PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luciano Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Nigh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Smack That. Luciano Cruz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cruz
vs
Nigh

185 cm
26
200 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

185 cm
26
210 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Luciano Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Thomas Nigh!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Ian Loll and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz shoots in but Nigh avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Nigh takes the fight into the clinch.
Cruz looking for a takedown.
Cruz tries to break free but Nigh pushes him back against the cage.
Cruz has had enough of the clinch but Nigh keeps him there for the moment.
Nigh prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luciano Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nigh dodges an elbow strike from Cruz.
Cruz missing with knees to the body.
Cruz wants to stall.

Cruz ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Cruz no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Cruz wants to stand up but Nigh is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz is working an open guard so Nigh takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Nigh moves into the clinch.
Nigh blocks an elbow strike from Cruz.

Nigh's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nigh defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruz.
Nigh misses with an attempted mid kick.
Cruz has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Cruz shoots and misses

and Nigh counters by clinching up.

Nigh manages to break the clinch.
Cruz fails with the takedown

so Nigh counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Nigh decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Nigh moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nigh stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Cruz has Nigh pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Nigh manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Nigh gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Luciano Cruz has been cut.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Nigh won't allow it.
Nigh lands an elbow just above Cruz 's eye.

Nigh breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nigh wants to clinch up but Cruz keeps it at a distance.
Thomas Nigh is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt

and Nigh counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Nigh.
Cruz is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Nigh is defending well.
Cruz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nigh escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nigh tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruz throws a shot from downtown. Nigh moves away and avoids it.
Cruz with a lazy takedown attempt
and Nigh counters with a body kick that stops Cruz in his tracks momentarily.

Cruz gets tackled into the cage by Nigh. Nigh maintains the clinch.

Nigh pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nigh looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Nigh closes the distance and clinches.

Nigh's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nigh bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Nigh clinches with his opponent.
Nigh using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nigh's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Nigh moves into the clinch.

Nigh breaks the clinch.
Nigh fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Nigh connects with a solid leg kick.

Nigh clinches with his opponent.
Nigh content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Cruz throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nigh blocks it with crossed arms.

Nigh breaks the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Nigh moves into range and clinches up with Cruz.
Cruz drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Nigh gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cruz misses with the head strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Nigh dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Luciano Cruz's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nigh tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruz tries to clinch but Nigh moves out of range.
Cruz shoots in but no luck this time.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Thomas Nigh seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Nigh moves into the clinch successfully.
Knees in the clinch landing for Nigh.
Cruz misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Nigh's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nigh lands a head kick!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fighters circle, before Nigh throws a beautiful high kick that crashes into Cruz's neck, sending him stumbling to the floor! Nigh lands more strikes and forces a referee stoppage! That one ended in an instant!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:52 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick & Punches). Thomas Nigh!
Luciano Cruz spoke after the fight, saying 'I will be back'.