PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kid Makunochi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Darko Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Darko Cruz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Makunochi
vs
Cruz

170 cm
18
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kid Makunochi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Darko Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, David Hoff and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cruz clinches.

Cruz jumps guard and drags Makunochi to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Makunochi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Cruz wants to sweep here but Makunochi controlling him for the moment.
Makunochi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Makunochi controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Makunochi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cruz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cruz trying to strike off his back.

Cruz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Makunochi defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makunochi being controlled here momentarily.
Cruz looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makunochi trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Makunochi controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Cruz wants to stand up but Makunochi is controlling him.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Cruz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Makunochi, pushing him back against the cage.

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.
Makunochi jumps guard but Cruz stands there with Makunochi around his waist. Makunochi gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Makunochi is trying to trip Cruz. He has hold of a leg but Cruz is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Makunochi persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Makunochi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Makunochi wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Makunochi is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Makunochi trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makunochi trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Makunochi preventing the sweep.
Makunochi tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.
Makunochi changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cruz fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cruz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Makunochi sets himself, and Cruz steps forward looking for the clinch! Makunochi avoids it this time.
Nice takedown defense from Cruz. No joy for Makunochi on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kid Makunochi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruz manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Makunochi on his heels. He'll look to pass Makunochi's guard now, I'm sure.
Cruz content to stall in guard here.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Makunochi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Makunochi has wrist control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Makunochi is looking to stand up but Cruz isn't so interested in that idea.
Cruz passes easily into side control. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Makunochi displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cruz.
Cruz throws a head kick but Makunochi moves out of range.
Cruz tries to clinch but Makunochi is having none of it.
Cruz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Makunochi.
Darko Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Makunochi shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Makunochi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cruz on the ground.
Makunochi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cruz keeps working.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makunochi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Cruz with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Cruz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Cruz scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Makunochi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cruz circles away.
Cruz stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kid Makunochi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Cruz gets a takedown into half guard.

Makunochi kicks Cruz off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Makunochi misses with a takedown attempt
and Cruz counters with a head kick. That will keep Makunochi thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Cruz gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Makunochi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cruz tries to clinch there but Makunochi circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Makunochi. No joy for Cruz on that attempt.
Cruz throws a head kick but Makunochi moves out of range.
Makunochi on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Kid Makunochi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz darts in looking for a takedown but Makunochi gets double underhooks and turns Cruz into the cage.
Makunochi fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cruz avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands a nice leg kick that just misses Makunochi's sensitive parts.
Makunochi fails with a takedown attempt.
Cruz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Makunochi sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cruz throws a head kick but Makunochi moves out of range.
Makunochi shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
As Cruz tries to get set, Makunochi tries to push him back and clinch up but Cruz manages to avoid the attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makunochi looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Cruz drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Makunochi defends it well.

Makunochi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Cruz has one foot on Makunochi's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz lands a right hook to the body.
Cruz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cruz changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Makunochi.
Cruz wants to counter the offense by Makunochi and move into the clinch position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darko Cruz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Makunochi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Cruz clinches up against the cage.

Makunochi manages to break the clinch.
Cruz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Cruz gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Cruz kicks Makunochi off and gets to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Makunochi manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Makunochi wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Makunochi fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makunochi shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cruz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Makunochi circles away.
Makunochi tries for a takedown but Cruz circles away easily

and Cruz counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kid Makunochi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cruz pulls guard effortlessly.

Cruz has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Makunochi doesn't defend quickly enough and Cruz has managed to lock this one up! Can Makunochi escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Cruz on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Darko Cruz!
Darko Cruz spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.