PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Guilherme Cruz (ranked 24634 p4p, 0 weight class) and Greg Vasconcellos (ranked 7529 p4p, 0 weight class). Guilherme Cruz could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Greg Vasconcellos's chin.

Cruz
vs
Vasconcellos

173 cm
19
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 Rio de Janeiro, Guilherme Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Greg Vasconcellos!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Edson Gomes and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Vasconcellos.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but Vasconcellos shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cruz dives in for a single leg takedown but Vasconcellos sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Vasconcellos tries to keep at a distance but Cruz has taken the fight into the clinch.

Cruz jumps guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet but Vasconcellos is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Cruz has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Vasconcellos is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Vasconcellos prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Guilherme Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz is struggling to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Vasconcellos forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Vasconcellos tries to land a knee to the head but Cruz blocks with his arms.
Vasconcellos is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Cruz to keep the fight standing.

Cruz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Vasconcellos is defended easily by Cruz.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cruz.
Vasconcellos fails with the takedown

and Cruz counters by clinching up.
Vasconcellos looks winded!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Vasconcellos's efforts to push away.

Vasconcellos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruz throws a nice inside leg kick.

Cruz forces Vasconcellos back against the cage and clinches.
Vasconcellos is trying to pull guard but Cruz turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Cruz has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Vasconcellos uses from the top position.
Vasconcellos prevents Cruz from getting back to his feet.

Cruz is looking for a triangle but Vasconcellos pushes his legs off easily.
Cruz throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Cruz controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Cruz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Vasconcellos defends well.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Vasconcellos got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cruz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Vasconcellos has managed to get both his arms back between Cruz's legs - danger averted.

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

Cruz decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz passes into side control, despite Vasconcellos's attempt to control the position.

Cruz tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Vasconcellos avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cruz.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vasconcellos wants to control but Cruz postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Guilherme Cruz 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.

Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown. Vasconcellos tries to sprawl out of it but Cruz keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Vasconcellos manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Cruz clinches.
Vasconcellos prevents the takedown attempt.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cruz.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vasconcellos tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cruz just stands there and leans against the cage.

Cruz breaks the clinch.
Cruz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Vasconcellos tries to avoid it but Cruz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Vasconcellos to the ground. Vasconcellos escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Vasconcellos follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Guilherme Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasconcellos misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Vasconcellos is breathing heavily.
Vasconcellos shoots in and drives through. Cruz sprawls well.

Cruz clinches with his opponent.

Cruz drags the fight down to the ground.
Vasconcellos missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cruz pulls Vasconcellos in close to prevent any damage.
Cruz controls Vasconcellos momentarily but Vasconcellos frees himself.

Cruz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vasconcellos doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vasconcellos manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Vasconcellos postures up.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Guilherme Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cruz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Vasconcellos's guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Vasconcellos for as long as he can get away with.

Vasconcellos looking for a guillotine here but Cruz defends easily.
Cruz controls from within his opponent's guard.

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

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cruz.
Vasconcellos fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cruz avoids it really well and circles away.
Cruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vasconcellos can do to turn this around?
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cruz misses with a double jab.
Cruz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Guilherme Cruz dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Vasconcellos scores with a leg kick.
Vasconcellos darts in trying to clinch
and Cruz makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Cruz lands a two punch combo.

It looks like Greg Vasconcellos has been cut.
Vasconcellos is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cruz.
Vasconcellos shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cruz sprawls well. Cruz wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Vasconcellos gets slowly back to his feet.
Guilherme Cruz is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cruz fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Vasconcellos to the ground. Cruz is now in Vasconcellos's guard.
Vasconcellos takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Cruz gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Cruz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Vasconcellos prevents it.
Cruz wants a takedown.

Cruz manages to pull guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Cruz holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcellos wants to stand but Cruz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Vasconcellos controlling from the top position.
Cruz tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Cruz looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Vasconcellos must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Vasconcellos stacks Cruz on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Vasconcellos!
Vasconcellos working the body and head with strikes.
Vasconcellos tries to advance to mount but Cruz denies him.
Cruz wants to control but Vasconcellos postures up.
Cruz tries to bench press Vasconcellos off him but Vasconcellos keeps the position.

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.
Vasconcellos scoring with punches and elbows.
Vasconcellos wants to control but Cruz is keeping him busy.

Vasconcellos is trying to get an arm triangle but Cruz is defending well.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but Vasconcellos shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Guilherme Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cruz fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Vasconcellos sprawls well initially but Cruz persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Vasconcellos has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Cruz is on him like a limpet, forcing Vasconcellos back against the cage.
Greg Vasconcellos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Guilherme Cruz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vasconcellos is trying to break free.

And that's the end of the fight!
Guilherme Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cruz has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

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