PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Alexander Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chuck Liddell (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.

Cruz
vs
Liddell

180 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Excellent boxer
Big heart

Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alexander Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Chuck Liddell!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Aafke Stam and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Liddell avoids a kick to the body.
Cruz throws a right and a left that Liddell avoids nicely.
A head kick misses from Cruz.
Liddell throws a series of punches but Cruz moves out of range.
Cruz lands a nice shot to the body.
Liddell tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Liddell wants to clinch
and Liddell takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Liddell will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cruz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Liddell is looking to land body kicks.
Liddell throws a half hearted mid kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Liddell looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cruz misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz clinches.
A right hook to the body lands for Cruz.
Liddell is trying to maintain a safe position but Cruz gets an underhook and turns Liddell into the ropes.
Cruz tries to land knees in the clinch but Liddell avoids the damage to the body.
Liddell is trying to maintain a safe position but Cruz gets an underhook and turns Liddell into the ropes.
Liddell leaning against his opponent.

Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruz throws a body punch but Liddell moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Cruz.
Liddell avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liddell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruz.
Liddell tries to clinch there but Cruz circles away.
Liddell avoids a kick to the body.
Liddell ducks right into an uppercut from Cruz.
Cruz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Liddell rushes Cruz and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cruz is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Liddell is defending well for now.
Cruz keeps control of Liddell as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cruz misses with a knee to the head.

Cruz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Liddell misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Liddell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Cruz darts in and clinches Liddell up against the ropes.
Liddell prevents Cruz from breaking the clinch.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Liddell.

Liddell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz throws a leg kick but Liddell checks it.

Liddell darts in and clinches Cruz up against the ropes.
Liddell taking a breather.
Liddell keeps control of Cruz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Liddell lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Liddell's efforts to push away.
Cruz blocks the elbow strike.
Cruz is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Cruz is trying to break free.
Cruz looking to slow down the pace here.
Liddell keeps control of Cruz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Liddell misses with a double jab

and Cruz counters by moving into the clinch.
Cruz trying to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Cruz dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cruz gets tackled into the ropes by Liddell. Liddell maintains the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Liddell.

Liddell manages to break the clinch.

Liddell has closed the distance and engaged Cruz in a clinch.

Cruz breaks from the clinch.
Cruz looks to clinch

and Liddell counters by moving into the clinch.
Liddell makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Liddell is trying to force a seperation but Cruz has the dominant position.
Liddell creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cruz's defenses.

It looks like Alexander Cruz has been cut.

Cruz manages to break the clinch.

Liddell clinches up with Cruz and pushes him back against the ropes.
Liddell wants to get back to striking at distance but Cruz won't allow it.
Liddell tries to break the clinch but Cruz is controlling the position.
Liddell is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cruz is defending well for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Alexander Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Liddell manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Liddell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cruz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Liddell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cruz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cruz tries to clinch up
and Liddell makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Liddell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cruz swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Liddell counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Liddell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
Cruz throws a predictable looking body shot
and Liddell counters with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz circles away from the clinch attempt

and Cruz counters by clinching up.
Liddell missing with knees to the body.

Liddell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Liddell fails in his attempt to clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Liddell gets tackled into the ropes by Cruz. Cruz maintains the clinch.
Cruz is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Liddell is keeping busy.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Liddell swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Liddell moves in looking to clinch but Cruz pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell misses with a head kick.
Cruz misses with an attempted mid kick.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
Liddell blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
A head kick misses from Liddell.
Liddell tries to clinch up.
Liddell moves in looking to clinch but Cruz pushes him off.
Liddell throws a right and a left that Cruz avoids nicely.
Cruz takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Cruz closes the distance and pushes Liddell back into the ropes.
Cruz is trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is keeping an eye on Liddell - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Cruz keeps control of Liddell as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cruz is trying to maintain a safe position but Liddell gets an underhook and turns Cruz into the ropes.
Cruz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Liddell has him pressed against the ropes.
Liddell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Chuck Liddell seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Cruz is trying to maintain a safe position but Liddell gets an underhook and turns Cruz into the ropes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Liddell.
Liddell blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Liddell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chuck Liddell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Alexander Cruz's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Liddell.
Liddell stalks Cruz and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Cruz's face. Cruz staggers backwards, shaken.

Liddell moves into range and clinches up with Cruz.
Liddell misses with the head strike.
Cruz throws a head punch that misses.
Liddell prevents Cruz from breaking the clinch.
Liddell has Cruz pressed against the ropes, preventing Cruz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cruz avoids a wild elbow strike from Liddell.
Liddell stalls.
Cruz looking to slow down the pace here.
Cruz is trying to force a seperation but Liddell has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell is trying to maintain a safe position but Cruz gets an underhook and turns Liddell into the ropes.

Liddell manages to break the clinch.

Liddell moves into the clinch.

Liddell manages to break the clinch.
A head kick misses from Cruz.
Cruz takes a swing at Liddell's ribcage but misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Liddell throws a leg kick but Cruz moved away.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Liddell circles away.
Liddell fails in his attempt to clinch.
Liddell has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liddell tries a head kick but it misses.
Liddell tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Liddell has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cruz looking to throw knees to the head but Liddell is blocking nicely.
Cruz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cruz prevents a body shot from Liddell.

Liddell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Liddell moves into the clinch successfully.
Liddell is looking to break free of the clinch but Cruz has double underhooks.
Cruz trying to control the position but instead, Liddell has worked for underhooks and has pushed Cruz into the ropes.
Cruz pushes Liddell back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell prevents Cruz from breaking the clinch.
Liddell scores with a shot to the side of Cruz's head.
Cruz looking to stall.
Cruz with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Liddell throws a punch but it's blocked by Cruz.

Liddell breaks the clinch.
Cruz takes a swing at Liddell's ribcage but misses.
Cruz swinging wildly here.
Cruz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Liddell circles away quickly and effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
Liddell works Cruz's body with a nice hook.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Liddell fails with an attempt to clinch.
Liddell tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Liddell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruz.
Liddell doesn't manage to clinch there - Cruz circles away.
Cruz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cruz misses with a kick to the body.

Cruz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Liddell, pushing him back against the ropes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz dodges an elbow strike from Liddell.
Cruz misses with a body punch.
Liddell looking to slow down the pace here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Chuck Liddell just about did enough to take it.
The cut man is working on Alexander Cruz's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Liddell clinches up with Cruz and pushes him back against the ropes.

Liddell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Liddell looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A looping hook to the body misses from Liddell. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Liddell is looking to clinch.
Liddell tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Cruz misses with a left hand
and Liddell cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Liddell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Liddell misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cruz tried to score with a low kick but Liddell checks it.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is looking to land body kicks.
Cruz walks into a straight right hand from Liddell.
Cruz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Liddell.
Liddell tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Liddell tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Liddell misses with a head kick.
Cruz scores with a sloppy right hand. Liddell should have avoided that one.
Liddell misses with a jab, cross combination.
Liddell tries to clinch there but Cruz circles away.
A leg kick checked by Liddell.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Liddell circles away and keeps his distance.
Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Liddell.
Cruz tries to land a leg kick but Liddell saw it coming and moves away.
Cruz wants to clinch up but Liddell keeps it at a distance.

Cruz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Cruz breaks the clinch.

Liddell has managed to clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz leaning against his opponent.
Cruz blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cruz has had enough of the clinch but Liddell keeps him there for the moment.
Liddell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz stalling in the clinch but Liddell improves position.
Cruz scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Cruz is trying to stall.
Liddell can't break the clinch.
Liddell has Cruz pressed against the ropes, preventing Cruz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Liddell blocking some punches.

Liddell breaks from the clinch.
Liddell tries to close the distance and clinch but Cruz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Liddell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Liddell tries to clinch up.

Cruz moves into range and clinches up with Liddell.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Liddell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cruz misses with a kick to the body.
Cruz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cruz is looking to score with low kicks.
Cruz keeps the fight on the outside.
Liddell avoids the head kick by Cruz.

Liddell drives through and clinches with Cruz against the ropes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cruz misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Cruz stalling in the clinch but Liddell improves position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Alexander Cruz will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Alexander Cruz's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Liddell pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Cruz moves into the clinch successfully.
Liddell is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Liddell is persisting with his attempts to control the action in the clinch, rather than do any real damage.

Liddell manages to break the clinch.

Cruz rushes Liddell and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Cruz as Liddell tries to tie him up.
Liddell lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.
Cruz goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Liddell wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the ropes.
Liddell wants to get back to striking at distance but Cruz won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Liddell breaks the clinch.
Cruz comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Liddell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Liddell swats away the attempt to clinch by Cruz.
Cruz looks to land a combination but Liddell avoids it well.
Cruz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Liddell tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Liddell circles away.

Liddell tries to keep at a distance but Cruz has taken the fight into the clinch.

Liddell breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Liddell is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Liddell closes the distance and pushes Cruz back into the ropes.
Cruz trying to stall but Liddell improves his position.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

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

Liddell gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Liddell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Liddell cracks a nice hook into Cruz's ribs.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell misses with a two punch combination.
Liddell tries to clinch up but Cruz circles away and keeps his distance.
Liddell moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Liddell moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Liddell thuds a left hand into Cruz's body.
Liddell misses with a low kick.
Cruz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Liddell lands a slapping body shot.
Cruz takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Liddell looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A leg kick checked by Cruz.
Chuck Liddell seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Liddell is looking to clinch but Cruz is avoiding it.
Liddell uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Liddell scores with a one two! Cruz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Liddell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Liddell tries to clinch up.
Liddell tries to clinch there but Cruz circles away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Liddell throws a one two combo.
Liddell throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cruz stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Liddell paws at him with a jab and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chuck Liddell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Liddell 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 47:48
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 47:48
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chuck Liddell!