PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Meg Ginger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dante Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ginger
vs
Cruz

173 cm
19
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Meg Ginger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Dante Cruz!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Paul Tew and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ginger lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Dante Cruz has been cut.
Ginger swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Cruz counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cruz.

Ginger jumps into guard, dragging Cruz to the mat.
Cruz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ginger swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ginger looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cruz is one step ahead there.

Ginger is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cruz is aware though and is defending well.
Ginger has momentary wrist control but Cruz slips an elbow through the middle.
Cruz tries to stand but Ginger is controlling from the bottom.
Cruz lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Cruz works over Ginger with some ground and pound from guard.
Ginger trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ginger is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cruz is controlling him.
Cruz is in close to Ginger's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ginger tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cruz controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ginger wants to stand up but Cruz is controlling him.

Cruz avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Ginger is breathing heavily.
Cruz lands a couple of elbows.
Cruz prevents Ginger from getting back to his feet.
Cruz is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Cruz really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ginger. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cruz slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Cruz lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Ginger down.
Ginger being controlled for a moment.

Cruz tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cruz has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ginger tries to buck Cruz off but Cruz is having none of it.

Cruz decides to stand back up.
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 drives through with a takedown into Ginger's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Cruz looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Ginger is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to pass the guard but Ginger is keeping the position.
Ginger wants to stand and escape but Cruz is having none of it.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Dante Cruz wasn't active enough on the ground.

Cruz closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Ginger did well to prevent Cruz getting side control.
Cruz wants to free his trapped foot but Ginger is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Cruz stalling.
Ginger wants to get back to full guard.

Ginger looking for submissions off his back.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Cruz lands a nice short elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz controlling the pace.
Cruz wants to free his trapped foot but Ginger is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Cruz with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ginger tries to get to full guard but Cruz has control of the leg.
Cruz winds up and cracks Ginger with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Cruz working the head and body with strikes.
Ginger tries to get to full guard but Cruz has control of the leg.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Cruz decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Cruz fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ginger sprawls well initially but Cruz persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Cruz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dante Cruz's cut.
That's time! Ginger's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Cruz swinging wildly here.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Cruz!
Cruz blocks a head kick by Ginger.

Cruz darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Ginger kicks Cruz off and gets back to his feet.

Cruz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ginger, pushing him back against the cage.

Ginger is fighting off a takedown attempt but Cruz is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Ginger to the mat. Ginger regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ginger is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Ginger looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cruz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ginger is keeping the position for now.
Cruz is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Cruz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Cruz tries to free his leg and advance position but Ginger is retaining full guard.
Cruz keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ginger's head.
Ginger looking for a sweep. Not yet Ginger, not yet.
Cruz landing with the ground and pound.
Cruz content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Ginger is looking to sweep but instead, Cruz has passed into half guard.
Cruz is taking a breather. Ginger says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Ginger is trying to get back to full guard.
Cruz slows the pace down in half guard.
Ginger wants to get back to full guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Cruz in particular looking to stall.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Cruz seems to be looking for submissions.
Cruz is looking to advance position but Ginger won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Ginger to get to his feet.

Cruz shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Ginger's guard.
Cruz chips away with some ground and pound.
Cruz controlling from the top position.
Cruz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Dante Cruz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cruz stays in close to Ginger's body and controls the position.

Ginger has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Cruz can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Cruz must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Cruz drops back looking for a leg! Ginger is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ginger manages to kick Cruz off! Cruz jumps back into Ginger's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to free his leg and advance position but Ginger is retaining full guard.

Cruz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Cruz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cruz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cruz sitting in guard here, content to control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cruz gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Cruz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dante Cruz'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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cruz shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Ginger eats them both and turns towards Cruz to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Ginger gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Cruz counters with a two punch combo.

Ginger is rocked!
Sloppy strikes from Cruz. Those never looked like landing.
Oh Ginger is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Ginger throws a series of punches but Cruz moves out of range.
Ginger fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ginger seems to have got his legs back now.
Ginger pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cruz lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cruz.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Cruz.
A lull in the action here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz tries for a kimura but Ginger is defending well.

Cruz is trying to get an arm triangle but Ginger is defending well.
Ginger is looking to regain half guard here but Cruz keeps moving and retains side control.

Cruz tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Ginger is looking to regain half guard here but Cruz keeps moving and retains side control.
Ginger being controlled for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Ginger gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Cruz drops an elbow to the side of Ginger's head.
Cruz looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Cruz wants to work for an arm triangle but Ginger is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Cruz wants to pass to mount but Ginger is defending the position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Cruz in particular looking to stall.
Cruz working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to pass the guard but Ginger defending well.
Cruz looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Cruz is trying to work for a kimura but Ginger is defending well.
Ginger throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Cruz perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Cruz's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Dante Cruz has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Ginger swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Cruz counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ginger!
Cruz dominating with strikes here.
Cruz lands a heavy elbow.
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 lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Cruz content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ginger keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Cruz wants to finish this one by submission but Ginger is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Cruz.
Cruz lands a nice shot to the head.
Meg Ginger has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dante Cruz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ginger is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Cruz raining down shots from the mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Dante Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cruz 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30

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