PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sly Stallone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robinson Cruzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Robinson Cruzo is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Stallone
vs
Cruzo

174 cm
25
190 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
20
190 lbs
1 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sly Stallone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Robinson Cruzo!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Luis Engracia and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruzo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stallone pinned against the cage. Stallone gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sly Stallone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruzo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Stallone paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Stallone definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Cruzo has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Stallone finds it's way round the side to connect with Cruzo's head.

It looks like Robinson Cruzo has been cut.
Cruzo shoots in but Stallone avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Stallone pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Cruzo back to the cage. Stallone follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stallone will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cruzo on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Stallone lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cruzo circles away quickly and effectively.
Stallone misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruzo.
Stallone misses with a straight right.
Stallone takes a swing at Cruzo's ribcage but misses.
Some wild striking there from Stallone.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stallone leaves Cruzo with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Sly Stallone has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robinson Cruzo.
Cruzo swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Stallone.
Cruzo throws a head kick that misses.
Stallone misses with a wild combination.
Cruzo tries for a takedown but Stallone sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Stallone tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruzo was well out of range. Poor timing from Stallone.
Stallone misses with a few strikes there.
Stallone lands a nice shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stallone. Cruzo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Stallone shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Cruzo eats them both and turns towards Stallone to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Stallone is breathing heavily.
Cruzo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Stallone but Stallone pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stallone misses with a jab, cross combination.
Jab from Stallone.
Sly Stallone is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Stallone will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Stallone is looking to wear down Cruzo with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Cruzo takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stallone misses the shot to the body.
Cruzo ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Cruzo misses the shot to the body.
Cruzo wants to clinch.
Stallone throws a body punch but Cruzo moves out of range.
Cruzo closes the distance and clinches up with Stallone, looking for a takedown. Cruzo pushes Stallone against the cage but Stallone circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruzo tries to clinch but Stallone is having none of it.
Stallone tries to bum rush Cruzo with a series of wild strikes but Cruzo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cruzo tries to clinch up.
Stallone misses with a few strikes there.
Cruzo throws a series of punches but Stallone avoids them all with ease.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stallone. Cruzo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cruzo looks for a takedown but Stallone sprawls well.
Stallone uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Cruzo shoots in and drives through. Stallone sprawls well.
Stallone throws a nice looking combination but Cruzo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stallone is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cruzo.
Cruzo tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruzo slips a jab and a cross from Stallone.
Stallone takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Cruzo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cruzo shoots in but Stallone avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Stallone throws a right hand that Cruzo ducks under and follows up with a left that Cruzo also avoids with ease.
No luck for Cruzo with that takedown attempt.
Stallone takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stallone swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cruzo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Stallone manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stallone throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sly Stallone dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Robinson Cruzo's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cruzo tries to clinch but Stallone is having none of it.
Stallone throws a hook but Cruzo blocks it.
Stallone lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Cruzo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Stallone stuffs the takedown.
Stallone throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruzo.
Stallone avoids a punch combination nicely.
Stallone swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Cruzo.
Stallone misses with a series of wild punches.
Stallone misses with a double jab
and Cruzo counters with a head kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cruzo avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stallone tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruzo was well out of range. Poor timing from Stallone.
Sly Stallone is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruzo fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cruzo takes a swing at Stallone's ribcage but misses.
Stallone cracks Cruzo with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Cruzo throws a head kick but Stallone moves out of range.
Stallone throws an overhand right that lands on Cruzo's shoulder, as Cruzo tries to avoid the shot.
Cruzo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cruzo is trying desperately to land a takedown but Stallone is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Cruzo.

Cruzo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cruzo trying to control the position but Stallone is working away.
Stallone is looking for a sweep.
Stallone on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Stallone tries to get out of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruzo is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Stallone has escaped the position, nice work there.

Cruzo has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice uppercut there from Stallone.
Stallone throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cruzo counters with a nice leg kick.
Cruzo throws a nice outside leg kick.
Stallone fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cruzo fails with a takedown attempt.
Sly Stallone has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robinson Cruzo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cruzo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Stallone as he jumps to the side.
Cruzo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Stallone as he avoids it easily.
Stallone stalks Cruzo and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Cruzo's face. Cruzo staggers backwards, shaken.
Cruzo takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Stallone throws a combination that misses

and Cruzo counters by clinching up.
Stallone wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cruzo is trying to pull guard but Stallone has him pressed against the cage.
Stallone is pressed up against the cage. Cruzo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Stallone down to the mat. Stallone avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stallone misses with a double jab.
Cruzo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Stallone throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cruzo counters with a head kick.
Stallone defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruzo.
Cruzo takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Stallone misses with the combination.
Sly Stallone is winning the standup battle so far.
Stallone misses with a wild combination.
Stallone scores with a punch to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stallone keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruzo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Robinson Cruzo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Robinson Cruzo's cut.
That's time! Stallone's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Stallone digs a good hook to Cruzo's body.
Cruzo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cruzo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
No joy there for Stallone, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cruzo wants to clinch.
Stallone throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruzo.
Cruzo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sly Stallone has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robinson Cruzo.
Some wild striking there from Stallone.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stallone ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stallone comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Stallone misses with a double jab
and Cruzo counters with a head kick.
Cruzo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Stallone throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruzo.
Cruzo throws a combination. Stallone tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Cruzo is looking to clinch but Stallone is avoiding it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cruzo.
Cruzo takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Cruzo avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stallone swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cruzo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stallone swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cruzo closes the distance and clinches up with Stallone, looking for a takedown. Cruzo pushes Stallone against the cage but Stallone circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Stallone lands a body shot.
Cruzo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Stallone throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruzo.
Cruzo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Stallone but Stallone pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Stallone connects with a body shot.
Cruzo ducks under a wild hook from Stallone.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruzo tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Stallone counters with a left and a right that stings Cruzo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stallone misses with a two punch combination.
Cruzo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Stallone sprawls well. Stallone wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cruzo gets slowly back to his feet.
Stallone lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Cruzo takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Cruzo goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Stallone throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cruzo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Stallone circles away from the clinch attempt
and Stallone counters with a left and a right that stings Cruzo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stallone lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Cruzo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Stallone scores with a sloppy right hand. Cruzo should have avoided that one.
Stallone defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruzo.
Cruzo takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Stallone connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cruzo is defended easily by Stallone.
Stallone misses with a double jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cruzo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Stallone throws out the jab.
Stallone jabbing away but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sly Stallone showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Stallone 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sly Stallone!
During a confident post fight interview, Sly Stallone thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.