PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Luciano Maciel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ricardo Cruz will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Maciel
vs
Cruz

177 cm
23
165 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

181 cm
24
165 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Very strong

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 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Luciano Maciel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Seu Braga and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Maciel clinches.
Stalling in the clinch from Cruz.
Cruz misses with a hook from the clinch.
Maciel wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cruz lands a hook that snaps the head of Maciel backwards.
Maciel is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cruz tries to work over Maciel's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cruz throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Maciels head.

Maciel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Maciel swinging wildly here.
Maciel misses with a wild combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloppy strikes from Maciel. Those never looked like landing.
Cruz moves in looking to clinch but Maciel pushes him off.
Some wild striking there from Maciel.

Maciel gets tackled into the cage by Cruz. Cruz maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz looking to throw knees to the head but Maciel is blocking nicely.
Cruz throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Cruz tries to break free but Maciel pushes him back against the cage.
Maciel stops a takedown attempt from Cruz.
Cruz prevents Maciel from breaking the clinch.
Cruz lands a knee to the body.
Cruz lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Cruz pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Maciel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cruz dodges the punch combination from Maciel.

Maciel darts in and clinches Cruz up against the cage.
Maciel is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cruz with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Maciel keeps control of Cruz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maciel tries to break free but Cruz pushes him back against the cage.

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

Maciel clinches up with Cruz and pushes him back against the cage.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Maciel avoids it.

Cruz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Maciel tries to bum rush Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Maciel misses with a two punch combination.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sloppy strikes from Maciel. Those never looked like landing.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maciel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maciel throws a right hand that Cruz ducks under and follows up with a left that Cruz also avoids with ease.
Maciel misses with a straight left.
Maciel misses with a combination
and Cruz counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Cruz moves into the clinch successfully.

Cruz breaks from the clinch.
Maciel swings widly with a right hand
and Cruz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Maciel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Cruz has Maciel up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Maciel blocks an elbow strike from Cruz.
A bit of stalling here from Cruz.
Cruz prevents Maciel from breaking the clinch.

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

Maciel has managed to clinch.

Maciel manages to break the clinch.
Cruz showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Maciel.
A punch combination from Maciel misses.

Cruz rushes Maciel and presses him up against the cage.
Cruz tries a body shot but Maciel blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Maciel has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cruz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Maciel.
Cruz landing knees to the head.
Maciel managing to block the knees to the body from Cruz.
Cruz struggles to land a body shot inside as Maciel controls his hands.
Maciel is trying to break free.

Maciel pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Cruz has closed the distance and engaged Maciel in a clinch.
Maciel looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cruz swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Maciel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruz looks for a takedown but Maciel sprawls well.
Cruz is looking to clinch.
Cruz lands a jab.
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.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cruz shoots in but Maciel avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Luciano Maciel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maciel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Cruz rushes Maciel and presses him up against the cage.
Cruz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Maciel's efforts to push away.
Maciel dodges an elbow strike from Cruz.

Maciel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Maciel takes the fight into the clinch.
Maciel has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Maciel pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz moves in looking to clinch but Maciel pushes him off.
Maciel throws a right and a left that both miss.
Maciel looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Maciel moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Some wild striking there from Maciel.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Maciel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz instigates a clinch.
Maciel is trying to break the clinch but Cruz is controlling him.
Ricardo Cruz seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Maciel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Maciel throws an overhand right that lands on Cruz's shoulder, as Cruz tries to avoid the shot.
Maciel throws a series of punches but Cruz moves out of range.
Luciano Maciel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Maciel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Maciel clinches up with Cruz and pushes him back against the cage.
Cruz using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Maciel has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cruz jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Maciel walks away with a smile on his face. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Maciel.

Cruz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Maciel breaks from the clinch.
Maciel just misses with a punch to the body.
Cruz avoids a punch combination nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Maciel misses the target.
Cruz raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

Maciel has managed to clinch.
We've been informed that Cruz has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz throws a punch but it's blocked by Maciel.

Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Maciel scores with a three punch combo!
Maciel fails to land with a series of punches.

Maciel has closed the distance and engaged Cruz in a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Maciel.

Maciel pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Maciel pushes Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Maciel avoids it.
Maciel wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Maciel blocks a body shot from Cruz.

Maciel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cruz moves out of range of the strikes.
Cruz feints a counter leg kick.

Cruz has Maciel up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Maciel is defending well for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maciel wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
Maciel wants to break free but Cruz has control.
Cruz lands a knee to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Cruz just misses with a elbow thrown towards Maciel's brow.
Cruz changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Maciel fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Luciano Maciel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Cruz.
Maciel swinging wildly here.
Maciel avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maciel scores with a jab.
Maciel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Maciel darts in and clinches Cruz up against the cage.
Cruz lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Maciel blocks an elbow strike from Cruz.
A frustrated look appears on Maciel's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cruz is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a head punch that misses.

Maciel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Maciel misses with a hook to the body
and Cruz counters with a one-two to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maciel throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maciel paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Cruz closes the distance and pushes Maciel back into the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cruz.
Cruz lands a shoulder strike.

Maciel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Maciel throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cruz counters with a big head kick but Maciel shrugs it off.
Cruz tries to clinch but Maciel is having none of it.

Cruz has managed to clinch.
Cruz trying to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luciano Maciel dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Maciel swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Luciano Maciel is winning the standup battle so far.
Cruz is looking to clinch.
A punch combination from Maciel misses.
Maciel throws a right hand that Cruz ducks under and follows up with a left that Cruz also avoids with ease.

Cruz has Maciel up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Cruz misses with a knee strike.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Maciel won't allow it.

Maciel breaks the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maciel. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cruz moves into the clinch.
Cruz tries to work over Maciel's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cruz trying to land knees to the body.
Cruz tries to work over Maciel's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Maciel wants to break free but Cruz has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maciel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Luciano Maciel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Cruz, right into the meat.
Cruz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Maciel swats away the attempt to clinch by Cruz.
Maciel throws a right and a left that Cruz avoids nicely.
Cruz unleashes a big counter combination but Maciel bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Maciel misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Cruz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Maciel, pushing him back against the cage.
Cruz trying to land knees to the body.

Maciel escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cruz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maciel bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Maciel fails to land with a series of punches.
Maciel misses with the combination.
Cruz shapes to counter with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is looking to clinch.
Cruz connects with a leg kick. Maciel looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Cruz shoots in and drives through. Maciel sprawls well.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Cruz gets tackled into the cage by Maciel. Maciel maintains the clinch.
Cruz wants to stall.
Cruz trying to stall but Maciel improves his position.

Maciel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Maciel throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cruz counters with a series of strikes. Maciel will be more careful next time no doubt.

Maciel fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cruz, pushing him back against the cage.
Maciel blocks a body shot from Cruz.
Cruz lands an elbow inside.

Maciel breaks from the clinch.
Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cruz unleashes a big counter combination but Maciel bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Maciel throws a right hand that Cruz ducks under and follows up with a left that Cruz also avoids with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz rushes Maciel and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Cruz fails to land.
Cruz doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Maciel has had enough of the clinch but Cruz keeps him there for the moment.
Cruz with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Maciel's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cruz takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Maciel instigates a clinch.
Maciel has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Maciel has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cruz tries a body shot but Maciel blocks it.

Cruz breaks the clinch.

Maciel forces Cruz back against the cage and clinches.
Maciel blocks a body shot from Cruz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maciel has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A frustrated look appears on Maciel's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Maciel manages to break the clinch.
Maciel throws a combination that misses
and Cruz counters with a one-two to the body.
Maciel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maciel on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Maciel circles away.
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.

Maciel rushes Cruz and presses him up against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Cruz has Maciel pressed against the cage, preventing Maciel from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Luciano Maciel.
I think Maciel 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luciano Maciel!
Our winner, Luciano Maciel, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.