PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tre Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erik Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cruz
vs
Silva

201 cm
18
285 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tre Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Erik Silva!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Bruno Lombardi and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Silva sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Silva lands a nice hook to Cruz's body. Cruz takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Silva will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Silva closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cruz circles away.
Silva bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Silva tries to counter by closing the distance.
Silva darts in looking for a takedown but Cruz gets double underhooks and turns Silva into the cage.
Tre Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Erik Silva.
Nice defenses there by Silva.

Silva clinches up against the cage.
Cruz misses with a hook from the clinch.
Silva blocks a body shot from Cruz.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva jumps guard but Cruz turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Silva.
Cruz has Silva pressed against the cage.
Cruz tries a body shot but Silva blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz leaning against his opponent.
Cruz slows down the pace here.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cruz tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cruz holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Cruz taking a breather.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Cruz for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Cruz slows down the pace here.
Cruz gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Tre Cruz.
Cruz swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Cruz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nice jab there from Cruz.
Silva fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz moves out of range of the leg kick from Silva.
Erik Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz misses with a hook. Silva ducked under it nicely.
Silva bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Cruz counter with a right hand.
Silva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cruz avoids it really well and circles away.
Silva takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Silva has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cruz smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Silva takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Cruz throws the left hand but Silva avoids the punch easily.
Silva fails with the takedown.
Nice takedown defense from Cruz. No joy for Silva on that attempt.
Silva tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruz was well out of range. Poor timing from Silva.
Silva moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Cruz looks to throw the jab but Silva is out of range.
Cruz looks to land a right hand but Silva moved out of range.
Silva swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cruz counters with a nice uppercut.

Cruz pushes Silva up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cruz fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Silva is trying to break free.
Silva trying to land knees to the body.
Cruz has a couple of punches blocked by Silva.
Silva is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Silva looks winded!
A nice right hand lands inside from Cruz.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Cruz creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Cruz misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cruz is struggling to control the position.
Silva goes for a takedown attempt but Cruz pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Nice defenses there by Silva.
Silva is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Silva clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tre Cruz dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cruz clinches up with Silva and pushes him back against the cage.
Cruz lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Silva backwards.
Cruz tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cruz prevents the takedown attempt.
Cruz effectively controlling the action here.
The referee is keeping an eye on Cruz - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Cruz doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Silva is trying to drag Cruz to the mat but Cruz just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A right handed body shot lands from Cruz.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva tries to pull guard but Cruz won't allow it.
Tre Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Erik Silva.
Cruz stalls.
Silva is trying to force a seperation but Cruz has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz tries a body shot but Silva blocks it.
Silva blocks an uppercut.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Cruz goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Silva blocks a body shot from Cruz.
Silva drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cruz pulls his leg out and moves away.
Tre Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz misses with a straight left.
Silva fails with the takedown
and Cruz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cruz throws a lazy right hand but Silva sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Silva avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Erik Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva shoots in looking for a takedown. Cruz tries to sprawl out of it but Silva keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cruz manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cruz is looking to counter with a body kick.
Silva is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva shoots and misses
and Cruz counters with a straight right hand.
Cruz is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Cruz gets a clinch.
Cruz avoiding damage.
Cruz lands a left hand that snaps the head of Silva backwards.
Cruz slows down the pace here.
Cruz tries a body shot but Silva blocks it.
Silva looking to stall.
Silva is trying to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands a nice uppercut.
Cruz lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cruz swings wildly with an uppercut but Silva uses good head movement to avoid it.
The referee calls for Cruz to work.
Cruz has Silva pushed against the cage.
Silva looking to stall.
Cruz stalling against the cage.
Cruz misses with a body punch.
Cruz stalls.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Silva looking to slow down the pace here.
Cruz tries to throw a body punch but Silva avoids it by throwing Cruz back against the cage.
Cruz misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cruz is stalling here.
Silva being controlled against the cage.
Cruz seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Cruz dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Tre Cruz.
Silva ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Silva fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tre Cruz dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Cruz scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Cruz waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Silva.
Silva throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.
Cruz lands a nice uppercut.
Silva prevents a body shot from Cruz.
Silva jumps guard but Cruz stands there with Silva around his waist. Silva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Silva has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cruz has a couple of punches blocked by Silva.
Silva is looking to break free of the clinch but Cruz has double underhooks.
A head punch on the inside from Cruz fails to land.
Cruz misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Silva.
Silva prevents a body shot from Cruz.
A frustrated look appears on Silva's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Silva is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Silva jumps guard but Cruz stands there with Silva around his waist. Silva gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Tre Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Erik Silva.
Cruz scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Cruz misses with the head strike.
Cruz tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cruz has a couple of punches blocked by Silva.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Cruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silva can do to turn this around?
Silva throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Silva goes for a takedown attempt but Cruz pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Silva slips a straight right by Cruz.
Silva throws a series of punches but Cruz avoids them all with ease.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.
Cruz swings wildly with an uppercut but Silva uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cruz lands a right hand.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cruz.
Cruz lands a hook to the side of the head.
Silva fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Cruz throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Silvas head.
Tre Cruz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva blocking some punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva wants a takedown.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Cruz working aggressively here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to break free but Cruz pushes him back against the cage.
Cruz can't find room to land a body shot as Silva controls the action.
Cruz can't find room to land a body shot as Silva controls the action.
Silva is trying to maintain a safe position but Cruz gets an underhook and turns Silva into the cage.
Silva fails to pull guard.
Cruz lands an uppercut.
Cruz is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Cruz lands with a short shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scores with a nice hook to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Cruz fails to land.
Silva changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cruz fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cruz misses with a straight right.
Cruz throws a hook but Silva avoids it easily.
Silva tries to counter by closing the distance.
Cruz throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Silva throws a nice looking combination but Cruz bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Silva on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Silva tries for a takedown but Cruz circles away easily
and Cruz counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tre Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cruz 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:26
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:26
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tre Cruz!
A victorious Tre Cruz thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.