PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joey Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Donnie Brasco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joey Cruz looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Cruz
vs
Brasco

157 cm
18
130 lbs
4 - 9 - 0

225 cm
18
135 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 9 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Joey Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Donnie Brasco!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brasco shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cruz pinned against the cage. Cruz gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cruz looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Cruz keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Brasco tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz wants to clinch.
Brasco shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cruz defends it nicely.
Joey Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donnie Brasco.
Brasco lands a nice looking body kick.
Cruz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cruz looks to land a left hand but Brasco moved out of range nicely.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Brasco moves out of range easily.
Brasco is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cruz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Brasco moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Brasco forces Cruz back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Brasco breaks the clinch.
Brasco is looking to clinch.
Cruz rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Brasco counters with a nice body kick.
Joey Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Brasco.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Brasco shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Brasco shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cruz as he jumps to the side.
Brasco lands a high kick!
Cruz throws a head kick that misses
and Brasco counters with a leg kick.

Brasco has Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz takes a shot to the head.
Cruz misses with the head strike.
Cruz stops a takedown attempt from Brasco.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brasco drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Cruz gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Brasco keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cruz's efforts to push away.
Cruz is trying to break the clinch but Brasco is controlling him.
Brasco tries to pull guard but Cruz won't allow it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Brasco breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cruz throws a left and a right that both miss

and Brasco moves into the clinch.

Brasco breaks from the clinch.

Brasco moves into range and clinches up with Cruz.

Cruz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Joey Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Brasco scores with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Cruz.
Brasco plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Brasco tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Brasco closes the distance and clinches up with Cruz, looking for a takedown. Brasco pushes Cruz against the cage but Cruz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A head kick misses from Cruz.
Cruz swinging wildly here.

Brasco has managed to clinch.
Brasco stalling against the cage.

Cruz breaks the clinch.
Cruz misses with a series of wild punches.
Brasco fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cruz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Brasco moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Brasco clinches up with Cruz and pushes him back against the cage.
Brasco tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Cruz manages to break the clinch.
Brasco fakes the leg kick and cracks Cruz in the body.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A combination from Cruz does no damage.
Brasco lands a nice hook to Cruz's body. Cruz takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Cruz throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Brasco sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Brasco shoots in for a double leg but Cruz sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Brasco throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cruz's waist but Cruz gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Brasco off to one side.
Cruz misses with a head kick.
Cruz throws a head kick but Brasco moves out of range.
Cruz falls off balance throwing a combination
and Brasco counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Cruz is lucky that one didn't land flush.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donnie Brasco dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Brasco dodges the punch combination from Cruz.
Brasco tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cruz swivels and escapes.

Brasco has Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz has had enough of the clinch but Brasco keeps him there for the moment.
Brasco wants a takedown but no success here.
Brasco tries for a takedown. No joy.
Joey Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donnie Brasco.

Brasco jumps guard.
Brasco wants to sweep here but Cruz controlling him for the moment.
Cruz is fighting to break Brasco's control of his arms but Brasco is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cruz throws an elbow that misses. Brasco uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Cruz's guard. Nice move by Brasco!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Brasco stops Cruz from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brasco controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Cruz wants to stand and escape but Brasco is having none of it.
Cruz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Brasco.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz wants to stand but Brasco is controlling the position.

Brasco stands up from Cruz's guard - Brasco perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz closes the distance and pushes Brasco back into the cage.
Cruz wants to break free but Brasco has control.

Brasco decides to pull guard.
Cruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cruz might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cruz postures up in Brasco's guard and throws a big left but Brasco blocks it.
Brasco bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cruz's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Brasco missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Brasco won't allow Cruz to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet but Brasco passes into half guard.
Brasco with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Cruz has one foot on Brasco's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Cruz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Brasco tries to clinch but Cruz moves out of range.
Brasco misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brasco tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cruz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Brasco lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Cruz throws a nice looking combination but Brasco bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Brasco tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cruz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Brasco somewhat.
Brasco throws a combination. Cruz tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Cruz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruz wants to clinch
and Brasco counters with a leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz misses with a few strikes there.
Cruz misses with a double jab.
Brasco lands with a slapping head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Donnie Brasco will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Brasco defending well as Cruz loads up on a big left hand.
Brasco scores with a one two! Cruz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Brasco takes the fight into the clinch.
Brasco has Cruz pushed against the cage.
Cruz working aggressively here.
Cruz has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Brasco scores with a knee to the head.
Brasco goes for a takedown attempt but Cruz pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Brasco fails with a takedown attempt.
Brasco misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
Joey Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz moves into range and clinches up with Brasco.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cruz can't break the clinch.

Brasco pulls Cruz into guard.
Cruz is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Brasco is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Cruz distracts Brasco with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Cruz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Brasco has Cruz pulled in close to control his posture.
Cruz throws a strike but Brasco rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet but Brasco is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brasco trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Brasco stops Cruz from standing up.
Cruz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Brasco in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz wants to stand but Brasco is controlling the position.
Brasco stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Joey Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to stand but Brasco is controlling the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Brasco from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Donnie Brasco was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Cruz lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Cruz has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Brasco blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Brasco shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cruz as he avoids it easily.
Joey Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donnie Brasco.
Cruz takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Cruz misses with a few strikes there.
Brasco lands with a kick to the temple. Cruz shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Cruz misses with a double jab
and Brasco makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brasco shoots in for a double leg but Cruz sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Cruz moves to clinch but Brasco breaks away
and Brasco counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cruz thinking.
Brasco scores with a body shot.
Brasco throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruz.
A big left from Cruz misses.
Joey Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brasco blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Brasco cracks Cruz with a good jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cruz throws a nice looking combination but Brasco bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cruz throws a head kick but Brasco moves out of range.
Brasco shoots in but Cruz avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Donnie Brasco is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Donnie Brasco seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Brasco shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Donnie Brasco.
I've got Brasco 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!