PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Lacruzzi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ali Carter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ali Carter will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Lacruzzi
vs
Carter

189 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 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 Montreal, John Lacruzzi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ali Carter!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Robert Douchet and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lacruzzi shoots in and drives through. Carter sprawls well.
Lacruzzi fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Carter wants to clinch up but Lacruzzi keeps it at a distance.
Carter tries a head kick but it misses.
Carter tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lacruzzi checks a leg kick.
No luck for Lacruzzi with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Lacruzzi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lacruzzi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Carter tries to avoid it but Lacruzzi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Carter to the ground. Carter escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Carter slaps away a takedown attempt from Lacruzzi, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Lacruzzi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Carter throws a head kick that misses.
Carter looks winded!
Carter throws a solid leg kick but Lacruzzi takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Carter.

Lacruzzi closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lacruzzi jumps guard.
Lacruzzi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Carter avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Lacruzzi.
Still in half guard, Lacruzzi seems content to control.
Lacruzzi's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Lacruzzi is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Carter doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Lacruzzi.
Lacruzzi is taking a breather. Carter 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lacruzzi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Lacruzzi stands up out of the half guard.
Lacruzzi feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Carter's calf.
Carter is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

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

Lacruzzi breaks from the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Carter slaps away a takedown attempt from Lacruzzi, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lacruzzi throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Carter fails with an attempt to clinch.
A head kick by Carter misses

and Lacruzzi moves into the clinch.
Carter prevents the takedown attempt.

Lacruzzi manages to break the clinch.
Carter tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lacruzzi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Carter throws a low kick but Lacruzzi avoids it.
Lacruzzi closes the distance and clinches up with Carter, looking for a takedown. Lacruzzi pushes Carter against the cage but Carter circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Carter buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Lacruzzi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Carter moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carter has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Carter is trying to break the clinch but Lacruzzi is controlling him.
Lacruzzi wants to take the fight to the mat but Carter manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Lacruzzi lands an uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lacruzzi is looking for a takedown.
Lacruzzi has Carter pressed against the cage, preventing Carter from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Lacruzzi landing knees to the head.
Carter working hard to break the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lacruzzi is working for takedown but Carter is calmly controlling the position for now.
Lacruzzi stops a takedown attempt from Carter.

Lacruzzi 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.

John Lacruzzi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lacruzzi moves into range and clinches up with Carter.

Lacruzzi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Carter fails with an attempt to clinch.

Lacruzzi clinches up against the cage.
Lacruzzi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Carter is trying to break the clinch but Lacruzzi is controlling him.

Lacruzzi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Carter misses with a head kick.
Carter throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Carter defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Lacruzzi.
Lacruzzi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lacruzzi throws a head kick but Carter moves out of range.
Lacruzzi throws a head kick that half lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Carter scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Carter moves in looking to clinch but Lacruzzi pushes him off.

Lacruzzi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Carter is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Lacruzzi to keep the fight standing.

Lacruzzi manages to break the clinch.

Lacruzzi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Lacruzzi putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Carter in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Lacruzzi manages to break the clinch.
Lacruzzi cracks the inside of Carter's front leg.
Lacruzzi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Carter as he jumps to the side.
Carter blocks a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lacruzzi shoots in looking for a takedown. Carter tries to sprawl out of it but Lacruzzi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Carter manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Lacruzzi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lacruzzi steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Carter. That one must have hurt.
Carter avoids the head kick by Lacruzzi.
Carter takes a kick to the side of the head.
Carter tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Carter doesn't manage to clinch there - Lacruzzi circles away.
No luck for Lacruzzi with that takedown attempt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice sprawl there from Carter as Lacruzzi shoots in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter swats away the attempt to clinch by Lacruzzi.
Lacruzzi on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Lacruzzi clinches up against the cage.
Carter is trying to break the clinch but Lacruzzi is controlling him.

Lacruzzi pulls guard successfully.
Lacruzzi will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Carter loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lacruzzi has his hands on Carter's head, controlling the position.
Carter preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lacruzzi throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Lacruzzi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Carter is one step ahead there.
Lacruzzi will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Lacruzzi had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Carter defends it easily.
Carter trying to control the position from guard on top but Lacruzzi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Carter must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Carter is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Lacruzzi dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Lacruzzi closes the distance and clinches.
Lacruzzi wants to take the fight to the mat but Carter manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Lacruzzi stalling.
Lacruzzi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Lacruzzi changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Carter fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Lacruzzi clinches with his opponent.
Carter wants a takedown.

Lacruzzi pulls guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lacruzzi has his hands on Carter's head, controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter is looking to stand up but Lacruzzi won't let him.
Lacruzzi keeping moving, preventing Carter from controlling successfully.

Lacruzzi is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Carter defends well.

Lacruzzi pushes Carter off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Ali Carter is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lacruzzi's corner calls for a 1-2. Lacruzzi obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Carter tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sloppy strikes from Lacruzzi. Those never looked like landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Carter is looking to clinch but Lacruzzi is avoiding it.

Lacruzzi moves into the clinch.
Lacruzzi lands with a short shot to the head.
Lacruzzi stalls.
Carter tries to break the clinch but Lacruzzi is controlling the position.
Carter stops a takedown attempt from Lacruzzi.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Lacruzzi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lacruzzi prevents Carter from breaking the clinch.
Lacruzzi jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Carter walks away with a smile on his face. Lacruzzi gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter tries a head kick but it misses.
Lacruzzi fails to land the takedown.
Carter scores with a head kick.
Carter is looking to clinch but Lacruzzi is avoiding it.
Lacruzzi fails to land with a series of punches.
Lacruzzi looks to land a combination but Carter avoids it well.
Carter misses with a body kick.

Lacruzzi takes the fight into the clinch.
Lacruzzi tries a knee to the head but Carter blocks it.
A frustrated look appears on Carter's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lacruzzi lands a knee to the head.

Lacruzzi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Carter is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lacruzzi throws a sloppy head kick
and Carter counters with a nice body kick.
Carter lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
John Lacruzzi has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Carter is defending well against a takedown attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lacruzzi tries to land a knee to the head but Carter blocks with his arms.
Lacruzzi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Carter blocks it with crossed arms.
Ali Carter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Lacruzzi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Carter lands a knee to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Lacruzzi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lacruzzi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Lacruzzi!