PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Finn Kavanagh Jnr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kavanagh Jnr has chosen The Foggy Dew as his entrance music. Finn Kavanagh Jnr has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cruz
vs
Kavanagh Jnr

220 cm
24
162 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes comics

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Versus

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Johnny Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Finn Kavanagh Jnr!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kavanagh Jnr throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cruz throws a big counter combination but Kavanagh Jnr scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Kavanagh Jnr fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cruz slips under a jab from Kavanagh Jnr.
Cruz appears to be looking for a big counter.

Kavanagh Jnr tries to keep at a distance but Cruz has taken the fight into the clinch.
Kavanagh Jnr is trying to break free.
Kavanagh Jnr looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Kavanagh Jnr working hard to break the clinch.
Kavanagh Jnr is looking to break free of the clinch but Cruz has double underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kavanagh Jnr wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
Kavanagh Jnr tries to break the clinch but Cruz is controlling the position.
Nice body punch from Cruz - that landed with a thud.
Kavanagh Jnr is trying to break free.
Kavanagh Jnr is trying to force a seperation but Cruz has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz misses with a punch to the body.
Kavanagh Jnr wants to break free but Cruz has control.
Kavanagh Jnr tries to break free but Cruz pushes him back against the cage.
Kavanagh Jnr looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Cruz is trying to trip Kavanagh Jnr. He has hold of a leg but Kavanagh Jnr is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Cruz persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Kavanagh Jnr is looking to stand up but Cruz isn't so interested in that idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kavanagh Jnr is wriggling around but Cruz manages to pass to half guard.
Kavanagh Jnr is trying to stand back up but Cruz is controlling him

Kavanagh Jnr is defending against the submission attempts here by Cruz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kavanagh Jnr pushes Cruz off but Cruz dives into side control.
Cruz lands a decent elbow from side control.
Cruz throws a strike aimed at the side of Kavanagh Jnr's head but Kavanagh Jnr avoids it well.
Cruz landing a few strikes.
Cruz scores with a couple of short elbows.
Kavanagh Jnr is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Cruz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kavanagh Jnr is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz working the ground and pound from side control.
Cruz is working Kavanagh Jnr over with some ground and pound from side control.

Cruz has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Kavanagh Jnr.
Kavanagh Jnr throws a left and a right that both miss

and Cruz counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kavanagh Jnr won't be happy with that.
Cruz working the ground and pound but Kavanagh Jnr is defending the strikes.
Kavanagh Jnr takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kavanagh Jnr is pushing Cruz's head away, looking to escape. Cruz manages to hold on to the position though.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cruz works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Cruz landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Cruz scores with punches from side control.
Kavanagh Jnr is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Cruz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz lands some shots froms side control.
Cruz landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz working the head and body with strikes.

Cruz thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Cruz dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Cruz shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Kavanagh Jnr's guard.
Kavanagh Jnr is wriggling around but Cruz manages to pass to half guard.

Cruz slips a nice elbow through Kavanagh Jnr's hands, connecting with Kavanagh Jnr's forehead.
Cruz takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kavanagh Jnr avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cruz.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ground and pound from Cruz.

Cruz is working for a submission of some sort.
Cruz looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz is looking for a kimura but Kavanagh Jnr is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Cruz to get the leverage.
Johnny Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kavanagh Jnr is looking to escape.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cruz connects with a nice short shot to Kavanagh Jnr's temple.
Kavanagh Jnr blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cruz.
Cruz working Kavanagh Jnr over with strikes.
Cruz really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cruz prevents Kavanagh Jnr from standing back up.

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.
Cruz is nestled in close to Kavanagh Jnr, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Cruz prevents Kavanagh Jnr from standing back up.
Nice strikes from Cruz there.
Kavanagh Jnr is trying to stand.
Kavanagh Jnr is breathing heavily.

Cruz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Nice strikes from Cruz there.
Nice strikes from Cruz there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Cruz there.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cruz connects with a nice short shot to Kavanagh Jnr's temple.
Cruz is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Cruz looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Cruz controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Cruz postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Kavanagh Jnr to stand up.
Cruz avoids a kick to the body.
Cruz takes a kick to the side of the head.

Cruz shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kavanagh Jnr napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz working the head and body with strikes.

Cruz thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Kavanagh Jnr tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kavanagh Jnr misses with a wild combination.
As Kavanagh Jnr looks to move away, Cruz throws a big counter combo but Kavanagh Jnr just gets out of the way.
Kavanagh Jnr throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cruz half committed to a counter leg kick.
Kavanagh Jnr throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Cruz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Cruz.
Cruz engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Cruz landing some decent shots from guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kavanagh Jnr manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Cruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kavanagh Jnr can do to turn this around?

Cruz gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz scoring with some ground and pound.
Cruz won't allow Kavanagh Jnr to get back to his feet.
Cruz working some strikes from top position.
Cruz chips away with some ground and pound.
Kavanagh Jnr takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cruz working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Kavanagh Jnr is wriggling around but Cruz manages to pass to half guard.
Kavanagh Jnr is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Cruz scores with a couple of nice shots.
Cruz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz prevents Kavanagh Jnr from standing back up.
Still in half guard, Cruz seems content to control.
Kavanagh Jnr avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cruz.

Cruz is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Nice strikes from Cruz there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz slips a nice elbow through Kavanagh Jnr's hands, connecting with Kavanagh Jnr's forehead.
Cruz content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Cruz lands with a punch from half guard.
Kavanagh Jnr on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cruz throwing shots but Kavanagh Jnr is blocking nicely.
Cruz controlling the pace.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Cruz on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Kavanagh Jnr misses with the body kick
and Cruz counters with a three punch combo that has Kavanagh Jnr backing up. Kavanagh Jnr nods at Cruz to acknowledge the strikes.

Cruz has managed to clinch.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kavanagh Jnr throws a right hand that Cruz ducks under and follows up with a left that Cruz also avoids with ease.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Cruz drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Finn Kavanagh Jnr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cruz scoring with punches to the head and body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cruz, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Cruz!
In defeat, Finn Kavanagh Jnr stepped up to the mic, saying 'A loss is a loss it's a chance to improve and I will. Have to go back to the gym keep training and come back stronger.'.