PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Santa Cruz (ranked 549 p4p, 235 weight class) and Erik Bjornsson (ranked 76 p4p, 34 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Cruz
vs
Bjornsson

188 cm
27
210
9 - 4 - 0

189 cm
27
211
13 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Santa Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Erik Bjornsson!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Peter Branson and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz throws a looping overhand right but Bjornsson ducks down to avoid it.
Bjornsson lands with a shot to the body.
Bjornsson lands with a straight right. Cruz didn't see that one coming.
Cruz throws an off balance right hand
and Bjornsson counters with a left to the body.
Bjornsson throws the left hand but Cruz avoids the punch easily.

Bjornsson cracks Cruz with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Cruz looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Bjornsson finish him?

It looks like Santa Cruz has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bjornsson ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
Bjornsson tries to move into range but Cruz moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bjornsson. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
It looked like Cruz wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good exchange - Bjornsson coming out on top.
Bjornsson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cruz was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A jab from Bjornsson misses.
Cruz seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Bjornsson lands a big right hand that sends Cruz crashing to the mat! Bjornsson stays standing though and waves Cruz back to his feet!

Cruz is rocked!
Bjornsson drops his hands momentarily and Cruz takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

It looks like Erik Bjornsson has been cut.
Cruz definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cruz misses with a right hand
and Bjornsson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cruz looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bjornsson throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cruz stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Bjornsson looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Bjornsson misses with a looping right.
Cruz throws a right hand that misses
and Bjornsson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Cruz goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Bjornsson loads up on a big right hand but Cruz slips the punch.
Cruz is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bjornsson.
A shot to the body from Cruz misses
and Bjornsson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Bjornsson darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bjornsson throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Cruz counter with a right hand.
Nice defenses there by Bjornsson.
A little jabbing left from Bjornsson on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Bjornsson misses the shot to the body.
Bjornsson's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Cruz connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Bjornsson scrambles back to his feet.
Cruz throws a jab but it's blocked by Bjornsson.
Despite the aggression on Bjornsson's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Cruz misses with a lunging right hand
and Bjornsson counters with a straight right hand.
Cruz tests Bjornsson's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Bjornsson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cruz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bjornsson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
A nice side step and Bjornsson releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Bjornsson misses with a looping right.
A swing and a miss from Cruz.
Cruz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bjornsson.
A little feinted left hand from Cruz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cruz looks to land a left hand but Bjornsson moved out of range nicely.
Bjornsson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bjornsson misses with a hook. Cruz ducked under it nicely.
Cruz walks into a stiff left hand from Bjornsson.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Erik Bjornsson dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Cruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bjornsson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cruz swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Bjornsson takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Cruz swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nice defenses there by Cruz.
Bjornsson connects with a right hand. Cruz shakes it off.
Cruz misses with a combination
and Bjornsson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz misses with an uppercut. Bjornsson saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz misses with a few strikes there.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Bjornsson.
Cruz swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A slow jab from Bjornsson misses its intended target.
Bjornsson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
Bjornsson misses the body punch
and Cruz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cruz throws a shot from downtown. Bjornsson moves away and avoids it.
Bjornsson throws a shot to the body.
Cruz is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Cruz moves away from the strike by Bjornsson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bjornsson ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
Bjornsson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Cruz throws a lazy uppercut

and Bjornsson counters with a crisp right hand that drops Cruz! Bjornsson lets Cruz back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz throws a hook but Bjornsson avoids it easily.
A slow jab from Cruz misses its intended target.
Bjornsson changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Cruz. Those never looked like landing.
Bjornsson slips a jab from Cruz.
Bjornsson throws out a counter right but Cruz avoids it with no problem.
Bjornsson lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bjornsson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cruz moves away.
Bjornsson misses with a shot to the body
and Cruz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That has opened up Erik Bjornsson's cut even more.
Cruz takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Oh Cruz is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Erik Bjornsson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bjornsson misses with a wild body shot.
Cruz seems to have got his legs back now.
Cruz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Bjornsson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A slow jab from Cruz misses its intended target.
Bjornsson closes the distance and lands a crisp combination that knocks Cruz out cold! Cruz corner are devastated, head in hands behind our commentary position. Poor guys.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Erik Bjornsson!
Erik Bjornsson decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.