PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mr Miyagi Pat Morita (ranked 7756 p4p, 672 weight class) and Dominick Cruz (ranked 7606 p4p, 666 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Miyagi Pat Morita
vs
Cruz

180 cm
19
167 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Can Moonwalk

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Mr Miyagi Pat Morita!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dominick Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Stewart Dunkirk and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.

Pat Morita manages to break the clinch.
Pat Morita lands with a slapping head kick.
Pat Morita darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Mr Miyagi Pat Morita seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Pat Morita gets tackled into the cage by Cruz. Cruz maintains the clinch.

Pat Morita breaks the clinch.
Pat Morita lands a head kick!
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pat Morita as he avoids it easily.
Pat Morita takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Cruz pushes Pat Morita up against the cage in a 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 Pat Morita uses from the top position.
Cruz controls Pat Morita momentarily but Pat Morita frees himself.

Pat Morita stands and steps away. Cruz gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Cruz looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pat Morita but Pat Morita pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pat Morita throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Cruz misses with an attempted mid kick.
Pat Morita throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cruz tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Cruz on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Pat Morita. Pat Morita obviously looking to wear him down.
Jab, jab by Pat Morita - just one landing.
Pat Morita throws a half hearted mid kick.
Pat Morita fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Donk. Pat Morita catches Cruz right on the button with a cross.
Pat Morita lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pat Morita throws the kick towards the body but Cruz avoids it.
Pat Morita looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Good leg kick by Pat Morita there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pat Morita throws a body shot but no joy.
Nice body kick there by Pat Morita.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz tests Pat Morita's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Pat Morita throws a push kick but Cruz slaps the foot to one side.

Cruz clinches with his opponent.
Cruz has Pat Morita pushed against the cage.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cruz takes the fight into the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Cruz.
Pat Morita tries to stall but Cruz uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Pat Morita is looking to control Cruz's arms but Cruz gets an underhook and turns him. Now Pat Morita has his back to the cage.

Pat Morita pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pat Morita defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruz.
Pat Morita half committed to a counter leg kick.
Mr Miyagi Pat Morita has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dominick Cruz.
Nice straight punches there by Pat Morita. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Pat Morita.
Pat Morita is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Cruz fails to land the takedown.
Pat Morita displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cruz.
Pat Morita throws a head kick that misses.
Pat Morita keeps the fight on the outside.
Mr Miyagi Pat Morita is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pat Morita darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Cruz takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Pat Morita scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Cruz doesn't seem bothered though.
Cruz slips a jab from Pat Morita.
Pat Morita throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pat Morita thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cruz gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Pat Morita connects with a good right hand that stumbles Cruz. Cruz circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Pat Morita.
Pat Morita misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cruz tries to counter with a clinch but Pat Morita shakes him off and moves away.
Cruz tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Pat Morita defends well and Cruz ends up having to push Pat Morita into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Cruz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Pat Morita sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cruz closes the distance and clinches up with Pat Morita, looking for a takedown. Cruz pushes Pat Morita against the cage but Pat Morita circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cruz moves forwards but Pat Morita connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Cruz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Cruz throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Pat Morita tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Cruz is in Pat Morita's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mr Miyagi Pat Morita 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.

Pat Morita tries a head kick but it misses.
Pat Morita thumps Cruz with a low kick.

Cruz takes the fight into the clinch.
Pat Morita controlling the action here for a moment.

Cruz decides to pull guard.

Cruz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pat Morita looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pat Morita trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Pat Morita controlling from the top position.
Cruz is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Pat Morita stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two 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.
Cruz takes a kick to the side of the head.
Pat Morita thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Cruz if he has to take too many more of those.

Cruz moves into the clinch.

Pat Morita breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pat Morita pushes Cruz away with a front kick.

Cruz fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Pat Morita to the ground. Cruz is now in Pat Morita's guard.
Cruz is standing up over Pat Morita. Pat Morita looks to escape but Cruz dives into side control.

Cruz trying to control the action but Pat Morita is working from the bottom.
Pat Morita is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Cruz's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pat Morita moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Cruz looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Cruz slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Cruz decides to stand back up. Cruz steps back and let's Pat Morita get back to his feet.
Cruz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dominick Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pat Morita misses with a head kick.
Pat Morita dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cruz. That did some damage!
Cruz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Pat Morita sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mr Miyagi Pat Morita dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Cruz defending well as Pat Morita loads up on a big left hand.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pat Morita as he avoids it easily.
Pat Morita is looking to counter punch.
Cruz tries for a takedown but Pat Morita sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pat Morita.
Pat Morita misses with a double jab.
Pat Morita scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Pat Morita throws a nice head kick!

Cruz has managed to clinch.
Pat Morita looking to stall.

Cruz gets control of Pat Morita's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cruz will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pat Morita gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
A head kick misses from Pat Morita.

Cruz moves into range and clinches up with Pat Morita.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pat Morita pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Left hook, right uppercut from Pat Morita.
Pat Morita misses with an attempted mid kick.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Pat Morita circles away and keeps his distance.
Pat Morita throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A telegraphed right hand from Pat Morita misses the target.
Cruz slips a straight right by Pat Morita.
Cruz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Pat Morita manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pat Morita jabs Cruz right on the nose. Cruz blinks but takes it well.
Cruz fails with the takedown.
Mr Miyagi Pat Morita has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dominick Cruz.
Pat Morita plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Pat Morita is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cruz can do to turn this around?
Cruz blocks a head kick by Pat Morita.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to clinch.
Cruz on the wrong end of a nice hook.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Pat Morita.
Cruz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Pat Morita circles away and keeps his distance.
Cruz shoots in for a double leg but Pat Morita sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Pat Morita swings for the body but Cruz moves out of range.
Pat Morita scores with a kick to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pat Morita looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Pat Morita scores with a jab. Cruz acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Pat Morita throws a nice inside leg kick.
Cruz tries to score a power double leg takedown but Pat Morita sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cruz somewhat.
Cruz on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Mr Miyagi Pat Morita is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pat Morita fails to land with a series of punches.
A head kick misses from Cruz.
Pat Morita checks a leg kick nicely.
Pat Morita tries a head kick but it misses.
Cruz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pat Morita lands a leg kick that knocks Cruz off balance momentarily.
Cruz tries to clinch but Pat Morita is having none of it.
Pat Morita throws a jab when Cruz was well out of range.
Cruz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Pat Morita.
Pat Morita keeps Cruz at a distance using the push kick.
Pat Morita tests Cruz's chin there with a solid looking shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Pat Morita sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cruz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pat Morita tries to avoid it but Cruz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pat Morita to the ground. Pat Morita escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Cruz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nice jab there from Pat Morita.
A good leg kick by Pat Morita.
Dominick Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pat Morita's corner calls for a 1-2. Pat Morita obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mr Miyagi Pat Morita showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pat Morita, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mr Miyagi Pat Morita!