|
|
TWGC 35 (185lbs, D1): London Qualifier - Round 1 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the middleweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of Los Angeles, with a TWGC record of 0 wins and 2 losses; Jorginho Marcelo! And in the blue corner, fighting out of New York, with a TWGC record of 1 wins and 1 losses; Michael Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Donald Grub and Daniel Bishop.
Let's get this grappling contest under way! Who will be victorious?
Cruz shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Marcelo (0) vs (2) Cruz
Cruz not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Let's hope that Cruz has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Marcelo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marcelo working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Cruz has passed into half guard!
Cruz passes to side control. Score +3 for passing guard: Marcelo (0) vs (5) Cruz
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marcelo is trying to control Cruz's posture but Cruz avoids it.
We've been hearing good reports from Marcelo'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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Marcelo keeping his opponent close.
Marcelo seems a little lost for a moment, as Cruz dominates the positioning.
Marcelo gets back to half guard.
Cruz is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Marcelo still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Marcelo has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work! Score +4 for clean sweep to past guard: Marcelo (4) vs (5) Cruz
Cruz is trying to control Marcelo's posture but Marcelo avoids it.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to buck Marcelo off but Marcelo is having none of it.
Cruz is still trying to improve position.
Marcelo thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Cruz is trying to control Marcelo's posture but Marcelo avoids it.
Marcelo controls the position from side control.
Cruz is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is trying to control Marcelo's posture but Marcelo avoids it.
Marcelo wants to control but Cruz is keeping him busy.
Marcelo just content to control the position.
Cruz sneaks back into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marcelo wants to pass the guard but Cruz is defending well.
Cruz is looking to control Marcelo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cruz avoid being mounted?
The fighters are battling for position here. Cruz manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marcelo trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marcelo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Cruz looking to control.
Cruz has his hands on Marcelo's head, controlling the position.
Marcelo postures up.
Marcelo trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Marcelo's corner is telling him to maintain position.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to keep a closed guard but Marcelo is proving a slippery customer.
Marcelo looking to pass the guard.
Cruz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Marcelo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cruz is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Cruz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Marcelo manages to get himself to full guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Marcelo (4) vs (7) Cruz
Marcelo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cruz is one step ahead there.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Marcelo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to pass the guard but Marcelo is keeping the position.
Marcelo is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Cruz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
It looks like Cruz might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Marcelo wants to sweep but no luck.
Cruz looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Marcelo keeping full guard, as Cruz tries to pass.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Marcelo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Marcelo wants to sweep but no luck.
Marcelo keeping full guard, as Cruz tries to pass.
Cruz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Marcelo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cruz is one step ahead there.
Cruz stays in close to Marcelo's body and controls the position.
Marcelo has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Marcelo keeping full guard, as Cruz tries to pass.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Marcelo is trying to control the position but Cruz postures up.
Marcelo keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
Cruz sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Marcelo's guard.
Marcelo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Cruz in particular looking to stall.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Marcelo wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy.
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!
Cruz controlling the action here.
Cruz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Marcelo keeps working.
Cruz is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Marcelo! Score +3 for passing guard: Marcelo (4) vs (10) Cruz
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Cruz can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Marcelo is looking to escape.
Marcelo regains half guard.
Cruz prevents Marcelo from improving his position.
Cruz is trying to control the action in half guard but Marcelo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Marcelo is looking for a sweep. Cruz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cruz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Marcelo keeps working.
Cruz passes to side control. Score +3 for passing guard: Marcelo (4) vs (13) Cruz
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Marcelo can't do much from the bottom here.
Well,Marcelo is on his way to losing a decision here. Can he use his experience to pull something off in the closing minutes?
Cruz controls the position.
Marcelo is trying to improve his position.
Marcelo is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Cruz passes the guard and advances to mount! Score +3 for passing guard: Marcelo (4) vs (16) Cruz
Marcelo is trying desperately to improve position.
Marcelo is squirming around, avoiding Cruz's attempts to control the action.
Marcelo is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Cruz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Marcelo keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Cruz content just to control the position here.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Cruz.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cruz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that's the end of the fight!
Cruz wins on points by 16 to 4.
A relieved looking Michael Cruz thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it. |
|
|
|
|
|
