PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronald Reagan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz comes to the cage accompanied by My Way - Limpbizkit. Ronald Reagan has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cruz
vs
Reagan

186 cm
28
184 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

182 cm
29
182 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rafael Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ronald Reagan!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Cruz throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Reagan fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Cruz takes one to the chin there.
Reagan thuds a left hand into Cruz's body.
Reagan changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A shot to the liver by Reagan. Beautiful body shot.
Reagan lands a jab to Cruz's midsection.
Reagan throws a jab when Cruz was well out of range.
Reagan thuds his right hand into Cruz's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Nice sprawl there from Reagan as Cruz shoots in.
Cruz looks to score with a jab to the body but Reagan is just out of range.
Reagan appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Reagan lands with an uppercut that bounces Cruz off the cage and back into range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz keeps the fight on the outside.
Cruz feinted with a counter takedown.
Reagan works the jab nicely.
Cruz misses with a body shot
and Reagan connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cruz misses with an uppercut
and Reagan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot to the liver by Reagan. Beautiful body shot.
Reagan throws a hook but Cruz blocks it.
Cruz misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Reagan counters with a right hand to the body.
Cruz slips a straight right by Reagan.
Reagan has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Cruz is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Reagan works the jab nicely.
Reagan connects with a looping right hand.
Reagan uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cruz has time to react.
Reagan missing with a left hand there. Cruz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cruz swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Reagan counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ronald Reagan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Reagan uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Cruz dives in for a single leg takedown but Reagan sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A telegraphed right hand from Cruz misses the target.

Reagan moves into range and clinches up with Cruz.
I was talking to Cruz's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Reagan lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Cruz is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Reagan.
Oh Cruz is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A left hand lands to the body for Reagan.
Cruz seems to have got his legs back now.
Reagan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Reagan lands a shoulder strike.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Reagan.
Reagan misses with a punch to the body.
Cruz prevents a body shot from Reagan.
Cruz looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Reagan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cruz tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rafael Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head punch on the inside from Reagan fails to land.
Cruz gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Reagan.
Cruz jumps guard but Reagan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Reagan.
Cruz jumps guard but Reagan stands there with Cruz around his waist. Cruz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Reagan pulls guard successfully.

Reagan is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Cruz defends well.
Cruz passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Reagan struggling a bit here.
Reagan manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Reagan is looking for a kimura here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

Cruz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Reagan 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 looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronald Reagan dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

No luck with that takedown attempt from Reagan.
A counter left hand to the body from Cruz misses its target.

Reagan instigates a clinch.
Cruz blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A right hand to the body from Reagan.
Reagan throws a head punch that misses.

Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Reagan misses with a hook.
Cruz takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reagan connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Reagan avoids the body shot from Cruz.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Reagan wants to improve his position but Cruz is controlling well.
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 looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Reagan doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Cruz.

Cruz is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Reagan has managed to free his arm - good work.

Cruz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Reagan is just riding it out for now. Cruz eventually gives up the hold.
Reagan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Reagan.
Ronald Reagan has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Reagan working a defensive guard here.
Cruz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Reagan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cruz defends it easily.
Cruz is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Cruz avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reagan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cruz controls the pace.
Cruz wants to pass the guard but Reagan is keeping the position.

Reagan throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Cruz escapes and throws Reagan's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Cruz has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Reagan!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cruz looking to control and managing it successfully.
Reagan really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Reagan bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Cruz looking for a guillotine here but Reagan defends easily.

Cruz looking for a guillotine here but Reagan defends easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Reagan trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Rafael Cruz will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Cruz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ronald Reagan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cruz throws a predictable looking body shot
and Reagan counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Reagan digs a good hook to Cruz's body.
Reagan scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Cruz doesn't seem bothered though.
Nice defenses there by Reagan.
Reagan appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Cruz misses with a straight right.
Cruz is looking to wear down Reagan with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Reagan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Reagan lands with a straight right. Cruz didn't see that one coming.
Cruz misses with a shot to the body
and Reagan counters with a straight right hand.
Jab by Reagan.
Cruz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Reagan lands a jab to the head.
Reagan fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Reagan pushes Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reagan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cruz lands an uppercut.
Reagan lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Cruz.
Reagan tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Reagan won't allow it.
Reagan lands a body punch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Reagan.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Reagan.
A short uppercut from Reagan.
A right handed body shot lands from Reagan.
Reagan tries to throw a body punch but Cruz avoids it by throwing Reagan back against the cage.
Reagan misses with a body punch.
Reagan misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reagan working aggressively here.
Cruz stalling.
Cruz is working for takedown but Reagan is calmly controlling the position for now.
A nice left hand lands by Reagan.
Reagan tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A left hand lands to the body for Reagan.
Reagan pushes Cruz back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Cruz is trying to pull guard but Reagan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rafael Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short right from Reagan.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A short left from Reagan.
Reagan wants a takedown.
Reagan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reagan changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cruz fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cruz tries for a takedown but Reagan circles away easily
and Reagan counters with a big right hand! Oh Cruz is in trouble here! Reagan follows up with more strikes and that's it! The ref has stopped it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:14 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ronald Reagan!
The defeated Rafael Cruz had this to say: 'This is it; can't be losing to subpar competition. I'm outta here '.