PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Cruz (ranked 5709 p4p, 546 weight class) and Mario Rossi (ranked 4105 p4p, 446 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Cruz
vs
Rossi

185 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
188 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Pit Bull Development

Pit Bull Development
Annihilation Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Marcus Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mario Rossi!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Chris Downing and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rossi works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Rossi lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rossi staying out of range there.
Rossi throws a right hand that misses
and Cruz counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rossi thinking.
Rossi connects with a leg kick. Cruz looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A jab from Rossi misses.
Cruz stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Rossi lands with a thumping leg kick.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rossi moves away.
Rossi misses with an uppercut.
Mario Rossi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz takes a swing at Rossi's ribcage but misses.
A big right from Cruz misses.
Cruz connects with a body shot that sends Rossi's belly button to the back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rossi closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Cruz scores with a one two! Rossi had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Rossi connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Cruz momentarily.
Jab by Rossi.
Cruz tries to bum rush Rossi with a series of wild strikes but Rossi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rossi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rossi fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cruz has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cruz throws a one two combo.
Cruz misses with the combination.
Cruz just misses with a punch to the body.
Rossi swings for the body but Cruz moves out of range.
Rossi feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Cruzs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Cruz swings for the body but Rossi moves out of range.
Rossi scores with a nice body kick.
Cruz is looking to wear down Rossi with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Cruz misses with a wild body shot.
Rossi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Rossi moves into the clinch successfully.
Cruz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rossi has him pressed against the cage.
Rossi misses with a punch on the inside.
Rossi working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rossi misses with some punches.
A frustrated look appears on Cruz's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cruz is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is trying to break the clinch but Rossi has him pressed against the cage.
Rossi lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rossi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rossi misses with some punches.
Cruz's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

It looks like Marcus Cruz has been cut.
Rossi lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Cruz or not.
Rossi struggles to land a body shot inside as Cruz controls his hands.
Rossi lands a right hand.
Rossi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cruz's efforts to push away.
Cruz wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rossi misses with some punches.
Rossi lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rossi throws a head punch that misses.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cruz is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rossi scores with a shoulder strike.
Rossi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cruz tries to circle away but Rossi has him pinned against the cage.
Cruz blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cruz is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Rossi - that landed with a thud.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
Rossi prevents Cruz from breaking the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Cruz's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rossi lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cruz wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cruz is trying to break free.
Rossi lands with a right to the head.
Cruz has had enough of the clinch but Rossi keeps him there for the moment.
Rossi scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rossi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cruz wants to break free but Rossi has control.
Rossi lands a nice shot to the body.
Cruz blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cruz wants to get back to striking at distance but Rossi won't allow it.
Cruz wants to get back to striking at distance but Rossi won't allow it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rossi.
Rossi lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.
Rossi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cruz's efforts to push away.
Rossi lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rossi lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rossi working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rossi throws a punch but it's blocked by Cruz.
A short right from Rossi.
Cruz tries to break free but Rossi pushes him back against the cage.
Cruz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rossi has him pressed against the cage.
Cruz looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rossi lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Cruz wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rossi lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rossi misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A short uppercut from Rossi.
Rossi working aggressively here.
Cruz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cruz blocks an uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rossi lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.
Rossi has Cruz pressed against the cage, preventing Cruz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rossi scores with a shot to the side of Cruz's head.
Cruz tries to break the clinch but Rossi is controlling the position.
Cruz blocks a punch to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Rossi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Cruz's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rossi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cruz throws out the jab.
Rossi throws a jab but it's blocked by Cruz.
Cruz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A nice side step and Rossi releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Rossi connects with a good right hand that stumbles Cruz. Cruz circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Rossi throws out a powerful jab.
A lazy left from Rossi finds it's target.
Rossi lunges at Cruz with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Cruz's hand.
Rossi misses with an uppercut. Cruz saw that one coming.
Rossi moves out of range of the strikes.
Cruz looks to throw the jab but Rossi is out of range.
Rossi misses the jab.
Rossi has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Rossi thuds a left hand into Cruz's body.
Cruz takes a jab right on the kisser.
Cruz takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz misses with a jab, cross combination.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cruz has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Cruz there as he acknowledges the shot.
Cruz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Marcus Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz misses with a hook. Rossi ducked under it nicely.
Cruz misses with a hook. Rossi ducked under it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rossi lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Cruz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rossi.
Rossi feints and then cracks Cruz's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Cruz down.
Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Rossi tests Cruz's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nice uppercut lands for Cruz. That snapped Rossi's head back.
Rossi throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Some wild striking there from Cruz.
Rossi slips a jab and a cross from Cruz.
Mario Rossi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rossi tests Cruz's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Rossi drives through and clinches with Cruz against the cage.
Rossi throws a punch but it's blocked by Cruz.
Rossi misses with some punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rossi lands with a short shot to the head.
Rossi struggles to land a body shot inside as Cruz controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Rossi.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rossi has Cruz pressed against the cage, preventing Cruz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cruz is trying to force a seperation but Rossi has the dominant position.
Rossi throws a punch but it's blocked by Cruz.
Rossi is working Cruz over against the cage.
Rossi lands with a short shot to the head.
Rossi keeps control of Cruz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rossi lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rossi has a couple of punches blocked by Cruz.
A left hand lands to the body for Rossi.
Rossi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rossi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Rossi lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.
Rossi has a couple of punches blocked by Cruz.
Rossi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.
Rossi scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rossi lands a nice uppercut.
Cruz wants to get back to striking at distance but Rossi won't allow it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rossi.
Rossi lands an uppercut.

Cruz is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rossi misses with some punches.
Oh Cruz is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rossi dips a shoulder and cracks Cruz with a mighty uppercut! Cruz falls back against the cage and Rossi unloads with a barrage of strikes! Cruz is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Rossi screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:13 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mario Rossi!
An out of breath Mario Rossi thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.