PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Uriah Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dante Gael Roman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cruz
vs
Gael Roman

175 cm
29
143 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

183 cm
32
130 lbs
15 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

MMA nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Uriah Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dante Gael Roman!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cruz drives through with a takedown into Roman's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Cruz throws an elbow that misses. Roman uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Cruz's guard. Nice move by Roman!

Cruz has his foot on Roman's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Roman works his way back into a safe position though.

Cruz escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Roman gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Roman content to stall in guard here.
Cruz trying to control the position.
Roman engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roman looking to pass the guard.
Roman keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cruz's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruz keeping full guard, as Roman tries to pass.
Cruz is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Roman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cruz looking for a sweep. Not yet Cruz, not yet.
Roman stops Cruz from standing up.

Roman is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Cruz is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Cruz has escaped and now he's on top!
Cruz wants to control from the top but Roman keeps moving.
Cruz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Roman keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Roman had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cruz defends it easily.
Roman is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cruz won't allow Roman to get back to his feet.
Cruz looking to sit in guard and control but Roman gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Roman misses with a series of wild punches.

Cruz fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Roman sprawls well initially but Cruz persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Cruz wants to stand but Roman has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Cruz is keen to just control but Roman is a slippery customer.
Cruz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Roman is trying to get back to full guard.
Cruz looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Cruz is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Cruz is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Cruz working the head and body with strikes.

Roman is defending against the submission attempts here by Cruz.
Cruz throws a strike but Roman avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Cruz controlling from the top position.
Cruz postures up in Roman's guard and throws a big left but Roman blocks it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Roman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cruz gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Uriah Cruz 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.

Roman closes the distance and clinches.
Cruz blocking some punches.

Cruz pulls Roman into guard.
Roman postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Roman trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Cruz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Roman is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Roman from controlling successfully.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet but Roman is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Roman avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Cruz escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Roman gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Roman pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cruz is keeping the position for now.
Cruz looking for a sweep. Not yet Cruz, not yet.
Roman looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Cruz controls Roman momentarily but Roman frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Roman postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Cruz working a defensive guard here.

Cruz has an active guard here but Roman has managed to pass into half guard.
Roman tries to pass to full mount but Cruz defends it.
Cruz tries to roll over but Roman keeps him under control.
Roman with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Roman seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roman is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Roman working Cruz over with strikes.
Roman frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Cruz is desperately trying to improve his position but Roman has a good base and remains in mount.
Cruz is squirming around, avoiding Roman's attempts to control the action.
Cruz manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Cruz is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Roman pulls his head out easily.
Cruz won't allow Roman to pass to mount.
Roman is still trying to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roman moves nicely into side control.
Cruz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Roman wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Cruz gets back to half guard.
Roman trying to pass the guard but Cruz defending well.
Uriah Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Cruz actively working from the bottom here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Roman is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Roman slows the pace down in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Gael Roman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Cruz takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Cruz shoots in and gets a takedown into Roman's guard.
Cruz wants to stand but Roman is controlling his posture from full guard.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Roman keeps moving.
Cruz passes Roman's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Roman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Cruz seems to be looking for submissions.
Cruz wants to control but Roman is keeping him busy.
Cruz tries to pass to full mount but Roman defends it.
Cruz is trying to control. Roman wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Cruz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Roman defending well though.
Cruz trying to control from half guard but Roman is working away.
Cruz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

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.
Cruz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Cruz moves away from the strike by Roman.

Cruz shoots in and bounces Roman off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Roman working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cruz doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cruz manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Cruz drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Roman manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Cruz has Roman in his guard.
Cruz looking for a sweep. Not yet Cruz, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Roman gets to his feet - Cruz follows without any prompting.

Cruz shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Roman manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cruz throws a big right hand that misses.
Cruz throwing strikes but missing.
Cruz looking to sit in guard and control but Roman gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Roman lands a couple of elbows.
Roman working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Cruz wants to stand up but Roman is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roman content to stall in guard here.
Roman won't allow Cruz to get back to his feet.

Cruz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Roman cracks Cruz with a solid left hand.
Roman with a nice head shot there.
Roman preventing the sweep.
Roman showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Roman wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Roman must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Roman scoring with punches to the head and body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Uriah Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cruz 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Uriah Cruz!
Uriah Cruz gave a mention to MMA nutrition in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).