PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Taylor Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Gracie
vs
Cruz

190 cm
25
224 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
19
245 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Basic striking
Good chin

Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Taylor Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alex Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Aleksandr Martynov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cruz tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Gracie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz tries to clinch up.
Gracie appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gracie changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Cruz drives through and clinches with Gracie against the ropes.
Gracie working aggressively here.
Cruz pushes off an throws an elbow but Gracie leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Cruz gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Taylor Gracie has been cut.
Gracie controlling the action here for a moment.
Gracie comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Cruz creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gracie's defenses.
Cruz swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Gracie.
Gracie avoiding damage as Cruz throws knees to the body.
Gracie takes a knee right on the jaw!
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 tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
I was talking to Gracie's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Cruz lands a nice elbow.
Gracie is trying to break the clinch but Cruz is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gracie's efforts to push away.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gracie.
Cruz goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cruz tries a body shot but Gracie blocks it.
Cruz tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gracie is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cruz is defending well for now.
Cruz misses with a knee strike.
Gracie trying to stall but Cruz improves his position.
Cruz swings wildly with an uppercut but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cruz misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gracie prevents a body shot from Cruz.
Gracie tries to throw a body punch but Cruz avoids it by throwing Gracie back against the ropes.
Cruz throws an elbow but it misses.
Cruz misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gracie taking a breather.
Gracie misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nice elbow from Cruz.
Gracie is trying to break free.
Cruz blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gracie blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Gracie blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gracie wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cruz blocks an elbow strike.
Gracie tries a body shot but Cruz blocks it.
A short left from Cruz.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Gracie.
Gracie takes a knee right on the jaw!

Taylor Gracie's cut is getting worse.
Gracie tries to land a knee to the head but Cruz blocks with his arms.
Gracie looking to throw knees to the head but Cruz is blocking nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz lands a nice elbow.
Cruz struggles to land a body shot inside as Gracie controls his hands.
Gracie working hard to break the clinch.
Gracie is trying to stall.
Cruz creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Gracie is trying to break the clinch but Cruz has him pressed against the ropes.
Cruz trying to land knees to the body.
Gracie is trying to push Cruz away but Cruz has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a head punch that misses.
Gracie is looking to break free of the clinch but Cruz has double underhooks.
Cruz missing with knees to the body.
Gracie tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cruz creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gracie's defenses.
Cruz unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Gracie tries to break the clinch but Cruz is controlling the position.
Gracie is trying to force a seperation but Cruz has the dominant position.
Cruz misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cruz throws an elbow that misses.
Gracie is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Cruz throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gracie.
Gracie missing with knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Cruz throws a knee to the head but misses.
Gracie tries to break free but Cruz pushes him back against the ropes.
Gracie misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cruz landing knees to the head.

Taylor Gracie's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Gracie misses with a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz with a knee to the head.
Gracie trying to land knees to the body.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gracie avoids it.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Gracie throws an elbow but misses.
Cruz blocks an elbow strike from Gracie.
Gracie lands a body punch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice body punch from Gracie - that landed with a thud.
Cruz is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gracie is defending well for now.
Gracie tries to land knees in the clinch but Cruz avoids the damage to the body.
Gracie avoids the elbow strike from Cruz, against the ropes.

Gracie breaks from the clinch.
Cruz tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Gracie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Cruz moves into range and clinches up with Gracie.

Gracie breaks from the clinch.
Alex Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Gracie forces Cruz back against the ropes and clinches.
Cruz gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A body shot lands from Cruz.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Cruz throws an elbow but misses.
Gracie on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands a body shot.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Cruz tries a body shot but Gracie blocks it.
Gracie is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Cruz lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gracie wants to get back to striking at distance but Cruz won't allow it.
Cruz has Gracie pressed against the ropes, preventing Gracie from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gracie goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gracie tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cruz scores with a shot to the side of Gracie's head.

Jeez, Taylor Gracie's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Cruz lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Gracie misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cruz missing with knees to the body.
Cruz lands an elbow inside.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Taylor Gracie's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5:49 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Alex Cruz!