PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Chris Davis (ranked 4497 p4p, 6388 weight class) and Dustin Cruz (ranked 543 p4p, 679 weight class). Chris Davis could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Dustin Cruz's chin.

Davis
vs
Cruz

182 cm
24
170
7 - 9 - 0

185 cm
25
170
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

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 7 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris Davis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dustin Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Roger Salmon and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Davis tries to avoid it but Cruz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Davis to the ground. Davis escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Davis seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Davis looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Davis circles away.
Davis defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruz.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Davis circles away.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Davis swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Cruz tries to keep at a distance but Davis has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cruz is trying to pull guard but Davis turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Chris Davis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dustin Cruz.

Davis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz tries to clinch up.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown but Davis manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cruz's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Davis closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Davis has closed the distance and engaged Cruz in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz stops a takedown attempt from Davis.

Cruz breaks the clinch.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
A head kick by Cruz misses
and Davis finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Cruz swinging wildly here.
Davis tries to clinch
and Cruz counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Cruz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Davis tries to avoid it but Cruz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Davis to the ground. Davis escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
Good standup being displayed there by Cruz as he connects with a hook.
Davis looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Davis as Cruz shoots in.
Davis circles away from the clinch attempt.
Davis defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruz.
Cruz wants to clinch up but Davis keeps it at a distance.
Cruz fails to land the takedown.
Davis stuffs the takedown attempt from Cruz. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Cruz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dustin Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Davis swats away the attempt to clinch by Cruz.

Davis takes the fight into the clinch.
Cruz jumps guard but Davis turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Davis can't break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cruz is looking to control Davis's arms but Davis gets an underhook and turns him. Now Cruz has his back to the cage.
Cruz looking to stall.

Cruz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cruz tries to clinch but Davis moves out of range.
Davis scores with a three punch combo!
Cruz looks to land a left hand but Davis moved out of range nicely.
Horrible takedown attempt by Cruz or perhaps it was just good defense by Davis, which made it look bad.
Cruz throws a chopping leg kick but Davis manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz misses with a kick to the body.
Davis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Davis dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Davis paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Davis rushes Cruz and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz prevents a takedown attempt there.
Cruz looking to stall.
Cruz tries for a takedown. No joy.
Davis is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cruz can do to turn this around?

Cruz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Davis lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
No luck for Davis with that takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz goes for a double leg but Davis avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Davis continues to drive forward.

Cruz rushes Davis and presses him up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Davis's efforts to push away.

Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruz wants to clinch up but Davis keeps it at a distance.
Davis throws a counter high kick but Cruz was just alert enough to avoid it.
Cruz wants to clinch up but Davis keeps it at a distance.
Davis is looking for a counter combo.
Cruz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Davis's waist but Davis gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cruz off to one side.
Davis feinted with a counter takedown.
Chris Davis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dustin Cruz.
Horrible takedown attempt by Cruz or perhaps it was just good defense by Davis, which made it look bad.
Cruz shoots in but Davis avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Cruz takes the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Davis stuffs the takedown attempt from Cruz. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Davis tries for a takedown but Cruz circles away easily
and Cruz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Davis circles away and keeps his distance.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Davis is avoiding it.
Cruz tries to clinch up.
Cruz moves out of range of the body kick.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruz tries to clinch up.
A little feinted left hand from Davis on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cruz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cruz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Davis wants to slow Cruz down by chopping away at his legs.
Cruz lands with a shot to the body.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt - Davis sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Some wild striking there from Cruz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz has a takedown stuffed.
Cruz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Davis seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Davis throws a right hand that Cruz ducks under and follows up with a left that Cruz also avoids with ease.
Davis leaves Cruz with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Davis wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Cruz throws a body punch but Davis moves out of range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Davis as he avoids it easily.
Davis is looking to counter the offense by Cruz and move into the clinch.
Cruz lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cruz.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Chris Davis will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Davis is looking to clinch but Cruz is avoiding it.
Davis leaves Cruz with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Cruz misses with a low kick.
Cruz tries to clinch up.
Davis throwing a counter right hand but Cruz manages to avoid it.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Davis sprawls well. Davis wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Davis changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown. Davis tries to sprawl out of it but Cruz keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Davis manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Chris Davis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dustin Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz throws a series of punches but Davis avoids them all with ease.
Cruz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cruz tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Davis defends well and Cruz ends up having to push Davis into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Davis circles away.
Davis tries to counter with a takedown but Cruz is quick to defend against it.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Davis feinted with a counter takedown.
Cruz lands with a good body shot.
Cruz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Davis is fending him off so far but Cruz persists. Nope, Davis circles away and we're back to standing.
Chris Davis is winning the standup battle so far.
Cruz dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Cruz throws a body punch but Davis moves out of range.
Davis tries to counter by clinching up but Cruz breaks away and moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Davis on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Cruz lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Davis is looking to counter the offense by Cruz and move into the clinch.
Left hook, right uppercut from Cruz.
Cruz is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Davis rather than just go for the knockout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Davis scores with a nice body kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cruz.

Davis moves into range and clinches up with Cruz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Davis escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cruz throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Cruz shoots in for a double leg but Davis sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Chris Davis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Davis avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Davis keeps the fight on the outside.
Cruz shoots in and drives through. Davis sprawls well.
Cruz tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Davis swivels and escapes.
As Cruz looks to move away, Davis throws a big counter combo but Cruz just gets out of the way.
Cruz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Davis tries to avoid it but Cruz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Davis to the ground. Davis escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Davis tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cruz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Davis somewhat.
Cruz changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Cruz shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Davis is staying active underneath Cruz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz stalling.
Dustin Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Chris Davis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cruz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dustin Cruz.
I think Davis has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Chris Davis!