PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ernesto Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Fu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fu has chosen SDJ-COMMANDOS as his entrance music. Thomas Fu is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Cruz
vs
Fu

185 cm
24
195 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

187 cm
31
194 lbs
22 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Just Fight (Everything 7$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ernesto Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Thomas Fu!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Daniel Blasius and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fu swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Cruz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cruz seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Fu throws a sloppy head kick and Cruz moves out of range easily.
Fu tries to score with a low kick but Cruz moves his leg out of the way.
Cruz shoots in but no luck this time.
Fu throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ernesto Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fu fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Cruz checks it well.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Fu circles away and keeps his distance.
Fu has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Cruz is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Fu throws a sloppy head kick and Cruz moves out of range easily.
A big right from Fu misses.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fu swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cruz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Fu manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
Cruz wants to clinch.
Fu lands a nice leg kick that just misses Cruz's sensitive parts.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Fu circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Fu circles away.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Fu circles away and keeps his distance.
Fu stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ernesto Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cruz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cruz looking for a takedown.
Cruz is trying to drag Fu to the mat but Fu just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Cruz throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Fu blocks it with crossed arms.
Fu has a couple of punches blocked by Cruz.
Cruz drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Fu gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fu wants to break free but Cruz has control.
Fu has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cruz tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cruz with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Fu has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cruz misses with a knee strike.
Fu misses with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Fu after a bit of a struggle.
A frustrated look appears on Fu's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cruz prevents a body shot from Fu.
Cruz tries for a takedown. No joy.
A frustrated look appears on Fu's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cruz wants a takedown but no success here.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but Fu blocks with his arms.
Cruz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Fu prevents it.
A frustrated look appears on Fu's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Fu's efforts to push away.
Fu looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cruz is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Fu gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Fu breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cruz avoids the head kick by Fu.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cruz takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Fu misses with a series of wild punches.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Fu as he jumps to the side.
Fu connects with a solid leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Thomas Fu will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cruz gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Cruz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Fu circles away.
Cruz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Fu misses with a straight right.
Cruz moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Fu looks to score with a jab to the body but Cruz is just out of range.
Cruz tries to clinch but Fu moves out of range.
Cruz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Fu manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Cruz bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cruz throws an elbow but Fu slips to the side and avoids it well.

Cruz decides to stand back up. Cruz steps back and let's Fu get back to his feet.
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 clinches up with Fu and pushes him back against the cage.
Cruz stalling against the cage.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Fu manages to break the clinch.
Thomas Fu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fu throws a head kick that misses.
Fu pivots, looking for a leg kick but Cruz is out of range and Fu settles back down.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown but Fu manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cruz's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ernesto Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fu thows a left - swing and a miss!
A head kick misses from Fu.
Fu scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A jab from Fu misses.
Cruz has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Fu.
Cruz tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Fu defends well and Cruz ends up having to push Fu into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Fu tries to break free but Cruz pushes him back against the cage.

Cruz has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Fu regains guard immediately.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fu can do anything to dispel that myth.

Cruz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cruz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Fu wants to get back to his feet but Cruz is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fu working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cruz.

Cruz drops back looking for a leg! Fu is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Fu manages to kick Cruz off! Cruz jumps back into Fu's guard.
Cruz postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Fu's guard.
Cruz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Cruz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Fu really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cruz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cruz working the head and body with strikes.
Fu is trying to stand up here but Cruz is controlling him well.
Cruz throwing shots but Fu is blocking nicely.
Fu is not content to let Cruz control the position.

Cruz wants to work for an arm triangle but Fu is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cruz seems to be looking for submissions.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Fu is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Cruz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Fu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cruz wants to take a breather but Fu is having none of it.
Cruz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fu defending well though.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Fu's head.
Fu tries to kick Cruz off but Cruz keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Cruz frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ernesto Cruz dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Fu throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Cruz moves out of range of the leg kick from Fu.
A leg kick checked by Cruz.
Cruz moves out of range of the leg kick from Fu.
Cruz tries to clinch but Fu is having none of it.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Fu is avoiding it.

Cruz dives in and scores a takedown into Fu's guard.
Cruz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cruz with a nice head shot there.
Fu preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cruz is pushing down on Fu's leg trying to pass to half guard. Fu is fighting to maintain full guard but Cruz has managed to sneak the leg through.
Cruz throwing shots but Fu is blocking nicely.

Cruz is working for a submission of some sort.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz thows a huge punch but Fu dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fu is not content to let Cruz control the position.
Cruz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fu defending well though.
Cruz is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Fu's head.
Cruz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Fu blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cruz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Cruz decides to return to a standing position.
Fu lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Fu throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Fu tries to keep at a distance but Cruz has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cruz throws a knee to the head but misses.
Fu swings wildly with an uppercut but Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cruz blocks an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Cruz is looking for a takedown.
Fu avoiding damage as Cruz throws knees to the body.
Fu tries to break the clinch but Cruz is controlling the position.
Cruz drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Fu gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ernesto Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fu tries to break free but Cruz pushes him back against the cage.
Cruz wants to take the fight to the mat but Fu manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Fu manages to break the clinch.
Fu lands a head kick. Cruz smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Cruz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Fu is avoiding it.
Cruz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cruz tries to clinch but Fu moves away
and Fu counters with a good low kick that Cruz was not able to check.

Cruz drives through with a takedown into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ernesto Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cruz 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ernesto Cruz!
Ernesto Cruz opened up his post fight interview with a scream to camera that he wants a title shot! Whether he deserves the shot will be up to the management of the organization, so I guess he'll have to wait and see.