PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Will King (ranked 3959 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Cruz (ranked 5233 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

King
vs
Cruz

183 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Will King!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Franklyn Lucas and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
King takes a swing at Cruz's ribcage but misses.
Cruz misses with a looping right.
Cruz connects with a nice looking jab.
Cruz moves into range and connects with a jab.
King tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cruz swivels and escapes.
Cruz uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

King gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A short right hand to the side of the head by King.
Cruz tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cruz tries a body shot but King blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Knees to the body from King.
Cruz tries to pull guard but King holds him up against the cage and eventually Cruz drops back down to his feet.
King lands with a right to the head.
Cruz takes a knee to the side of the body.
Cruz looks winded!

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for King.
King is struggling to control the position.
King creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cruz's defenses.
Cruz's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A body shot lands from King.
King lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Cruz jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as King walks away with a smile on his face. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

King moves into the clinch.
King scores with a hook to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from King.
Stalling in the clinch from King.
King crunches a lovely knee into Cruz's ribcage.
A hook to the body from King.
King lands a hook that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.
King landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
King is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
King has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
A head punch blocked on the inside by King.
King stalling in the clinch.

Cruz drags the fight down to the ground.
King is stalling in the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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.
King knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cruz on the ground.
King's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Cruz looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
King lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Cruz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and King defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz throws his legs up looking for a submission but King uses it to pass to side control.
Cruz is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but King is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
King content just to control the position here.
A nice elbow there by King.
Cruz is working to get back to half guard.
King takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Cruz tries to get back to half guard but can't.
King looking to control and managing it successfully.
King scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

King working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
King breaks from Cruz's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Cruz tries to reverse the position but King maintains control.
King controlling his opponent.
Cruz regains half guard.
Cruz is looking for a sweep. King is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will King 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.

Cruz gets tackled into the cage by King. King maintains the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. King obliges.
Cruz jumps guard but King stands there with Cruz around his waist. Cruz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Cruz can't find room to land a body shot as King controls the action.
King cracks Cruz with a nice body shot.

King escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

King fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cruz, pushing him back against the cage.
Cruz takes a knee to the side of the body.
King with a knee to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King stalling.
King lands a damaging elbow.
Cruz takes an elbow to the temple.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as King takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
King lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for King.
King lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
King lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
King landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Cruz takes a knee right on the jaw!
King lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Cruz or not.
King stalling in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by King.
King prevents a body shot from Cruz.
King lands with a left to the head.
Cruz tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
King landing some nice looking knees to the body.
A hook to the body from King.
King pushes Cruz back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Will King has scored more points in the clinch so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
King softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
King lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to pull guard but King holds him up against the cage and eventually Cruz drops back down to his feet.
King throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

King pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

King fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cruz sprawls well initially but King persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
King is controlling the pace.
Cruz works his way to full guard. Good work.

King decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
King tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cruz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Will King seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws an uppercut from half a mile away. King sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Matt Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
King shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cruz pinned against the cage. Cruz gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
King wants to clinch.
King connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cruz swings widly with a right hand

and King counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by King.
King prevents a body shot from Cruz.
King holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
King lands a nice shot to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, King creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Cruz misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cruz tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. King smiles and moves away.
Will King has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Cruz.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
King misses with the combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will King dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

King clinches.

King escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
King misses with the combination.
Cruz lands an overhand right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King is looking to clinch.
Cruz connects with a single shot there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz connects with a good right hand that stumbles King. King circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
King is looking to clinch but Cruz is avoiding it.
A little jabbing left from Cruz on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
King is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cruz can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
King takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Will King is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
King shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
King takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Cruz jabs King right on the nose. King blinks but takes it well.
Cruz cracks King with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Cruz gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Cruz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cruz works his way into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz fails to take his opponent's back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King is in all sorts of trouble here.
King wants to control but Cruz is having none of it.
Cruz looking to control but King is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
King is in all sorts of trouble here.
Cruz trying to control but King is having none of it.
King is working to get back to half guard.
Matt Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King is controlling an arm, preventing Cruz from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Cruz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
King sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

King looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Cruz is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
King misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Cruz is pressing down on King's thigh, looking to free his foot. King is holding on for now.
Cruz works his way into side control.
King is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Cruz is working to tighten his grip on King's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. King has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Cruz is really squeezing tight and eventually King passes out! Cruz breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Matt Cruz!