PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zak Drezner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Humberto Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Drezner's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Cypress Hill - Checkmate. Cruz has chosen Deja Vu as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Drezner
vs
Cruz

175 cm
30
162 lbs
25 - 5 - 2

170 cm
30
165 lbs
18 - 9 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

New World Order Clothing
Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $150

Conviction
160!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 5 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Zak Drezner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Humberto Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drezner throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cruz on the side of the head.
Cruz throws a shot to the body.
Cruz misses with an uppercut. Drezner saw that one coming.
Humberto Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz blocks a jab.
Drezner blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Cruz throws a body punch but Drezner moves out of range.
Cruz thows a left - swing and a miss!
A right-left combo lands from Cruz.
Drezner keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A big right from Drezner misses.
Drezner misses with a low kick.
Drezner throws out a loose jab but Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Drezner listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Cruz wants to slow Drezner down by chopping away at his legs.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Drezner is avoiding it.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Drezner moves away.
Drezner cracks Cruz with a good jab.
Drezner misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drezner keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cruz.
Drezner throws a low kick but Cruz moves out of range easily.
Drezner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Cruz clinches up with Drezner and pushes him back against the cage.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Drezner ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Cruz moves in looking to clinch but Drezner pushes him off.

Cruz gets a clinch.
Drezner throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Cruzs head.
Drezner throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Cruz lands a shoulder strike.
Cruz struggles to land a body shot inside as Drezner controls his hands.
Cruz misses with a punch on the inside.
Cruz prevents a body shot from Drezner.
Drezner throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Cruz misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drezner tries to break free but Cruz pushes him back against the cage.
Drezner lands a nice elbow.

Cruz gets control of Drezner's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cruz will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Cruz controls Drezner momentarily but Drezner frees himself.
Cruz pulls Drezner in close to his closed guard and prevents Drezner from doing any damage or advancing position.
Drezner controls from within his opponent's guard.
Drezner trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Cruz clobbers Drezner with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cruz connects with a single shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drezner wants to land a leg kick but Cruz is out of range.
Drezner goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Cruz throws a leg kick but Drezner checks it.
Drezner throws a good cross that connects.
Drezner lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Cruz avoids the head kick by Drezner.
Drezner lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.
Drezner misses with a hook.
Drezner wants to clinch up but Cruz keeps it at a distance.
Good work by Drezner as he checks the leg kick.
Cruz jabs at Drezner's body.
Cruz moves into range and connects with a jab.
Cruz takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Cruz tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Drezner counters with a straight right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Drezner misses with a lunging right hand
and Cruz counters with an outside leg kick.
Drezner looks to score with a jab to the body but Cruz is just out of range.
Cruz fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Drezner looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Cruz scores with a leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cruz. Drezner does a little dance to reset his feet.
A slow jab from Drezner misses its intended target.
Drezner throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Drezner missing with a left hand there. Cruz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Drezner swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Drezner staying out of range there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cruz misses with a kick to the body
and Drezner counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Zak Drezner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Drezner swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cruz misses with a low kick.
Drezner uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Zak Drezner will probably get the nod.
That's time! Drezner's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A jab from Cruz finds it's way through Drezner's defenses.
Cruz throws a body punch but Drezner moves out of range.
Zak Drezner is winning the standup battle so far.
Drezner takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Drezner throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.
Cruz swings for the body but Drezner moves out of range.
Cruz is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Drezner rather than just go for the knockout.
Cruz fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Drezner.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
Cruz fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Cruz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cruz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cruz tries to clinch up.
Cruz takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Drezner swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cruz.
Cruz takes one on the button.
Drezner keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz tries to clinch
and Drezner counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Cruz thuds a left hand into Drezner's body.
Cruz swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Cruz scores with a jab to the body.
Cruz looks to land a combination but Drezner avoids it well.
Drezner misses with a right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

Cruz shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Drezner keeping hold of Cruz's head, controlling as best he can.
Cruz looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drezner is trying to get back to full guard.
Drezner is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Cruz's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Cruz's back!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Drezner is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Drezner controlling well, preventing Cruz from escaping the position.
Drezner is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Will Drezner go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

The ref stands the fighters back up because Zak Drezner just wasn't active enough.
Cruz throws out a leg kick but Drezner moves out of range and Cruz only half commits.
Cruz tries to clinch but Drezner moves out of range.
Drezner ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cruz moves away.
Cruz throws a jab when Drezner was well out of range.
Drezner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cruz throws a body kick that misses.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Drezner circles away and keeps his distance.
Cruz lands with a nice body punch.
Cruz tries to clinch but Drezner is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Drezner to counter with a crisp jab.
Cruz thows a leg kick but Drezner checks it
and Drezner cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Drezner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cruz keeps the fight on the outside.
Cruz scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Drezner uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cruz.
Drezner tries to clinch but Cruz moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Cruz.
Drezner takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Drezner takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Drezner looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz tries to clinch
and Drezner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cruz throws the kick towards the body but Drezner avoids it.
Drezner scores with a nice strike.
Cruz slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Humberto Cruz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Drezner is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A good leg kick by Drezner.
Drezner misses with a looping right.
Drezner lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Drezner just misses with a punch to the body.
Drezner waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cruz.
Nice body kick from Cruz.
Drezner pivots, looking for a leg kick but Cruz is out of range and Drezner settles back down.
Drezner lands with a right hand.
Cruz lands with a good body shot.
Drezner throws a lazy right hand but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Cruz.
Drezner takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Cruz misses with a hook.
Drezner works the jab nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drezner tries to land a leg kick but Cruz saw it coming and moves away.
Cruz looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Drezner scores with a sloppy right hand. Cruz should have avoided that one.
Cruz throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Drezner misses with an uppercut. Cruz saw that one coming.
Cruz throws a body kick that misses.
Drezner throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.
Nice shot by Cruz.
Drezner lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Drezner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cruz scores with a shot to the body.
Cruz defending well as Drezner loads up on a big left hand.
Drezner misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cruz connects with a leg kick. Drezner looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Drezner lands a nice looking body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but Drezner shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Drezner throws a leg kick
enabling Cruz to counter with a crisp jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Drezner moves out of range easily.
Drezner misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cruz closes the distance but Drezner moves to the side
and Drezner counters with a leg kick.
Cruz throws a nice outside leg kick.
Cruz avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Drezner digs a good hook to Cruz's body.
Cruz just misses with a punch to the body.
Drezner is looking to chop away at Cruz's legs.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Cruz checks a leg kick.
Drezner connects with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cruz scores with a jab to the body.
Drezner misses with a head kick.
Cruz does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Drezner motions for Cruz to come forward. Drezner throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Drezner moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Good work by Drezner as he checks the leg kick.
A slow jab from Cruz misses its intended target.
Drezner throws a sloppy head kick and Cruz moves out of range easily.
Cruz wants to clinch
and Drezner counters with a stiff right hand.
Cruz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Drezner misses with a leg kick.
Drezner takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Drezner is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz moves in looking to clinch but Drezner pushes him off.
Drezner connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Cruz misses the jab.
Drezner throws a sloppy head kick and Cruz moves out of range easily.
Drezner throws a half hearted mid kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cruz. Drezner does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cruz takes a swing at Drezner's ribcage but misses.
Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Drezner.
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 tries to clinch but Drezner is having none of it.
Nice defenses there by Drezner.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drezner looks to throw the jab but Cruz is out of range.
Cruz walks into a jab.
Drezner throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Zak Drezner.
I think Drezner 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!