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HC GRAP 42 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the super heavyweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of New York, with a TWGC record of 21 wins and 45 losses; Thad Thayer! And in the blue corner, fighting out of London, with a TWGC record of 0 wins and 0 losses; Ricardo Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, John Roberts and Reed Andrews.
The fighters connect hands in the middle of the mat and we are under way.
Thayer stuffs the takedown attempt from Cruz. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Cruz closes the distance and clinches up with Thayer, looking for a takedown. Cruz pushes Thayer against the cage but Thayer circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Thayer closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Thayer (2) vs (0) Cruz
Cruz is not content to let Thayer control the position.
Thayer is thwarting Cruz's attempts to control the position.
Thayer is looking to take a break and control but Cruz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thayer performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Cruz is looking to improve his position.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Thayer wants to take a breather but Cruz is having none of it.
Cruz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Cruz wants to get back to full guard.
Thayer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cruz keeps working.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Thayer's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Thayer's back! Score +4 for clean sweep to past guard: Thayer (2) vs (4) Cruz
Thayer breaks Cruz's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Thayer (4) vs (4) Cruz
Thayer wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Cruz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Thayer tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.
Cruz is trying to keep Thayer in close.
Thayer trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Cruz is looking for a triangle here but Thayer uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Score +3 for passing guard: Thayer (7) vs (4) Cruz
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thayer tries to advance to mount but Cruz denies him.
Cruz tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Thayer presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount! Score +2 for reaching mount: Thayer (9) vs (4) Cruz
Thayer sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Cruz is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Cruz tries to hold on but Thayer postures up.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Thayer is staying active.
Cruz is trying to escape the mount.
Thayer fails to move to back control.
Cruz is trying desperately to improve position.
Thayer works his way to his opponent's back.
Score +3 for taking back: Thayer (12) vs (4) Cruz
Cruz breaks Thayer's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Thayer (12) vs (6) Cruz
Cruz looking to pass the guard.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Thayer keeps moving.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Thayer trying to control the position.
Thayer is really struggling to control Cruz but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Thayer looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Cruz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thayer swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thayer trying to keep a closed guard but Cruz is proving a slippery customer.
Cruz tries to free his leg and advance position but Thayer is retaining full guard.
Thayer 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.
Thayer keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Cruz sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Thayer's guard.
Cruz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Thayer is just riding it out for now. Cruz eventually gives up the hold.
Thayer manages to get to full guard.
Thayer working a defensive guard here.
Cruz advances position into side control! Score +3 for passing guard: Thayer (12) vs (9) Cruz
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Cruz moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Cruz advances to mount. Score +2 for reaching mount: Thayer (12) vs (11) Cruz
Thayer is squirming around, avoiding Cruz's attempts to control the action.
Cruz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Thayer is squirming around, avoiding Cruz's attempts to control the action.
Cruz moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Thayer has worked his arm free - good work by Thayer!
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 in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Thayer sneaks back into half guard.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Thayer is concentrating on defense, preventing Cruz from advancing position.
Cruz wants to pass to mount but Thayer is defending the position.
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. Thayer tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Cruz!
Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:45 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ricardo Cruz! |
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