PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Godie Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pavel Cruze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruze has chosen How I could just kill a man as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sanchez
vs
Cruze

181 cm
18
209 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Godie Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pavel Cruze!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Seu Braga and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruze dodges the punch combination from Sanchez.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sanchez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sanchez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sanchez throws a head kick that misses.
Sanchez throws a body kick that misses.

Cruze decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Sanchez manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Cruze tries to clinch up.
Sanchez looks to land a body kick but Cruze moved away.
Cruze blocks a head kick by Sanchez.
Sanchez lands a nice looking body kick.
Sanchez throws a head kick that Cruze semi-blocks.

Cruze shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Cruze looking for a guillotine from mount but Sanchez is having none of it.

Cruze goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Sanchez is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruze manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Cruze fails to take his opponent's back.
Sanchez could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Cruze goes for an armbar but Sanchez turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Sanchez.
Sanchez wants to stand but Cruze is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Sanchez gets to his feet - Cruze follows without any prompting.
Cruze avoids the head kick by Sanchez.
Sanchez is breathing heavily.
Sanchez throws a nice looking combination but Cruze bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cruze tries for a takedown but Sanchez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sanchez wants to clinch but Cruze slips to the side

and Cruze counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sanchez won't be happy with that.
Sanchez parries the strikes from Cruze easily there. Cruze is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sanchez to escape.
Sanchez is pushing Cruze's head away, looking to escape. Cruze manages to hold on to the position though.

Cruze is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sanchez has escaped the position, nice work there.
Cruze connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Sanchez some visible discomfort.
Cruze advances to mount.
Sanchez wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruze is trying to take his opponent's back.
Sanchez tries to buck Cruze off but he can't manage it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cruze with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Sanchez is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Sanchez wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Cruze.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sanchez wants to get back to his feet.
Sanchez is squirming around, avoiding Cruze's attempts to control the action.
Sanchez takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanchez is trying to stand.

Cruze is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Sanchez can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Cruze goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Sanchez is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pavel Cruze dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cruze changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sanchez looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sanchez is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Sanchez trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Cruze tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Cruze is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sanchez has escaped the position, nice work there.

Cruze looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Cruze is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sanchez is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruze is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Sanchez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Sanchez avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cruze.
A lull in the action here.
Cruze trying to control the position but Sanchez is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cruze tries to advance to mount but Sanchez denies him.
Sanchez is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Cruze has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Cruze landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

Cruze stands up.
Cruze tries for a takedown but Sanchez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cruze tries to clinch but Sanchez moves out of range.

Cruze shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Cruze works his way into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruze gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Sanchez throws a head kick that misses.

Cruze decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Sanchez pushes Cruze off looking to stand but Cruze dives back in and keeps control.
Cruze working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Sanchez's thigh. Sanchez counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Sanchez uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Sanchez misses with a low kick.
Sanchez scores with a three punch combo!
Sanchez closes the distance looking to clinch

and Cruze counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruze seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Sanchez looks like he's trying to stand up.
Cruze is looking to advance position but Sanchez won't allow it.
Sanchez wants to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Cruze 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. Sanchez tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Cruze!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Pavel Cruze!