PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Robert Munson (ranked 2801 p4p, 2207 weight class) and Michael Cruz (ranked 366 p4p, 300 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Munson
vs
Cruz

184 cm
27
178
5 - 4 - 0

180 cm
25
187
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Hardcore Alchemy
Urban Fighter

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 New York, Robert Munson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Aafke Stam and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cruz clinches with his opponent.
Munson gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Cruz.

Munson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Munson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Munson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Cruz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Munson, pushing him back against the cage.

Cruz gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Munson regains guard.
Cruz stopping the sweep attempt from Munson.
Cruz working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Munson keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz landing with the ground and pound.

Munson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cruz is aware though and is defending well.
Munson 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.
Munson pulls Cruz in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Munson keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
Munson trying to control the position.
Cruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Munson pulls Cruz in close to his closed guard and prevents Cruz from doing any damage or advancing position.

Munson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Cruz defends well.
Munson looking to control but Cruz passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Munson is trying to control but can't.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Cruz lands a nice short elbow.
Cruz lands strikes from half guard.
Cruz prevents Munson from improving his position.
Munson has hold of Cruz's hands but Cruz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cruz passes to side control.
Munson takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Munson is trying to get back to half guard.
Munson is trying to escape the position but Cruz is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to control but Munson is keeping him busy.
Munson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cruz wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Munson is working hard here to advance position.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Munson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cruz is chipping away with strikes.
Munson is looking to reverse the position.
Cruz wants to control but Munson is keeping him busy.
Munson wants to control but Cruz postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Munson to see if he's OK.
Cruz wants to control but Munson is keeping him busy.
Munson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Cruz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Cruz wants to work for an arm triangle but Munson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Cruz lands a nice short elbow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Munson trying to control from the bottom.
Cruz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Munson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Cruz seems to be working for a kimura but Munson defends the submission attempt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Cruz dominated that 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.

Cruz changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Munson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Cruz trying to control the action but Munson is working from the bottom.
Munson can't do much from the bottom here.
Munson tries to bench press Cruz off him but Cruz keeps the position.
Michael Cruz has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz in side control lands a decent elbow.
You can see the frustration on Munson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cruz scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Munson to see if he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Munson keeps working.
Cruz scores with punches from side control.
Cruz advances to mount.
Cruz with good strikes from the mount here!
Cruz controlling his opponent.
Cruz scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Munson is trying to escape the mount.
Cruz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz controlling the pace for now.
Cruz breaks from Munson's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Cruz can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Munson is looking to escape.
A nice elbow there by Cruz.
Cruz wants to control the pace but Munson is squirming around nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Munson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cruz avoids the attempt from Munson to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz unloading with bombs!
Cruz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
My spies in SSJ Gym inform me that Cruz has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Munson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Cruz with good strikes from the mount here!
Cruz scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Munson?
Cruz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Cruz avoids the attempt from Munson to control.
Cruz working the ground and pound effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands a couple of good shots and Munson has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

Munson is rocked!
Munson tries to escape but Cruz has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Oh Munson is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Munson is keeping busy.
Munson seems to have got his legs back now.
Cruz has the hooks in. Munson is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz punishes Munson with strikes from the back mount.
Cruz lands a series of strikes from the back and Munson goes limp! The ref jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). 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.