PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Krisko Kurtev (ranked 944 p4p, 3121 weight class) and Ricardo Cruz (ranked 140 p4p, 406 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kurtev
vs
Cruz

189 cm
32
193
18 - 22 - 0

190 cm
32
198
12 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Vegan Gains

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 18 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Krisko Kurtev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ricardo 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 drives through with a takedown into Kurtev's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kurtev keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.

Kurtev throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Cruz sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kurtev's guard.
Kurtev trying to control here.

Kurtev actively working from the bottom here.
Cruz working the head and body with strikes.
Cruz perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Cruz takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Cruz with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice strikes from Cruz there.
Kurtev wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Cruz is working for a submission of some sort.
Cruz wants to control but Kurtev is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kurtev!
Kurtev is looking to get to half guard.
Kurtev wants to hold on but Cruz pushes him away.
Cruz takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kurtev in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Cruz has control of Kurtev's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kurtev regains control of the situation pretty easily.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cruz looking to control but Kurtev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Cruz working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.

Cruz has control of Kurtev's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kurtev regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Kurtev wants to hold on but Cruz pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurtev tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cruz avoids the attempt from Kurtev to control.
Cruz lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kurtev hang on?
Cruz tries to control but Kurtev wriggling away.
Kurtev tries to hold on but Cruz postures up.
Cruz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kurtev really wants to buck Cruz off and get back to his feet.
Cruz cracks Kurtev with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Cruz is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Kurtev has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Cruz tries to control but Kurtev wriggling away.
Kurtev flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Cruz in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kurtev is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kurtev tries to lock up and control but Cruz gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz looking to control but Kurtev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kurtev in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Cruz controlling the pace for now.
Kurtev is desperately trying to improve his position but Cruz has a good base and remains in mount.
Cruz pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Kurtev swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Kurtev tries to lock up and control but Cruz gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cruz putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Cruz landing strikes from the mount and Kurtev is in trouble!
Cruz avoids the attempt from Kurtev to control.
Kurtev is looking to get to half guard.
Cruz postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kurtev looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kurtev is looking to get to half guard.
Cruz putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Kurtev has given up his back. Will we see Cruz going for some submissions?
I really don't envy Kurtev right now.
Kurtev rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Kurtev connecting with a few gentle strikes.
Cruz is trying to control the action in half guard but Kurtev is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cruz frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Cruz moves to the back.
Kurtev trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Kurtev rolls, trying to escape but Cruz keeps control of the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Cruz dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kurtev tries to sprawl but Cruz drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Kurtev is trying to get back to full guard.

Cruz is trying to work for a kimura but Kurtev is defending well.
Kurtev tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Cruz seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Kurtev looking for submissions off his back.
Cruz is trying to control. Kurtev wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kurtev trying to hold on to Cruz's head to control him but Cruz postures up.

Kurtev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cruz pulls his head out easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kurtev wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Cruz frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Kurtev really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz raining down hammerfists from mount.
Kurtev is controlling an arm, preventing Cruz from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.

Cruz is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Kurtev is surviving well by controlling Cruz's body position as best he can.
Kurtev regains half guard.
Cruz is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Kurtev flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Cruz seems to be looking for submissions.
Cruz tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kurtev knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Kurtev trying to hold on to Cruz's head to control him but Cruz postures up.
Cruz trying to pass the guard but Kurtev defending well.
Cruz scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kurtev looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cruz connects with a nice short shot to Kurtev's temple.
Cruz trying to pass the guard but Kurtev defending well.
Cruz works his way into full mount!

Cruz with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Kurtev takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kurtev taking shots to the head.
Cruz looking to control but Kurtev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kurtev tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kurtev is in a horrible position here. Cruz smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurtev throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Cruz trying to control but Kurtev is having none of it.
Cruz is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Kurtev is desperately trying to improve his position but Cruz has a good base and remains in mount.
Cruz landing strikes, looking to finish!
Cruz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Kurtev defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Cruz.
Kurtev is trying to escape the mount.
Cruz raining down hammerfists from mount.
Ricardo Cruz has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruz looking for a guillotine from mount but Kurtev is having none of it.
Kurtev swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Cruz moves to take his opponent's back.

Cruz looking for the choke from the back.

Kurtev preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Cruz.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Cruz's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Cruz lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Kurtev.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz trying to control.

Cruz is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Kurtev looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Cruz working for a choke but Kurtev is defending well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Cruz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Kurtev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Kurtev scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Kurtev throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cruz gets full guard.

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

Kurtev got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cruz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kurtev has managed to get both his arms back between Cruz's legs - danger averted.
Cruz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Kurtev is trying to maintain the position but Cruz is very close to passing his half guard.
Cruz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz drops an elbow to the side of Kurtev's head.
Kurtev missing with punches from the bottom.
Kurtev trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Kurtev is defending against the submission attempts here by Cruz.
Kurtev is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Cruz scores with a couple of nice shots.

Cruz in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Kurtev tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Cruz!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ricardo Cruz!