PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ilkka Laitinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Humberto Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Laitinen comes to the cage accompanied by AC/DC - Thunderstruck. Cruz comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Deja Vu kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Laitinen
vs
Cruz

177 cm
34
165 lbs
36 - 15 - 0

170 cm
33
165 lbs
27 - 13 - 5

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

TWGC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

DJs Locker

GREEN!

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 36 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ilkka Laitinen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 13 - 5, fighting out of London, Humberto Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Cruz throws a shot to the body.
Laitinen leaves Cruz with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Cruz shoots in and gets a takedown into Laitinen's guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Laitinen looking to control.
Laitinen is looking to stand back up but Cruz counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Laitinen.
Cruz controlling the action here.

Cruz is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Laitinen has managed to free his arm - good work.
Laitinen is looking to improve his position.
Cruz is thwarting Laitinen's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laitinen is refusing to be controlled, as Cruz sits in half guard.
Laitinen is looking to escape.
Laitinen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cruz is working away from the top position though.
Cruz content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cruz looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Cruz fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Laitinen avoids it really well and circles away.
Humberto Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz avoids the body shot from Laitinen.
Cruz drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Laitinen takes one to the side of the head.
Laitinen throws a push kick but Cruz slaps the foot to one side.
Laitinen takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Laitinen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A chopping leg kick lands by Cruz.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Laitinen misses with a low kick.
Ilkka Laitinen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz misses with a low kick.

Cruz fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Laitinen to the ground. Cruz is now in Laitinen's guard.
Laitinen 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.
Laitinen is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laitinen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Laitinen is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Cruz lands a body punch in the clinch.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Laitinen forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ilkka Laitinen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Humberto Cruz.
Laitinen tries a body shot but Cruz blocks it.
Cruz fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Cruz is trying to pull guard but Laitinen turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Cruz misses with a body punch.
Laitinen gets through Cruz's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Cruz gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Cruz tries to pass to full mount but Laitinen defends it.
Cruz is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Laitinen works his way to full guard. Good work.
Laitinen is wriggling around but Cruz manages to pass to half guard.
Cruz wants to free his trapped foot but Laitinen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Cruz is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz wants to control but Laitinen is keeping him busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Laitinen is looking for a sweep. Cruz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Humberto Cruz dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cruz uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Laitinen misses with a few strikes there.
Cruz motions for Laitinen to come forward. Cruz throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Cruz throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Cruz cracks Laitinen with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Cruz takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Laitinen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cruz fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Laitinen is out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cruz. Laitinen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Decent striking displayed by Cruz there.
Laitinen lands a nice hook to Cruz's body. Cruz takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Laitinen throws a lazy right hand but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Laitinen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cruz finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Laitinen.
Cruz is looking to score with low kicks.
Cruz dips to his left and cracks Laitinen with an uppercut!
Laitinen misses with a body shot.
Laitinen just misses with a punch to the body.

Cruz looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Laitinen!
Laitinen struggling a bit here.
Laitinen regains half guard.
Laitinen wants to get back to full guard.
Cruz missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Laitinen trying to hold on to Cruz's head to control him but Cruz postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is looking to stall here but Laitinen recovers full guard.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Laitinen keeps moving.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Laitinen controlling the position.
Cruz advances position into side control!
Laitinen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cruz in side control, throwing shots but Laitinen defends.
Laitinen pushes Cruz away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Cruz gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Cruz tries for a kimura but Laitinen is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laitinen is trying to control Cruz's posture but Cruz avoids it.
Cruz trying to control the position but Laitinen is working away.
You can see the frustration on Laitinen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Laitinen is looking for a sweep.
Laitinen prevents Cruz from moving into mount.

Cruz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Laitinen is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Laitinen is letting Cruz control him for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laitinen is trying to get back to half guard.
Laitinen sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Laitinen wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy.
Laitinen wants to improve his position but Cruz is controlling well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cruz is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Laitinen sees it coming and defends easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz stops Laitinen from getting back to his feet.
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.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Laitinen. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Laitinen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Cruz turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Laitinen lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Laitinen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Cruz walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Laitinen checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Laitinen shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Cruz scores with a jab to the jaw.
Laitinen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruz was well out of range. Poor timing from Laitinen.
Humberto Cruz seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A low kick from Cruz is predictable there
and Laitinen counters with an inside leg kick.
Cruz scores with a body shot.
Nice defenses there by Laitinen.
Cruz pushes Laitinen away with a front kick.
Cruz checks a low kick from Laitinen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laitinen thows a body shot but no joy.
Laitinen scoring well with a low kick there.
Laitinen throws a front kick aimed at Cruz's knee but Cruz avoids it well.
Laitinen connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Cruz's hands.
Laitinen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Cruz looks to score with a jab to the body but Laitinen is just out of range.
Laitinen misses with a body shot.
Laitinen looks to score with a jab to the body but Cruz is just out of range.
Cruz shoots in for a double leg but Laitinen sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cruz swings for the body but Laitinen moves out of range.
Cruz throws a head kick that half lands.
Laitinen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ilkka Laitinen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Laitinen is looking to wear down Cruz with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laitinen throws a series of punches but Cruz moves out of range.
Laitinen gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cruz.
Laitinen fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
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 scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Laitinen paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Cruz walks into a straight right hand from Laitinen.
A low kick from Laitinen is predictable there

and Cruz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Cruz.
Cruz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Laitinen is keeping the position for now.
Cruz throws an elbow that misses. Laitinen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Cruz's guard. Nice move by Laitinen!
Cruz throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Cruz wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Laitinen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Laitinen from controlling successfully.

Cruz looking for a guillotine here but Laitinen defends easily.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Laitinen from controlling successfully.
Humberto Cruz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Cruz looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Cruz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Laitinen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz has control of Laitinen's left arm, preventing Laitinen from doing any damage.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A good leg kick by Cruz.
Laitinen lands with a thumping leg kick.
Laitinen looks to score with a jab to the body but Cruz is just out of range.
Laitinen jabs Cruz to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Cruz looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
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!
Laitinen checks a low kick from Cruz.
Cruz connects with a right hand. Laitinen shakes it off.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Laitinen misses with an attempted mid kick.
Laitinen misses with a low kick as Cruz jumps back.
Cruz tests Laitinen's chin there with a solid looking shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Humberto Cruz.
I've got Cruz winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Humberto Cruz!
Our winner, Humberto Cruz, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.