PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matt Huge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nate Cruz is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Huge
vs
Cruz

178 cm
25
153 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
152 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matt Huge!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nate Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shigeki Sano and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Huge shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Cruz eats them both and turns towards Huge to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Huge is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Good work by Cruz as he checks the leg kick.
Huge tries to clinch

and Cruz counters with a nice double leg into side control. Huge won't be happy with that.
Sloppy strikes there by Cruz.

Cruz looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Cruz in side control, throwing shots but Huge defends.
Huge taking a bit of punishment here - Cruz scoring with strikes.

Cruz is trying to get an arm triangle but Huge is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Huge regains half guard, as Cruz was trying to land strikes.

Cruz wants to work for an arm triangle but Huge is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Cruz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Huge does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to free his trapped foot but Huge is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Cruz lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Cruz wants to take a breather but Huge is having none of it.
Huge taking some punishment here, with Cruz in his half guard.
Cruz stalling.

Cruz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz winds up and cracks Huge with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Cruz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Cruz trying to control from half guard but Huge is working away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Huge is defending against the submission attempts here by Cruz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Cruz dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Huge shoots and misses

and Cruz counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cruz trying to control but Huge is working from the bottom.
Cruz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Huge is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz thows a big elbow that misses.
Cruz throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Huge keeps moving.
Cruz is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Cruz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cruz not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nate Cruz has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Cruz scores a takedown into full mount!
Cruz lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz landing punches.
BOOM! Cruz connects with a massive shot to the dome!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz content just to control the position here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Cruz cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

Huge is rocked!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Huge?
Oh Huge is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Cruz cracks Huge with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Cruz raining down hammerfists from mount.
Cruz controlling the pace for now.
Cruz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Cruz is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Huge to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Huge shrugs it off.

Cruz working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz cracks Huge with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Cruz lands a big shot to the head and Huge winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:02 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Nate Cruz!