PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jorge Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Big Hardon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardon has chosen Ameno as his entrance music. Jorge Cruz has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Cruz
vs
Hardon

215 cm
31
228 lbs
16 - 10 - 0

190 cm
26
275 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jorge Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Big Hardon!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Cruz misses with a lunging right hand
and Hardon counters with a straight right hand.
Cruz takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Cruz scores with a body shot.
Hardon misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hardon moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hardon lets loose with a powerful body kick. Cruz will feel that in the morning.
Cruz throws the left hand but Hardon avoids the punch easily.
Cruz throws an off balance right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Cruz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hardon.
Hardon will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A swing and a miss from Hardon.
No joy there for Hardon, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz loads up on a big right hand but Hardon slips the punch.
Hardon slips under a jab from Cruz.

Cruz tries to keep at a distance but Hardon has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hardon misses with a punch on the inside.

Hardon pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hardon throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Cruz counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Big Hardon has been cut.
Hardon scores with a leg kick.
Jab, jab by Hardon - just one landing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Hardon is looking to slow Cruz down with leg kicks.
Cruz swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Hardon will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Hardon is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cruz's half guard.
Hardon moves nicely into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet.
Hardon trying to control the action but Cruz is working from the bottom.

Hardon is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Cruz is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hardon wants to control but Cruz is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Hardon working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Cruz wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
A lull in the action here.
Cruz is pushing Hardon's head away, looking to escape. Hardon manages to hold on to the position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Hardon is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cruz has escaped the position, nice work there.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Hardon prevents Cruz from escaping the position.
Cruz trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Cruz is breathing heavily.

Cruz explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Cruz throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Hardon to counter with a crisp jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hardon connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Cruz momentarily.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Hardon.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hardon.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hardon throws a nice inside leg kick.
Hardon throws a one two combo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Big Hardon dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Big Hardon's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hardon lands a nice shot to the body.
Big Hardon seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cruz misses with a straight right.
Cruz blocks a head kick by Hardon.
Hardon lands a nice shot to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hardon.
Hardon stuns Cruz with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Jorge Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hardon throws a hook but Cruz blocks it.
Hardon fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cruz.
Cruz takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardon lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Hardon.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hardon throws a head kick that misses.

Hardon clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hardon breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hardon fails to land with a series of punches.
Hardon scores with a leg kick.
Hardon connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Cruz momentarily.
Cruz stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Hardon.
Some wild striking there from Hardon.
Cruz is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Hardon scores with a jab to the head.
Nice defenses there by Hardon.
Hardon tries to bum rush Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cruz misses with a wild combination.
Cruz misses with a right hand

and Hardon counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet.
Hardon not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hardon not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cruz is trying to stand back up but Hardon is controlling him
Cruz really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hardon not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Hardon is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Cruz has managed to free his arm - good work.

Hardon is working for a submission of some sort.
Hardon trying to control the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardon missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Hardon is looking for a kimura here.
Cruz is trying to stand up here but Hardon is controlling him well.
Hardon has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cruz has hold of Hardon's hands but Hardon slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Hardon wants to control but Cruz is keeping him busy.

Cruz is defending against the submission attempts here by Hardon.
Hardon missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruz manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Jorge Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Donk. Hardon catches Cruz right on the button with a cross.
Cruz is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hardon misses with an attempted mid kick.
Hardon closes the distance and clinches up with Cruz, looking for a takedown. Hardon pushes Cruz against the cage but Cruz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hardon will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hardon jabs Cruz to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Cruz throws a lazy uppercut
and Hardon counters with a nice low kick that buckles Cruz's knee momentarily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cruz throws a poor cross that misses
and Hardon counters with an inside leg kick.
Cruz throws a right hand that misses
and Hardon counters with a thumping low kick.
No luck for Hardon with that takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Big Hardon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Big Hardon's cut.
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!

Hardon throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cruz looks to land a right hand but Hardon moved out of range.
Hardon steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
Cruz misses with a few strikes there.
Cruz throws a right hand that Hardon ducks under and follows up with a left that Hardon also avoids with ease.
Cruz waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hardon.
Hardon is looking to slow Cruz down with leg kicks.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Hardon.

Hardon's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Cruz misses with a looping left.
Cruz rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

so Hardon counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hardon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hardon with a flurry of punches that miss.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Cruz scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Hardon's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Hardon duly obliges.
Cruz takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cruz takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardon scores with a spinning back kick!
Hardon throws a nice inside leg kick.
Hardon changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Big Hardon is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Hardon connects with a jab.
Hardon moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Hardon feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Cruz's calf.
Cruz has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Hardon lands with a nice body kick.

Hardon is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cruz's half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hardon scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardon tries to pass to full mount but Cruz defends it.
Hardon lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hardon has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hardon is looking to take a break and control but Cruz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hardon stops Cruz from getting back to his feet.
Cruz is not content to let Hardon control the position.
Hardon is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Hardon is looking for a kimura here.
Cruz pushes Hardon off looking to stand but Hardon dives back in and keeps control.
Jorge Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hardon is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Cruz has managed to free his arm - good work.
Cruz tries to kick Hardon off but Hardon keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Cruz is not content to let Hardon control the position.
Cruz is trying to stand back up but Hardon is controlling him

Hardon is looking for a kimura here.
Hardon prevents Cruz from standing back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Big Hardon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hardon has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Big Hardon!