PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Taka Cruise (ranked 3947 p4p, 3672 weight class) and Wesley Shutes (ranked 468 p4p, 440 weight class). The key to victory for Taka Cruise has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Cruise
vs
Shutes

173 cm
26
176
5 - 4 - 0

182 cm
27
177
4 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
KO power

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taka Cruise!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Wesley Shutes!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shutes lands with a thumping leg kick.
Good leg kick by Shutes.
Shutes closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cruise circles away.
Cruise moves away from the strike by Shutes.
Taka Cruise seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruise takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Cruise throws a combination that misses
and Shutes counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Shutes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cruise.
Shutes thumps Cruise with a low kick.
Shutes scores with a spinning back kick!
Cruise is looking to chop away at Shutes's legs.
Shutes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruise throws a nice looking combination but Shutes bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Cruise does no damage.
Cruise waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Shutes.
Shutes lands with a slapping head kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shutes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shutes avoids the body shot from Cruise.
A telegraphed right hand from Cruise misses the target.
Cruise misses with a series of wild punches.
Cruise throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cruise has been working on his boxing with his coaches at MMA Dojo (Top Gym in Tokyo*) in the buildup to the fight.
Cruise takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Shutes lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Shutes bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cruise's head backwards.

Shutes closes the distance and clinches.

Shutes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruise fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Shutes lands with a nice body kick.
Cruise lands with a shot to the body.
Shutes moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

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!
Shutes swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cruise.
Shutes throws a sloppy head kick
and Cruise counters with a nice uppercut.
Cruise fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Shutes on the side of the head.
Shutes looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Cruise pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cruise throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Shutes has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cruise managing to block the knees to the body from Shutes.
Shutes goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cruise looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cruise wants to get back to striking at distance but Shutes won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Cruise's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cruise has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Shutes creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Cruise can't break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Shutes manages to break the clinch.
Shutes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruise.
Cruise misses with a few strikes there.
Cruise throws a left and a right that both miss
and Shutes counters with a low kick, right behind Cruise 's knee.
Shutes lands a nice looking body shot.
Cruise throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cruise throws a lazy right hand but Shutes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Shutes misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Cruise to counter with a crisp jab.
Shutes avoids the body shot from Cruise.
Cruise tries a head kick but it misses.
Shutes throws a head kick but Cruise moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cruise. Shutes does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cruise sets himself, and Shutes steps forward looking for the clinch! Cruise avoids it this time.
Shutes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cruise went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Shutes misses with a low kick.
As Shutes looks to move away, Cruise throws a big counter combo but Shutes just gets out of the way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shutes lands with a shot to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Shutes. That's going to slow Cruise down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shutes throws a wild body kick that Cruise sees coming a mile off.
It looked like Cruise was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Cruise misses with a two punch combination.
Cruise misses with a few strikes there.
A nice side step and Shutes releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Shutes slips a straight right by Cruise.

Shutes has Cruise up against the cage in a clinch.
Shutes missing with knees to the body.
Cruise is trying to push Shutes away but Shutes has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Shutes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cruise blocks it with crossed arms.

Cruise manages to break the clinch.
Shutes misses the jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Wesley Shutes 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.

Shutes connects with an inside leg kick.
Shutes gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cruise.
Cruise throws a combination. Shutes tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Shutes throws a head kick that Cruise semi-blocks.
Cruise takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Shutes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruise misses with an uppercut.
Cruise scores with a jab to the head.
Shutes throws a half hearted mid kick.
Cruise misses with a body kick.
Cruise looks to land a right hand but Shutes moved out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Shutes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cruise.
Shutes wants to counter the offense by Cruise and move into the clinch position.
Shutes connects with a nice looking jab.
Shutes fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shutes throws a low kick but Cruise moves out of range easily.
Cruise shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Shutes eats them both and turns towards Cruise to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Cruise misses with a straight left.
A chopping leg kick lands by Shutes.
Shutes goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Shutes fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Shutes connects with a solid leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Shutes. Cruise does a little dance to reset his feet.
Shutes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Shutes ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Shutes pushes Cruise up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruise wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Shutes has him pressed against the cage.
Shutes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shutes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cruise blocks it with crossed arms.

Cruise breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shutes with a nice cross.
Cruise throws a hook to the side of Shutes's head but Shutes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Shutes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The fighters circling - Cruise throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cruise throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cruise moves out of range as Shutes strikes.
Cruise keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cruise thinks about countering with a body kick.
Cruise throws a solid leg kick but Shutes takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Cruise.
Cruise takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Cruise misses the shot to the body.
Shutes pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Shutes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cruise.
Cruise throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Shutes counters with a right hand to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruise avoids the head kick by Shutes.
Shutes tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruise was well out of range. Poor timing from Shutes.
Shutes takes a swing at Cruise's ribcage but misses.
Cruise was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A slapping body kick lands there for Shutes.
Shutes throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Cruise scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Shutes slips a jab and a cross from Cruise.
Cruise throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Shutes showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cruise.
Shutes throws a head kick but Cruise moves out of range.
Shutes throws a leg kick that is checked
and Cruise counters with a left and a right that stings Shutes.
Shutes lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Cruise at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shutes throws a wild body kick that Cruise sees coming a mile off.
Cruise will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Shutes misses with a looping left.
Cruise fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Shutes will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Shutes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cruise misses with a few strikes there.
Cruise rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Shutes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cruise on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Shutes misses with the body kick
and Cruise counters with a straight right hand.
Shutes misses with a double jab.
Shutes swings for the body but Cruise moves out of range.
Shutes delivers a nice body kick.
Shutes throws a half hearted mid kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Wesley Shutes will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cruise avoids the body shot from Shutes.
Shutes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cruise is looking for a counter combo.
Cruise ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shutes moves away.
Cruise throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Shutes throws a half hearted mid kick.
Shutes tries to score with a low kick but Cruise moves his leg out of the way.
Cruise scores with a jab to the jaw.
Cruise scores with a crisp jab that stopped Shutes in his tracks.
Shutes has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A combination from Cruise does no damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shutes throws a body kick that misses.
A quick step to the side and Cruise tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cruise will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Shutes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cruise manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Shutes forces Cruise back against the cage and clinches.
Shutes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shutes misses with some punches.
Shutes keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cruise's efforts to push away.
Shutes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cruise tries to break the clinch but Shutes is controlling the position.
Shutes tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Shutes creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Cruise tries to break free but Shutes pushes him back against the cage.
Shutes throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nice elbow from Shutes.
Shutes lands an elbow just above Cruise 's eye.

It looks like Taka Cruise has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruise wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Shutes has him pressed against the cage.
Shutes looking to throw knees to the head but Cruise is blocking nicely.
Shutes lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Cruise wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cruise wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Shutes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shutes dodges the punch combination from Cruise.
Some wild striking there from Shutes.
Shutes throws a combination that misses
and Cruise connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shutes slips a jab and a cross from Cruise.
Shutes tries to counter with a clinch but Cruise shakes him off and moves away.
Shutes throws a leg kick but Cruise sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Cruise is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruise throws a right hand that Shutes ducks under and follows up with a left that Shutes also avoids with ease.
Cruise works Shutes's body with a nice hook.
Sloppy strikes from Cruise. Those never looked like landing.
Cruise throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Shutes.
Shutes throws a body kick, spinning off balance
letting Cruise counter with a right hand.
Cruise throws out a loose jab but Shutes uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head kick misses from Cruise.
Shutes throws a front kick aimed at Cruise's knee but Cruise avoids it well.
Shutes scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Cruise tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruise misses with a combination
and Shutes counters with an outside leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruise tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A solid body kick from Shutes.
Cruise throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Shutes unleashes a big counter combination but Cruise bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A chopping leg kick lands by Shutes.
Taka Cruise has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wesley Shutes is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Shutes throws a head kick that half lands.
Shutes thows a leg kick but Cruise checks it
and Cruise counters with a one-two to the body.
A jab from Cruise finds it's way through Shutes's defenses.
Shutes lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Cruise avoids a kick to the body.
A little feinted left hand from Cruise on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Shutes catches Cruise with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Shutes fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cruise has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Shutes lands a nice shot to the body.
Cruise walks into a straight right hand from Shutes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wesley Shutes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Shutes has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wesley Shutes!
After winning the bout, Wesley Shutes thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.