PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Michael Cruz (ranked 1655 p4p, 218 weight class) and Coiote Magrin (ranked 2368 p4p, 287 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Cruz
vs
Magrin

180 cm
20
175 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

170 cm
27
175 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
UnderGround Supplements

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Coiote Magrin!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Donatello Bradman and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Magrin blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Magrin avoids the body shot from Cruz.
Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Magrin.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Magrin has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Cruz misses with a two punch combination.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Magrin pushes Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Magrin smiles and moves away.

Cruz moves into the clinch successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Cruz stalling in the clinch but Magrin improves position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz misses with some punches.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Magrin won't allow it.
Magrin is trying to pull guard but Cruz turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Cruz working aggressively here.
Cruz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Magrin.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Magrin forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short left from Cruz.
Magrin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Magrin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cruz smiles and moves away.
Cruz misses with a series of wild punches.
Magrin blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Magrin tries to counter with a clinch but Cruz shakes him off and moves away.

Magrin closes the distance and clinches.
Cruz throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Magrin fails to pull guard.
Magrin tries to pull guard but Cruz forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cruz wants to take the fight to the mat but Magrin manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Magrin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cruz smiles and moves away.

Magrin has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cruz misses with a punch on the inside.
Cruz misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Magrin is trying to pull guard but Cruz turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Cruz.
Cruz misses with a hook to the ribs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Magrin is trying to pull guard but Cruz turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magrin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cruz smiles and moves away.
Cruz lands a lovely overhand right.

Magrin rushes Cruz and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Magrin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Cruz misses with an elbow over the top.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cruz.
I was talking to Cruz's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Magrin tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cruz just stands there and leans against the cage.
Magrin tries to pull guard but Cruz forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cruz trying to land knees to the body.
Magrin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cruz smiles and moves away.
Cruz looks for a takedown but Magrin sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Magrin clinches up with Cruz and pushes him back against the cage.
Cruz working aggressively here.
Cruz misses with a hook from the clinch.

Cruz pulls guard.
Magrin content to stall in guard here.
Magrin's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Cruz throws his legs up looking for a submission but Magrin uses it to pass to side control.
Cruz is trying to work for a sweep but Magrin has mounted him!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Cruz dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A combination from Cruz does no damage.
Magrin avoids a punch combination nicely.

Cruz shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Magrin is in trouble now - Cruz has advanced to mount!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Magrin wants to control but Cruz is having none of it.
Magrin sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is keen to just control but Magrin is a slippery customer.
Magrin regains full guard. Nicely done.
Magrin lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Magrin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Magrin from controlling successfully.
Cruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Magrin can do to turn this around?
Magrin passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to bench press Magrin off him but Magrin keeps the position.
Magrin controlling from side mount.
Cruz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Magrin wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Magrin tries to advance to mount but Cruz denies him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz seems a little lost for a moment, as Magrin dominates the positioning.
Cruz wants to control but Magrin postures up.
Magrin wants to control but Cruz is keeping him busy.
Coiote Magrin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Magrin just content to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Magrin darts in and clinches Cruz up against the cage.

Cruz has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Magrin is trying to keep an underhook but Cruz manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Magrin has hold of Cruz's hands but Cruz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Magrin is holding on to half guard well.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Magrin's head.
Magrin trying to control here.
Magrin has his hands clasped together around Cruz's back. He's all about the action.
Cruz takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cruz is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Cruz is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Cruz dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Cruz is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Magrin's half guard.
Cruz is trying to control the action in half guard but Magrin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Magrin wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Magrin has hold of Cruz's hands but Cruz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cruz missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Magrin makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Magrin.
Magrin working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Magrin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Magrin wants to sweep here but Cruz controlling him for the moment.
Cruz trying to control but Magrin is working from the bottom.
Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Magrin has wrist control.
Magrin wants to sweep here but Cruz controlling him for the moment.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Magrin keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two 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.
Magrin shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense.
As Magrin looks to move away, Cruz throws a big counter combo but Magrin just gets out of the way.

Magrin darts in and clinches Cruz up against the cage.

Cruz decides to pull guard.

Cruz looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Cruz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Cruz has his foot on Magrin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Magrin works his way back into a safe position though.
Magrin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magrin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

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

Magrin is sitting in close to Cruz's body. Cruz has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Magrin is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Magrin is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Cruz.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Michael Cruz!
After the fight, Michael Cruz was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.