michaels blocks a leg kick.
Cruz lands a glancing blow to the side of Michaels's head.
Michaels swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cruz counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Michaels tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cruz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Michaels moves out of range easily.
Michaels throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Michaels moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cruz lands with a slapping head kick.
Cruz lands with a thumping leg kick.
Michaels throws a combination that misses
and Cruz counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Michaels on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Michaels tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cruz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Michaels takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Michaels tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Michaels has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cruz misses with the combination.
Michaels swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cruz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benedict Cruz dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cruz throws a shot from downtown. Michaels moves away and avoids it.
Michaels throws a lazy head kick
and Michaels takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
An inside leg kick lands from Cruz.
Cruz listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Michaels swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cruz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Michaels tries to close the distance and clinch but Cruz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cruz misses with a shot to the body
and Michaels counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Cruz pivots, looking for a leg kick but Michaels is out of range and Cruz settles back down.
Michaels defending well as Cruz loads up on a big left hand.
Max Michaels is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz looks to land a left hand but Michaels moved out of range nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Cruz punishes Michaels's body with a nice straight punch.
Michaels darts in trying to clinch
and Cruz counters with an inside leg kick.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses

and Michaels counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Michaels.
Michaels stops Cruz from standing up.
Michaels trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Michaels throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michaels throwing strikes from guard but Cruz blocks nicely.
Michaels trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Michaels tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Michaels from controlling successfully.
Michaels is looking to work some ground and pound but Cruz has wrist control.
Michaels postures up in Cruz's guard and throws a big left but Cruz blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels with a flurry of punches that miss.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Michaels's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Michaels throws a big right hand that misses.
Michaels trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Michaels is working Cruz over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Michaels is looking to advance position but Cruz has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Michaels has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Michaels keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Michaels is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Michaels wants to hold on but Cruz pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Benedict Cruz will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Michaels looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Benedict Cruz is winning the standup battle so far.
Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Cruz moves out of range easily.
Michaels swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Cruz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Michaels misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Cruz looks to land a right hand but Michaels moved out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circling - Cruz throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cruz takes a swing at Michaels's ribcage but misses.
Michaels misses with a combination
and Cruz counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cruz tries to land a front kick but Michaels steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Cruz throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A slow jab from Cruz misses its intended target.
Michaels misses with a double jab
enabling Cruz to counter with a crisp jab.
Horrible takedown by Michaels or perhaps it was just good defense by Cruz which made him look bad.
Cruz throws a leg kick that is checked
and Michaels counters with an inside leg kick.
Cruz throws a right hand that misses
and Michaels counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Cruz is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Michaels misses with a double jab
and Cruz counters with a nice body shot.
Cruz is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands a really nice looking cross but Michaels seems unphased.
Michaels tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Michaels will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Michaels throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cruz counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Michaels tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cruz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Michaels keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cruz.
Cruz defending well as Michaels loads up on a big left hand.
Cruz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Michaels misses with a wild combination.
Benedict Cruz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Michaels.
Cruz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cruz looks to score with a jab to the body but Michaels is just out of range.
Benedict Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Michaels slips a straight right by Cruz.
Cruz cracks a nice hook into Michaels's ribs.
Michaels throws a combination that misses
letting Cruz counter with a right hand.
Cruz takes a swing at Michaels's ribcage but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cruz misses with a looping right.
Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cruz connects with a crisp jab.
Max Michaels has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cruz rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Michaels counters with a head kick. That will keep Cruz thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Cruz cracks the inside of Michaels's front leg.
Michaels dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Michaels dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cruz. That did some damage!
Michaels throws a sloppy head kick and Cruz moves out of range easily.
Michaels looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Michaels throws a combination that misses
and Cruz counters with a stiff right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benedict Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cruz, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benedict Cruz!