PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Khal Drogo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Drogo comes to the cage accompanied by Blessings - Big Sean FT Drake and Kanye West. Khal Drogo looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Drogo
vs
Cruz

177 cm
29
165 lbs
8 - 6 - 1

181 cm
22
165 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 8 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Khal Drogo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cruz forces Drogo back against the cage and clinches.
Cruz throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cruz throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Drogo wants a takedown.

Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Drogo tries to keep at a distance but Cruz has taken the fight into the clinch.
Drogo takes a knee to the side of the body.
Cruz will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Drogo up against the cage.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick by Cruz misses

and Drogo counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Drogo won't allow Cruz to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cruz being controlled here, momentarily.
Drogo stops Cruz from standing up.
Drogo chips away with some ground and pound.
Cruz is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cruz is on top in guard.

Drogo seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Cruz trying to control but Drogo is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drogo looking for a sweep. Not yet Drogo, not yet.
Drogo pulls Cruz in to control the position.
Drogo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Drogo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruz trying to control but Drogo is working from the bottom.
Cruz throws a big elbow that misses.
Cruz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cruz must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cruz wants to stand and escape but instead Drogo has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Drogo's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drogo stops Cruz from standing up.
Cruz is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Drogo is working Cruz over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Drogo wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Cruz is trying to control the position but Drogo postures up.
Cruz is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

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

Cruz has Drogo up against the cage in a clinch.

Cruz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

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 closes the distance but Drogo moves to the side

and Drogo counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Drogo got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cruz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Drogo has managed to get both his arms back between Cruz's legs - danger averted.
Cruz wants to stand up but Drogo is controlling him.
Drogo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Drogo lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Drogo trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Drogo prevents Cruz from getting back to his feet.
Drogo trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Drogo chips away with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ricardo Cruz will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cruz uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Drogo takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Drogo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Drogo changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Cruz pushes Drogo up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Drogo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Drogo blocks an elbow strike.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Drogo avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drogo blocks a body shot from Cruz.
Cruz putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Drogo in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Cruz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cruz scores with a hook to the body.
Drogo looking for a takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz lands a hook that snaps the head of Drogo backwards.
A bit of stalling here from Cruz.
Cruz lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Drogo.
Cruz scores a nice knee to the body.
Cruz lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Khal Drogo has been cut.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Cruz obliges.
Cruz makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Cruz breaks the clinch.
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.

Cruz has managed to clinch.
Cruz works on Drogo's body with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz stalling.
Cruz stalling.
Cruz tries to work over Drogo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Cruz just misses with a elbow thrown towards Drogo's brow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cruz lands a hook to the side of the head.
Drogo dodges an elbow strike from Cruz.
Cruz has Drogo pressed against the cage.
Cruz stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries a body shot but Drogo blocks it.
Cruz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Drogo.
Cruz's coach down at Soul Supremacy Rio was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Cruz's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Ricardo Cruz seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Cruz stalls.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Cruz.
Cruz has Drogo pushed against the cage.
Cruz lands with a light punch inside.
Drogo tries for a takedown. No joy.
Cruz lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drogo tries to score a body lock takedown but Cruz shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Khal Drogo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz tries to throw a body punch but Drogo avoids it by throwing Cruz back against the cage.

Cruz manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Cruz wants to stand but Drogo is controlling the position.
Cruz really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Drogo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cruz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Drogo controls the pace.
Drogo is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cruz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Cruz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Khal Drogo's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cruz tries to clinch up

and Drogo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Cruz looks like he's trying to stand up.
Drogo working over Cruz with some ground and pound. Cruz looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Cruz is trying to stand up here but Drogo is controlling him well.
Drogo is pressing down on Cruz's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cruz is holding on for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drogo sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cruz defending well though.
Drogo scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Cruz regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drogo wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Khal Drogo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Drogo is in close to Cruz's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Drogo passes into half guard.
Cruz tries to kick Drogo off but Drogo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Drogo controlling the pace.
Drogo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cruz keeps working.
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. Drogo connects with a nice short shot to Cruz's temple.

That's two 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.
Drogo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet.
Ground and pound from Drogo.
Drogo perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Drogo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Drogo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Cruz is looking for a sweep. Drogo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Drogo is working for a submission of some sort.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz clinches with his opponent.
Cruz lands an uppercut.

Cruz breaks the clinch.

Cruz has managed to clinch.
Cruz using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cruz is looking to clinch.

Cruz pushes Drogo up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands a right hand.
Cruz lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cruz pushes Drogo back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Cruz.
Drogo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Drogo avoids it.
Drogo taking a breather.
Drogo dodges an elbow strike from Cruz.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Drogo avoiding damage as Cruz throws knees to the body.
Cruz misses with a punch on the inside.
Khal Drogo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ricardo Cruz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Drogo is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Cruz pulls him back up using the underhooks.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cruz winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 26:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 26:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricardo Cruz!