PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dragon Disciple (ranked 7418 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Cruz (ranked 6995 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Disciple
vs
Cruz

166 cm
18
174 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
176 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dragon Disciple!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mark Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Josh West and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz needs to keep his hands up - Disciple had a free shot at his head there.
Disciple lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Disciple avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
It looked like Disciple was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Cruz.
Cruz closes the distance but Disciple moves to the side
and Disciple counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cruz thinking.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Disciple circles away.
Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Cruz moves into the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Disciple misses with some punches.
Cruz tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Cruz displaying some good clinch control by pressing Disciple up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Disciple avoids it.
Disciple lands a hook that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.
Knees in the clinch landing for Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Disciple.
A hook to the body from Disciple.
Cruz misses with a short punch on the inside.
Disciple misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cruz throws a knee to the head but misses.
Disciple lands a nice uppercut.
Cruz landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Disciple fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Disciple lands a body shot in the clinch.
Cruz blocks an uppercut.
Cruz tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Disciple takes a knee right on the jaw!
Cruz crunches a lovely knee into Disciple's ribcage.
Cruz lands a body shot.
Disciple avoids the elbow strike from Cruz, against the cage.
Come on Cruz - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Disciple has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Disciple scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Cruz tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A knee to the head by Cruz.

It looks like Dragon Disciple has been cut.
Cruz blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Disciple.
Disciple misses with the head strike.
The referee calls for Cruz to work.
Disciple tries to throw a body punch but Cruz avoids it by throwing Disciple back against the cage.
Disciple misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Disciple is keeping busy.
Cruz wants to stall.
Cruz throws a knee to the head but misses.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Disciple.
A shot in the inside from Disciple.
Cruz prevents a body shot from Disciple.
Disciple is leaning against Cruz and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Disciple misses with a hook from the clinch.
Disciple blocks an uppercut.
Cruz will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Disciple up against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Disciple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz taking a breather.
Cruz lands a nice knee to the body.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cruz effectively controlling the action here.
Disciple is working Cruz over against the cage.
Cruz blocks an uppercut.
Cruz landing knees to the head.
Disciple fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Disciple fails to land.
Disciple misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cruz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Disciple.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Disciple lands a left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Dragon Disciple will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Dragon Disciple's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Disciple cracks Cruz with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Disciple takes a swing at Cruz's ribcage but misses.
Disciple lands with an overhand left.
Disciple slips a jab and a cross from Cruz.
Disciple wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Disciple misses the shot to the body.
Cruz walks into a jab.
Cruz closes the distance but Disciple moves to the side
and Disciple counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Disciple fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Cruz moves into range and clinches up with Disciple.
Disciple misses with a punch to the body.
Cruz prevents a body shot from Disciple.
Cruz scores with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz looking to throw knees to the head but Disciple is blocking nicely.
Cruz throws a knee to the head but misses.
Disciple lands a body punch in the clinch.
Cruz looking to slow down the pace here.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cruz.
Cruz looking to slow down the pace here.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Disciple misses with some punches.
Disciple lands with a short shot to the head.
Disciple presses Cruz against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A short body shot lands from Disciple as the two fighters clinch.
Cruz tries to land knees in the clinch but Disciple avoids the damage to the body.
Disciple pushes Cruz back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Disciple scores with a nice short uppercut.
A hook to the body from Disciple.
A short right from Disciple.
Nice body punch from Disciple - that landed with a thud.
Cruz misses with a knee strike.
Cruz trying to control the position but instead, Disciple has worked for underhooks and has pushed Cruz into the cage.
Disciple lands a hook that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Disciple makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Cruz throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Disciple is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cruz can do to turn this around?
Cruz stalling in the clinch but Disciple improves position.
Disciple pushes Cruz back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Disciple lands a nice shot to the body.
Disciple lands an uppercut.
Disciple is working Cruz over against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Disciple.

Cruz is rocked!
A left hand lands to the body for Disciple.
Cruz is still on wobbly legs! Can Disciple finish him?
Disciple lands a hook that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.
A right hook to the body lands for Disciple.
Disciple lands a shoulder strike.
Cruz is looking to control Disciple's arms but Disciple gets an underhook and turns him. Now Cruz has his back to the cage.
Disciple scores with a nice hook to the head.
A body shot lands from Disciple.
Disciple working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Disciple.
A right handed body shot lands from Disciple.
Disciple lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Disciple gets through Cruz's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Disciple scores with a shoulder strike.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but Disciple blocks with his arms.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Disciple lands with a light punch inside.
A short uppercut from Disciple.
Dragon Disciple has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Disciple lands a hook that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.
Disciple struggles to land a body shot inside as Cruz controls his hands.
A head punch on the inside from Disciple fails to land.
Disciple lands a body shot.
Disciple working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Disciple lands a nice uppercut.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Disciple gets through Cruz's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Disciple unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Cruz! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Disciple is unloading with more strikes now! Cruz drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Dragon Disciple!
Dragon Disciple decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.