PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michel Pereira (ranked 2676 p4p, 3267 weight class) and Ricardo Cruz (ranked 410 p4p, 481 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Pereira
vs
Cruz

185 cm
28
195
14 - 8 - 0

190 cm
28
198
10 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Michel Pereira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ricardo Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Ben Hemmingworth and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cruz shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Cruz showed some decent athleticism there.
Cruz perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Cruz wants to work for an arm triangle but Pereira is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Cruz stalling away here and it's allowed Pereira to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Cruz throws an elbow that misses. Pereira uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Cruz's guard. Nice move by Pereira!

Pereira content to stall in guard here.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Pereira from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pereira sitting in guard here, content to control.

Cruz working for a triangle but Pereira defends it easily.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pereira can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Cruz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Cruz working for a triangle but Pereira defends it easily.

Cruz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Pereira defends well.
Pereira controls from within his opponent's guard.
Pereira pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cruz is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Cruz is looking for a triangle here but Pereira uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Cruz being controlled for a moment.
Pereira tries to advance to mount but can't.
Cruz is looking for a sweep.
Cruz manages to work his way to half guard, despite Pereira's best efforts.
Cruz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Cruz has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Pereira escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Pereira!
Cruz stops Pereira from passing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cruz keeps trying to improve his position.
Cruz trying to remain calm as Pereira controls from the top position.
Pereira trying to control the position but Cruz is working away.
Cruz manages to work his way to half guard, despite Pereira's best efforts.
Cruz makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cruz.
Pereira looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Cruz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Pereira defends well.
Cruz wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pereira trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Cruz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pereira doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Pereira manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Pereira from controlling successfully.

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

Cruz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pereira doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Pereira manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cruz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Cruz working for a triangle but Pereira defends it easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ricardo Cruz will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cruz gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Cruz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ricardo Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pereira wants to land a leg kick but Cruz is out of range.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pereira sprawls well. Pereira wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Cruz darts in looking for a takedown but Pereira gets double underhooks and turns Cruz into the cage.
Michel Pereira has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Cruz.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but Pereira shows good takedown defense.
Cruz shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Pereira defends it nicely.
Pereira lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Pereira slaps away a takedown attempt from Cruz, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Pereira was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pereira turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
No luck for Cruz with that takedown attempt.
It looked like Pereira was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Cruz takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Pereira scores with a one two! Cruz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Michel Pereira is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown but Pereira manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cruz's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Pereira fails to land with a series of punches.
Pereira scores with a jab to the head.
Cruz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
Pereira displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cruz.
Pereira looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Pereira is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cruz can do to turn this around?
Cruz doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Pereira counter with a right hand.
Michel Pereira is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pereira defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruz.
Pereira swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pereira scores with a sloppy right hand. Cruz should have avoided that one.

It looks like Ricardo Cruz has been cut.

Pereira gets a clinch.
Pereira throws a knee to the head but misses.
Pereira lands a body punch in the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Pereira.
Cruz looking for a takedown.
Pereira throws a knee to the head but misses.
Pereira lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Pereira lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Pereira lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
I was talking to Pereira's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Pereira tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pereira tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Pereira prevents a takedown attempt there.
Pereira with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Pereira misses with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Pereira.
Pereira throws a knee to the head but misses.
Pereira prevents a takedown attempt there.
Pereira throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cruz is looking to take this one to the mat.
Pereira with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Cruz has Pereira pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Pereira manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Pereira using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cruz has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pereira misses with some punches.
Pereira working aggressively here.
Pereira scores with a knee to the head.
Michel Pereira has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Pereira tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Pereira tries a knee to the head but Cruz blocks it.
Cruz tries for a takedown. No joy.

Cruz gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pereira wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Pereira is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Cruz is keen to just control but Pereira is a slippery customer.
Pereira gets back to full guard.
Cruz content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Michel Pereira dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ricardo Cruz's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cruz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown. Pereira tries to sprawl out of it but Cruz keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pereira manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pereira lunges at Cruz with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Cruz's hand.
Cruz fails with the takedown.
Pereira appears to be looking for a big counter.
Michel Pereira has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Cruz.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Pereira counters with a nice low kick that buckles Cruz's knee momentarily.
Cruz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pereira keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Pereira will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Pereira can pounce on him.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pereira as he jumps to the side.
Cruz has his takedown stuffed
and Pereira counters with a straight right hand.
Cruz with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pereira counters with a head kick that drops Cruz to the mat! Cruz scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Cruz is rocked!
Pereira batters Cruz with a massive right followed by a huge left! Cruz is out on his feet looking like a zombie as Pereira lands a final crushing right hand to drop Cruz to the mat with a gruesome thud! Pereira is running around like a mad man after that fight and for good reason!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Michel Pereira!
An out of breath Michel Pereira thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.