|
|
CACC 177: Gatsby vs Cubbedge PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the featherweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of New York, with a TWGC record of 7 wins and 7 losses; Darian Cruz! And in the blue corner, fighting out of London, with a TWGC record of 34 wins and 18 losses; Rodney Holzken!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, George Francis and Alan Glass.
The fighters connect hands in the middle of the mat and we are under way.
Horrible takedown attempt by Cruz or perhaps it was just good defense by Holzken, which made it look bad.
Cruz has a takedown stuffed.
Cruz clinches up against the ropes.
Cruz gets control of Holzken's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cruz will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Holzken wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Holzken has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at London MMA Club. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holzken tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.
Holzken trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz looking for a sweep. Not yet Cruz, not yet.
Holzken trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Holzken controlling from the top position.
Holzken being controlled here momentarily.
Holzken trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Cruz trying to control the position here.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz keeping full guard, as Holzken tries to pass.
Holzken looking to sit in guard and control but Cruz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Cruz (2) vs (0) Holzken
Cruz trying to control but Holzken is working from the bottom.
Cruz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Holzken is keeping the position for now.
Cruz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Holzken is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz won't allow Holzken to sweep him here.
Holzken has his foot on Cruz's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cruz works his way back into a safe position though.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Holzken keeps moving.
We've been hearing good reports from Cruz's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Cruz passes Holzken's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holzken is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cruz pulls his head out easily.
Cruz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Holzken is just riding it out for now. Cruz eventually gives up the hold.
Holzken is looking to control Cruz's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Holzken avoid being mounted?
Holzken is trying to get back to full guard.
Holzken keeps trying to improve his position.
Cruz is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cruz is trying to control. Holzken wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Cruz is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Holzken won't allow Cruz to pass to mount.
Holzken is defending against the submission attempts here by Cruz.
Holzken trying to control here.
Cruz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Holzken does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Cruz is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Holzken has managed to free his arm - good work.
Holzken tries to roll over but Cruz keeps him under control.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Holzken looking for submissions off his back.
Cruz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Holzken wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Cruz is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Holzken is not content to let Cruz control the position.
Holzken is looking to improve his position.
Cruz is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Holzken sees it coming and defends easily.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Holzken gets back to full guard.
Holzken looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruz sitting in guard here, content to control.
Holzken throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Holzken escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cruz gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Holzken is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Holzken looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Holzken keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Holzken is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Holzken is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Holzken is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Holzken controls Cruz momentarily but Cruz frees himself.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Holzken wants to sweep but no luck.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Cruz passes Holzken's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Holzken is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cruz seems to be working for a kimura but Holzken defends the submission attempt.
Cruz trying to control from half guard but Holzken is working away.
Cruz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Holzken is just riding it out for now. Cruz eventually gives up the hold.
Cruz is trying to work for a kimura but Holzken is defending well.
Cruz is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Holzken looking for submissions off his back.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Cruz passes to full mount! Score +3 for passing guard: Cruz (5) vs (0) Holzken
Holzken is looking to improve his position but Cruz isn't that keen on the idea.
Holzken is controlling an arm, preventing Cruz from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Holzken is trying desperately to improve position.
Holzken is still trying to improve position.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Holzken regains half guard.
Cruz trying to control from half guard but Holzken is working away.
Cruz is trying to work for a kimura but Holzken is defending well.
Holzken is staying active underneath Cruz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cruz tries to pass to full mount but Holzken defends it.
Holzken is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cruz pulls his head out easily.
Holzken wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy.
Holzken wants to get back to full guard.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is looking for a kimura but Holzken is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Cruz to get the leverage.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Cruz in particular looking to stall.
Cruz is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Holzken sees it coming and defends easily.
Holzken works his way to full guard. Good work.
Holzken had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cruz defends it easily.
Cruz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Holzken has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cruz has managed to get both his arms back between Holzken's legs - danger averted.
Cruz works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Holzken is the more experienced fighter here and he's going to need to draw on some of that experience if he's going to pull this one out the bag.
Holzken is looking to improve his position.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Holzken is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Cruz is trying to control. Holzken wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Cruz wants to work for an arm triangle but Holzken is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Cruz is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Holzken trying to control but Cruz postures up.
Cruz with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Cruz is working for a kimura but Holzken is defending it quite comfortably.
Cruz wants to take a breather but Holzken is having none of it.
Holzken is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cruz pulls his head out easily.
Holzken is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cruz pulls his head out easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cruz tries to pass the half guard into mount. Holzken knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Cruz is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Holzken has managed to free his arm - good work.
And that's the end of the fight!
Cruz takes the fight on points by 5 to 0.
Darian Cruz seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website. |
|
|
|
|
|
