PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Donald Delacruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobby Deal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Delacruz
vs
Deal

156 cm
20
193 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

191 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Donald Delacruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bobby Deal!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Aleksandr Martynov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Delacruz. No joy for Deal on that attempt.

Delacruz feints and as Deal raises his hands in defense, Delacruz changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Delacruz stands up and waves to Deal to follow him.
Deal lands with a slapping head kick.
Deal goes for a double leg but Delacruz avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Delacruz continues to drive forward.
Deal fails with an attempt to clinch.
Deal misses with a combination

and Delacruz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Delacruz.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Delacruz seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Delacruz might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Delacruz's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Delacruz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Delacruz content to stall in guard here.
Deal is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Delacruz is controlling him.
Delacruz could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Delacruz controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Delacruz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Delacruz decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Deal is trying hard to land a takedown here. Delacruz sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Donald Delacruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bobby Deal.

Delacruz looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Deal!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Delacruz slows the pace down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Delacruz tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Delacruz has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Delacruz taking a breather here.

Delacruz is trying to get an arm triangle but Deal is defending well.
Delacruz is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Deal wants to clinch up but Delacruz keeps it at a distance.
Deal tries to close the distance and clinch but Delacruz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donald Delacruz dominated that round.
That's time! Delacruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Delacruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Delacruz shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Deal gets full guard.
Deal keeping full guard, as Delacruz tries to pass.
Delacruz seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Donald Delacruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Further stalling from Delacruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Delacruz stands up from Deal's guard - Delacruz perhaps looking for a knockout.

Delacruz shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Deal napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Deal wants to get back to his feet but Delacruz drags him back down.

Delacruz is trying to get an arm triangle but Deal is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Delacruz takes a little break here. Deal wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

Delacruz goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Deal rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Delacruz's guard! Nice work there by Deal!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Delacruz throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Delacruz throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Deal trying to control the position from guard on top but Delacruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Delacruz wants to hit a switch here but Deal passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Delacruz there!
Deal trying to control but Delacruz is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Delacruz is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donald Delacruz dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Deal looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Delacruz swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
A head kick by Deal misses

and Delacruz decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Deal's guard.
Delacruz content to stall in guard here.
We've been informed that Deal has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Delacruz drops back, looking for a kneebar! Deal looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Deal looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Deal!

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Delacruz sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Deal wants to pass the guard but Delacruz is defending well.
Deal is looking to take a break and control but Delacruz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Deal blocks the strikes from Delacruz.
Delacruz wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Deal blocks the strikes from Delacruz.
Delacruz is looking to improve his position.
Delacruz wants to stand back up but Deal manages to pass into side control.
Deal trying to control the action but Delacruz is working from the bottom.
Delacruz is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Deal asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Deal tries to close the distance and clinch but Delacruz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Delacruz throws a quick counter head kick but Deal was just out of range.
Deal moves to clinch but Delacruz breaks away

so Delacruz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Delacruz controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bobby Deal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Delacruz stops Deal from standing up.
Donald Delacruz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Delacruz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Donald Delacruz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Delacruz has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Donald Delacruz!