PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kang Urip (ranked 1743 p4p, 229 weight class) and Ricardo Cruz (ranked 2461 p4p, 288 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Urip
vs
Cruz

187 cm
20
189 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

190 cm
21
198 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kang Urip!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ricardo Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Steve Erwin and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Urip stuffs the takedown attempt from Cruz. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Urip looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Urip misses with a jab, cross combination.

Urip has managed to clinch.
Cruz looking for a takedown.
Cruz keeps control of Urip as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Urip is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cruz is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Kang Urip has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Cruz.

Cruz has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Urip regains guard immediately.
Urip wants to stand but Cruz is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cruz drops back looking for a leg! Urip is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Urip manages to kick Cruz off! Cruz jumps back into Urip's guard.
Cruz prevents Urip from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Urip swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cruz trying to control but Urip is working from the bottom.
Urip is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cruz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Urip swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Urip keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Urip working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cruz.

Cruz gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Urip looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Cruz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Urip sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Urip dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cruz shoots in but no luck this time.
Urip is looking for a counter combo.
Urip lands a right hook to the body.
Kang Urip is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz dives in for a single leg takedown but Urip sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Cruz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Urip throws a series of punches but Cruz avoids them all with ease.

Cruz drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Urip knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cruz on the ground.
Urip being controlled here, momentarily.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Urip wants to get back to his feet but Cruz is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Cruz trying to control but Urip is working from the bottom.
Urip can't keep his opponent in guard - Cruz advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Urip wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Cruz is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Cruz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Urip does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Urip is trying to stand up here but Cruz is controlling him well.
Cruz trying to control the action but Urip is working from the bottom.
Urip pushes Cruz off but Cruz dives into side control.
Urip tries to escape but Cruz is in control.

Cruz tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Urip tries to escape but Cruz is in control.
Urip on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Urip tries to get out of the position.

Cruz wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Urip, who protects the arm well.
Cruz is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Urip tries to escape but Cruz is in control.

Cruz is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Urip has escaped the position, nice work there.
Urip is trying to buck Cruz off.
Cruz misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Urip gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Cruz tries to control but Urip wriggling away.
Cruz tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Urip is squirming around, avoiding Cruz's attempts to control the action.
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!

Urip misses with a wild combination.
Cruz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Urip is fending him off so far but Cruz persists. Nope, Urip circles away and we're back to standing.
Urip throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruz.
Kang Urip is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Urip lands a really nice looking cross but Cruz seems unphased.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown but Urip manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cruz's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Urip throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Cruz counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Cruz controlling the action here.
Cruz prevents Urip from standing back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cruz connects with a nice short shot to Urip's temple.
Urip wants to get back to his feet.

Cruz looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Urip is trying to stand back up but Cruz is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Urip tries to kick Cruz off in order to stand up. Cruz Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

Cruz looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Cruz prevents Urip from escaping the position.
Cruz trying to control the action but Urip is working from the bottom.
Cruz prevents Urip from escaping the position.
Cruz trying to control the position but Urip is working away.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urip is trying to escape the position but Cruz is controlling the position.

Cruz tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Urip bucks up and tries to throw Cruz off but instead Cruz has got his back!
Urip trying to get back to his feet but Cruz is in full control for now.
Cruz throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Urip is trying to get back to his feet but Cruz has full control of the position and if anything, Urip has just worked his way into a worse spot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz has the rear naked choke here! This is very bad for Urip! Can he survive? No! He's out! Cruz gets to his feet and celebrates with his cornermen. He looks absolutely delighted. In the post fight interviews he takes time to thank his parents and everyone who has believed in him from the start. How sweet.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ricardo Cruz!