PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Murilo Ninja (ranked 601 p4p, 696 weight class) and Ricardo Cruz (ranked 85 p4p, 98 weight class). 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.

Ninja
vs
Cruz

176 cm
40
187
26 - 20 - 0

190 cm
37
198
18 - 15 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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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 26 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Murilo Ninja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ricardo Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Patrick Alders and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ninja circles away.

Ninja scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Cruz is staying active underneath Ninja, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cruz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Cruz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ninja.
Ninja might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruz trying to keep a closed guard but Ninja is proving a slippery customer.
Ninja trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Ninja is in close to Cruz's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ninja chips away with some ground and pound.
Ninja keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cruz's head.
Ninja has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ninja trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Cruz is trying to control the position but Ninja postures up.

Cruz is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ninja scoring with some ground and pound.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Ninja from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is trying to keep Ninja in close.
Ninja is looking to work some ground and pound but Cruz has wrist control.

Ninja got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cruz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ninja has managed to get both his arms back between Cruz's legs - danger averted.
Ninja trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Cruz escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ninja gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ninja works over Cruz with some ground and pound from guard.
Ninja trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Cruz prevents Ninja from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cruz won't allow Ninja to sweep him here.
Cruz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cruz is pushing down on Ninja's leg trying to pass to half guard. Ninja is fighting to maintain full guard but Cruz has managed to sneak the leg through.
Cruz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cruz trying to control the action but Ninja is working from the bottom.

Cruz is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ninja defends it well.
Cruz is trying to control the action in half guard but Ninja is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Cruz working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Cruz stops Ninja from getting back to his feet.
Ninja works his way to full guard. Good work.
Ninja preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ninja is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Cruz defends well.
Cruz postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ninja wants to stand up but Cruz is controlling him.
Ninja is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cruz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ninja is keeping the position for now.
Cruz pushes down on Ninja's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Cruz trying to control from half guard but Ninja is working away.

Ninja looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ninja is trying to maintain the position but Cruz is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ninja is trying to stand.
Cruz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Cruz is nestled in close to Ninja, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Ninja is looking to control Cruz's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ninja avoid being mounted?
Ninja wants to get back to his feet.
Cruz is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ninja is trying to stand back up but Cruz is controlling him
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 minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Cruz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ninja tries to avoid it but Cruz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ninja to the ground. Ninja escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Ninja gets a takedown into half guard.
Cruz is not content to let Ninja control the position.
Cruz tries to get to full guard but Ninja has control of the leg.
Ninja working the head and body with strikes.
Ninja wants to free his trapped foot but Cruz is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ninja is keen to just control but Cruz is a slippery customer.
Ninja trying to pass the guard but Cruz defending well.
Cruz has hold of Ninja's hands but Ninja slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz is trying to get back to full guard.
We've been hearing that Ninja has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ninja postures up and lands a big shot to Cruz's brow.
Ninja keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cruz's head.

Ninja got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cruz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ninja has managed to get both his arms back between Cruz's legs - danger averted.
Ninja landing with the ground and pound.
Ninja won't allow Cruz to sweep him here.
Ninja with a nice head shot there.
Ninja makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Ninja avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Ninja from controlling successfully.
Cruz is trying to control the position but Ninja postures up.
Ninja trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Ninja postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Ninja scoring with punches to the head and body.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cruz is on top in guard.

Ninja is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cruz won't allow Ninja to sweep him here.
Cruz pushes down on Ninja's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Ninja wants to get back to his feet.
Ninja 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.
Cruz is looking to stall here but Ninja recovers full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz pushes down on Ninja's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Cruz trying to pass the guard but Ninja defending well.
Ninja wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy.
Ninja is looking to escape.
Cruz takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Ninja trying to control but Cruz postures up.
Cruz is just content to waste time from the top position. Ninja takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Cruz postures up.
Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Ninja has wrist control.
Cruz with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ninja is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ninja wants to stand and escape but Cruz is having none of it.
Ninja can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cruz controls the pace.
Cruz lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Cruz chips away with some ground and pound.
Cruz passes Ninja's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Cruz is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ninja defends it well.
Ninja tries to kick Cruz off but Cruz keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz wants to advance to full mount but Ninja doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Ninja wants to get back to his feet but Cruz is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
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 Murilo Ninja will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Cruz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ninja's waist but Ninja gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cruz off to one side.
Cruz tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ninja swivels and escapes.
Ninja misses with a hook.
Ninja jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

It looks like Ricardo Cruz has been cut.
Cruz moves out of range as Ninja strikes.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Ninja.
Cruz is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Ninja throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Cruz was covering up waiting for the punch and Ninja finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Cruz is looking to cinch up a triangle. Ninja throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Cruz's body to avoid the submission. Cruz has instead reached around Ninja's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Cruz arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Ricardo Cruz!