PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hope Solo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leon Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Solo
vs
Cruz

181 cm
25
177 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

200 cm
23
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hope Solo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Leon Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz shoots for a double leg takedown but Solo sprawls well. He's pushed Cruz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Solo pushes Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Solo working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Cruz pulls Solo into guard.
Solo trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Solo is looking to stand up but Cruz won't let him.
Solo looking to sit in guard and control but Cruz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Solo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cruz on the ground.
Solo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Cruz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cruz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Solo's head.
Solo on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Solo tries to get out of the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cruz's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Solo is trying to control the position but Cruz postures up.
Cruz is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cruz sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Solo's guard.

Solo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Solo tries to get to full guard but Cruz has control of the leg.

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

Cruz is working for a kimura but Solo is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Solo is defending against the submission attempts here by Cruz.
Solo trying to control but Cruz postures up.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Solo's head.
Solo tries to get to full guard but Cruz has control of the leg.
Solo is refusing to be controlled, as Cruz sits in half guard.

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.
Cruz lands strikes from half guard.
Solo keeping control of the position.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Solo's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solo wants to improve his position but Cruz is controlling well.
Solo trying to hold on to Cruz's head to control him but Cruz postures up.
Cruz not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Cruz is working for a submission of some sort.
Cruz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Solo keeps working.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Solo is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Solo throws a one two combo.
Cruz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Solo.
Solo misses with a straight right.
Solo doesn't manage to clinch there - Cruz circles away.
Nice defenses there by Cruz.

Solo closes the distance and clinches.
Solo tries to pull guard but Cruz won't allow it.
Solo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cruz tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Solo smiles and moves away.
Solo lands with an overhand left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Solo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Solo scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Solo throws the left hand but Cruz avoids the punch easily.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt - Solo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Solo lands an overhand right.
Hope Solo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Solo as he jumps to the side.
Hope Solo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Cruz.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Solo wants to clinch.
Solo tries to clinch there but Cruz circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Solo clinches.
Solo lands a nice uppercut.
Cruz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Solo's efforts to push away.
Cruz is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Solo gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Cruz is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Solo to keep the fight standing.
Solo can't get the takedown.
Solo has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Cruz pulls guard.
Cruz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Solo trying to move into half guard but instead Cruz has managed to sweep!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Solo is looking for a triangle but Cruz pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Solo doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Cruz trying to control but Solo is working from the bottom.
Cruz postures up.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Solo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Solo wants to sweep here but Cruz controlling him for the moment.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Solo controls Cruz momentarily but Cruz frees himself.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Solo looks to land a right hand but Cruz moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cruz.
Solo cracks Cruz with a right hand to the side of the head.
Solo connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Cruz momentarily.

Solo forces Cruz back against the cage and clinches.
Solo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
Solo lands a shoulder strike.
Solo is trying to break the clinch but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
Cruz wants a takedown but no success here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Solo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Solo tries to pull guard but Cruz won't allow it.
Solo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hope Solo dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Cruz moves out of range as Solo strikes.
Cruz shoots in for a double leg but Solo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Solo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cruz.
Cruz shoots in but Solo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hope Solo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Cruz.
Solo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.
Solo misses with an uppercut.
Solo lands with a nice combination. Cruz backs away looking to recover.
Solo misses with a looping right.
Solo lands a glancing blow to the side of Cruz's head.
Cruz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Solo scores with a three punch combo!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz slips a jab from Solo.

Cruz fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Solo sprawls well initially but Cruz persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Cruz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Solo trying to hold on to Cruz's head to control him but Cruz postures up.
Cruz is keen to just control but Solo is a slippery customer.

Cruz is trying to work for a kimura but Solo is defending well.

Cruz is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Solo defends it well.
Solo wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Solo's head.
Solo wants to get back to his feet.

Cruz stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Solo to get to his feet.
Solo bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Cruz's head.
Solo tries to clinch up.
Solo lands a nice shot that snaps Cruz's head back.
Leon Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Solo misses with a hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Solo tries to clinch there but Cruz circles away.
Cruz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Solo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solo paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Solo moves in looking to clinch but Cruz pushes him off.
Solo looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Solo misses with a series of wild punches.
A slow jab from Solo misses its intended target.
Solo throws an overhand right that lands on Cruz's shoulder, as Cruz tries to avoid the shot.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt - Solo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Solo misses with the combination.

Solo instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solo lands a nice uppercut.
Solo is working for takedown but Cruz is calmly controlling the position for now.
Solo scores with a nice hook to the head.
Solo is trying to push Cruz away but Cruz has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Solo is trying to pull guard but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
Cruz misses with a knee strike.
Cruz is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Solo is trying to break free.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Solo tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cruz just stands there and leans against the cage.
Solo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Cruz walks away with a smile on his face. Solo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A big left from Solo misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hope Solo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Solo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hope Solo!