PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Thanh Parrish (ranked 24637 p4p, 0 weight class) and Guilherme Cruz (ranked 24400 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Parrish
vs
Cruz

186 cm
19
161 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

173 cm
19
160 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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, Thanh Parrish!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Guilherme Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Matheus Silva and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.

Cruz looking to score a takedown here. Parrish is defending well but Cruz drives through and ends up in Parrish's guard.
Parrish is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Cruz dives into side control.

Cruz wants to stand but Parrish has his arm trapped.
A lull in the action here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz tries to move into full mount but can't pass Parrish's legs.
Parrish is not content to let Cruz control the position.
Cruz throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Parrish is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Parrish is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cruz throws a strike but Parrish avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Cruz trying to control but Parrish is working from the bottom.
Cruz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Parrish is pulling down on Cruz's head to control his posture.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Parrish not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

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

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

Parrish kicks off Cruz and gets to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Cruz as Parrish shoots in.

Cruz clinches.

Cruz pulls guard successfully.
Cruz is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Parrish really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cruz pulls Parrish in close to his closed guard and prevents Parrish from doing any damage or advancing position.
Parrish will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Cruz is looking to sweep but instead, Parrish has passed into half guard.
Parrish lands with a punch from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Parrish prevents Cruz from improving his position.

Parrish seems to be looking for submissions.
Cruz is trying to maintain the position but Parrish is very close to passing his half guard.

Parrish is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz is doing well to control the position and prevent Parrish from advancing to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Guilherme 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!

Parrish fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Cruz to the ground. Parrish is now in Cruz's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Parrish is in close to Cruz's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Cruz will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Cruz pulls Parrish in close to prevent any damage.
Cruz is looking to sweep but instead, Parrish has passed into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Parrish is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cruz is just riding it out for now. Parrish eventually gives up the hold.
Thanh Parrish overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Parrish working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Parrish not doing much here.
Parrish prevents Cruz from improving his position.
Cruz missing with punches from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cruz keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet.
Parrish prevents Cruz from improving his position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Cruz forces Parrish back against the cage and clinches.
Parrish is trying to push Cruz away but Cruz has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Parrish keeps moving.
Cruz wanted to stand there but Parrish had control of the position.
Cruz looking to pass the guard.
Cruz preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Parrish is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Cruz not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cruz shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Parrish manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Parrish preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
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 Thanh Parrish will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Cruz feints and as Parrish raises his hands in defense, Cruz changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Parrish has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Cruz off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Parrish changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cruz tries to avoid it but Parrish manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cruz to the ground. Cruz escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Thanh Parrish is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Parrish misses with a takedown attempt
and Cruz counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Parrish thinking.

Cruz closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Parrish's guard.

Parrish pushes Cruz off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Parrish closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cruz to the mat! Cruz manages to get full guard.

Cruz is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Parrish fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thanh Parrish. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz wants the takedown. Parrish is fighting it off but Cruz persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Parrish's guard against the cage.
Parrish pulls Cruz in close to prevent any damage.
Parrish keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.

Cruz stands and steps away. Parrish gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Parrish to the ground. Cruz is now in Parrish's guard.
Cruz preventing the sweep.

Cruz gets to his feet. Parrish looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Cruz shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Parrish's guard.
Parrish is wriggling around but Cruz manages to pass to half guard.

Cruz perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cruz is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to pass to mount but Parrish is defending the position.

Cruz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Parrish is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Cruz takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Cruz is thwarting Parrish's attempts to control the position.

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

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.
Parrish is trying to maintain a safe position but Cruz gets an underhook and turns Parrish into the cage.
Parrish has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Parrish is trying to pull guard but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.

Cruz works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Cruz seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Cruz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Guilherme Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cruz has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30

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