PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marlon Delacruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Sawyer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marlon Delacruz has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Delacruz
vs
Sawyer

223 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

182 cm
24
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Marlon Delacruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Sawyer!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Elvis Blanc and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Delacruz tries to clinch but Sawyer is having none of it.
Delacruz tries to clinch up
and Sawyer counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Sawyer fails with a takedown attempt.

Sawyer darts in and clinches Delacruz up against the cage.
Sawyer stops a takedown attempt from Delacruz.
Sawyer gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Delacruz.

Delacruz tightens his grip and picks Sawyer up, before dumping him to the ground. Sawyer manages to land in guard.
Delacruz won't allow Sawyer to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sawyer preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sawyer has his hands on Delacruz's head, controlling the position.
Delacruz postures up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. James Sawyer hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Delacruz shoots in for a takedown but Sawyer shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marlon Delacruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sawyer clinches up against the cage.
Sawyer tries for a takedown but Delacruz manages to get underhooks.

Delacruz is trying to trip Sawyer. He has hold of a leg but Sawyer is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Delacruz persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sawyer manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Sawyer jumps into guard, dragging Delacruz to the mat.
Sawyer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sawyer tries to strike from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sawyer wants to stand up but Delacruz is controlling him.
Sawyer is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Sawyer working for a triangle but Delacruz defends it easily.
Sawyer is trying to keep Delacruz in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sawyer has his foot on Delacruz's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Delacruz works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sawyer is trying to hold Delacruz in close to prevent damage but Delacruz has managed to pass into half guard.

Delacruz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Sawyer is just riding it out for now. Delacruz eventually gives up the hold.
Sawyer is controlling Delacruz's trapped leg to prevent Delacruz from advancing to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Delacruz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Sawyer trying to hold on to Delacruz's head to control him but Delacruz postures up.
Delacruz really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Delacruz looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Delacruz is looking for a kimura but Sawyer is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Delacruz to get the leverage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but James Sawyer will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Delacruz tries to clinch

and Sawyer counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sawyer.
Sawyer throws an elbow that misses. Delacruz uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sawyer's guard. Nice move by Delacruz!
Sawyer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sawyer controlling Delacruz's posture.
Delacruz stopping the sweep attempt from Sawyer.
Delacruz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sawyer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sawyer pulls Delacruz in to control the position.

Delacruz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sawyer has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Delacruz has managed to get both his arms back between Sawyer's legs - danger averted.
Delacruz lands a couple of elbows.
Sawyer looking to hit a scissor sweep but Delacruz is one step ahead there.
Sawyer pulls Delacruz in close to prevent any damage.
Delacruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sawyer throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Delacruz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Sawyer looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Delacruz landing some decent shots from guard.
Delacruz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sawyer wants to sweep here but Delacruz controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Delacruz lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Delacruz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Delacruz's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Delacruz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Delacruz has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Delacruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Delacruz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sawyer works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sawyer trying to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Delacruz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sawyer working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Delacruz doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Delacruz manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sawyer is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Delacruz lands a couple of elbows.
Delacruz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sawyer has momentary wrist control but Delacruz slips an elbow through the middle.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sawyer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Delacruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Sawyer has wrist control.
Delacruz throwing strikes from guard but Sawyer blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Marlon Delacruz will probably get the nod.
That's time! Delacruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Delacruz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Delacruz wants to clinch up but Sawyer keeps it at a distance.
James Sawyer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sawyer scores with a spinning back kick!

Sawyer drives through with a takedown into Delacruz's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Sawyer trying to control the position from guard on top but Delacruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Delacruz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Delacruz trying to control the position.

Sawyer got a little sloppy there for a moment and Delacruz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sawyer has managed to get both his arms back between Delacruz's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sawyer is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

James Sawyer has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Sawyer moves into the clinch successfully.
Delacruz tries for a takedown but Sawyer manages to get underhooks.

Sawyer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Sawyer darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Delacruz is looking to escape.
Delacruz gets full guard.
Sawyer wants to control from the top but Delacruz keeps moving.
Sawyer not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Delacruz has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Sawyer off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Delacruz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sawyer manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Delacruz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sawyer.

Sawyer closes the distance and clinches.
Delacruz is trying to drag Sawyer to the mat but Sawyer just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Sawyer successfully pulls guard.
Sawyer is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sawyer has control of Delacruz's left arm, preventing Delacruz from doing any damage.
Delacruz lands a couple of digs.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Sawyer manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

Sawyer pulls guard.
Sawyer takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Delacruz with a flurry of punches that miss.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Delacruz with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Delacruz is working Sawyer over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Sawyer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sawyer has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Sawyer!