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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Abel Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!
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| 171 cm
25
145 lbs
6 - 6 - 0 |
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172 cm
21
158 lbs
7 - 5 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Very strong |
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BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Good gas tank |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Abel Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chris Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Joseph Jones and Russell Pearce.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffin rushes Cruz and presses him up against the cage.
Griffin misses with some punches.
Cruz can't get the takedown.
Griffin looking to throw knees to the head but Cruz is blocking nicely.
Cruz goes for a takedown attempt but Griffin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Cruz dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Cruz throws a jab when Griffin was well out of range.
Cruz is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Griffin's half guard.
Griffin looks like he's trying to stand up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffin makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
A clash of legs there as Cruz blocks the low kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A slow jab from Griffin misses its intended target.
Cruz displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz throws a nice looking combination but Griffin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cruz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Griffin wants to clinch up but Cruz keeps it at a distance.
Cruz goes for a double leg but Griffin avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Griffin continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abel Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Griffin loads up on a big right hand but Cruz slips the punch.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but Griffin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cruz slips a jab from Griffin.
Cruz fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A jab from Griffin misses.
Cruz lands the left hand.
Griffin misses with a straight right.
Cruz slips a jab from Griffin.
Cruz with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Griffin looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Cruz moves out of range as Griffin throws a body kick.
Griffin is looking to land body kicks.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Griffin.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Griffin but Griffin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sloppy strikes from Cruz. Those never looked like landing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Griffin connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Cruz finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Sloppy strikes from Griffin. Those never looked like landing.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Cruz was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Cruz looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Griffin is avoiding damage well.
Cruz trying to control the action but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Griffin is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control the action but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Cruz misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Griffin explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Cruz avoids the head kick by Griffin.
Griffin connects with a solid leg kick.
Chris Griffin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Cruz there as he acknowledges the shot.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cruz.
Chris Griffin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Griffin stuffs the takedown.
Some wild striking there from Cruz.
Cruz moves into range and clinches up with Griffin.
Cruz drops down looking for an ankle pick but Griffin pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin scores with a kick to the body.
A momentary lapse in concentration from Griffin enables Cruz to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Griffin manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Griffin has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Cruz has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cruz blocking some punches.
Cruz blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Griffin throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Cruzs head.
Griffin lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Griffin looking to throw knees to the head but Cruz is blocking nicely.
Cruz changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Griffin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Chris Griffin dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.
Griffin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cruz attempts a counter takedown but Griffin avoids it well and moves away.
Abel Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz blocks a head kick by Griffin.
Griffin tries to clinch up
and Cruz counters with a nice body shot.
Griffin misses with a left hand
and Cruz counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Griffin!
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Griffin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Griffin sneaks out the side door and pushes Cruz away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Griffin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz walks into a left hand.
Griffin has Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Griffin walks away with a smile on his face. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Griffin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cruz fails to land with a series of punches.
Griffin gets caught napping as Cruz dives in and scores a takedown. Griffin manages to retain guard.
The fighters are working up against the cage. Griffin manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Griffin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Griffin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cruz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz closes the distance looking to clinch
and Griffin counters with a straight right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Griffin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Griffin has Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz tries for a takedown but Griffin manages to get underhooks.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Griffin's elbow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cruz.
Griffin prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abel Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Griffin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Griffin won't allow it.
Griffin scores with a knee to the head.
Griffin looking to throw knees to the head but Cruz is blocking nicely.
Griffin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A nice inside leg kick there by Griffin. That's going to slow Cruz down.
Cruz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Griffin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Griffin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Griffin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cruz blocks an uppercut.
Griffin misses with the head strike.
Griffin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cruz tries a body shot but Griffin blocks it.
Griffin trying to land knees to the body.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin stops a takedown attempt from Cruz.
Griffin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cruz blocks it with crossed arms.
Cruz tries for a takedown. No joy.
Griffin misses with the head strike.
Griffin looking to throw knees to the head but Cruz is blocking nicely.
Cruz drops down looking for an ankle pick but Griffin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Nice defenses there by Cruz.
Cruz appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Chris Griffin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cruz defending well as Griffin loads up on a big left hand.
Cruz appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Cruz misses with a body shot.
Griffin throws a series of punches but Cruz avoids them all with ease.
Griffin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cruz drops down looking for a counter takedown but Griffin sprawls and moves away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Griffin as he avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Chris Griffin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!
Cruz closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Griffin did well to prevent Cruz getting side control.
Cruz trying to advance position but Griffin counters by regaining guard.
Cruz looking to sit in guard and control but Griffin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Griffin stands and steps away. Cruz gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Cruz gets tackled into the cage by Griffin. Griffin maintains the clinch.
Cruz blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Griffin prevents the takedown attempt.
Cruz wants a takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abel Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Griffin scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Griffin 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.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cruz manages to break the clinch.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cruz has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Griffin finds it's way round the side to connect with Cruz's head.
Griffin missing with a left hand there. Cruz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cruz changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Cruz throws a right and a left that Griffin avoids nicely.
Griffin lands a leg kick that knocks Cruz off balance momentarily.
Griffin throws a head kick but Cruz moves out of range.
Cruz swinging wildly here.
A slow jab from Griffin misses its intended target.
Cruz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cruz lands a jab to Griffin's midsection.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to score a power double leg takedown but Griffin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cruz somewhat.
Cruz tries to clinch up.
Cruz takes one on the button.
Cruz walks into a left hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Griffin misses with the combination.
Cruz walks into a jab.
Griffin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Griffin rushes Cruz and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Griffin tries to land a knee to the head but Cruz blocks with his arms.
Griffin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Griffin with a knee to the head.
It looks like Abel Cruz has been cut.
Cruz is trying to break free.
Griffin with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Cruz obliges.
Cruz blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cruz avoiding damage as Griffin throws knees to the body.
Griffin has a couple of punches blocked by Cruz.
Griffin misses with a knee to the head.
Griffin looking to throw knees to the head but Cruz is blocking nicely.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin trying to land knees to the body.
Cruz blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Griffin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Cruz is working for takedown but Griffin is calmly controlling the position for now.
Griffin misses with the head strike.
Cruz is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Griffin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Cruz is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Griffin pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Abel Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cruz working hard to break the clinch.
Cruz has Griffin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Griffin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Griffin lands with a short punch from the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Griffin.
And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Griffin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Griffin 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Griffin!
After the fight, Chris Griffin was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
61% |
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