PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kale Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Casey Carwin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz comes to the cage accompanied by Welcome to the Jungle. Kale Cruz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cruz
vs
Carwin

168 cm
24
163 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

176 cm
25
163 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kale Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Casey Carwin!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cruz shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Carwin's guard.
Cruz throwing strikes but missing.
Carwin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cruz scoring with some ground and pound.
Cruz trying to control but Carwin is working from the bottom.
Cruz won't allow Carwin to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz slips nicely into half guard.
Cruz wants to pass to mount but Carwin is defending the position.
Cruz not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Cruz lands a nice short elbow.
Cruz misses with a head shot. Carwin uses the momentum to regain guard.
Cruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carwin has momentary wrist control but Cruz slips an elbow through the middle.
Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Carwin has wrist control.
Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Carwin has wrist control.
Carwin lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cruz!
Cruz wants to hold on but Carwin pushes him away.
Carwin prevents Cruz from getting the reversal.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Carwin cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Carwin landing strikes from the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carwin pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Carwin throwing strikes here but Cruz is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Carwin pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

It looks like Kale Cruz has been cut.
Cruz is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Cruz tries to reverse the position but Carwin maintains control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cruz sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Carwin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cruz's head.
Carwin seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Carwin working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Carwin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Carwin prevents Cruz from improving his position.
Cruz is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Carwin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Carwin's back!
Cruz is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Cruz gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Cruz gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Cruz apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Carwin misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carwin tries for a takedown but Cruz circles away easily
and Cruz counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Cruz looks to land a left hand but Carwin moved out of range nicely.
Carwin throws a left and a right that both miss

so Cruz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cruz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cruz preventing the sweep.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cruz's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Carwin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Carwin wants to sweep but no luck.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cruz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Carwin keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a big right hand that misses.
Cruz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Carwin throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Carwin keeping full guard, as Cruz tries to pass.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Carwin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cruz throws out the jab.
Cruz thows a left - swing and a miss!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cruz throws a looping overhand right but Carwin ducks down to avoid it.
Carwin ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
Cruz staying out of range there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kale Cruz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kale Cruz's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Carwin misses with an uppercut.

Cruz closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cruz lands in his opponent's guard.
Cruz has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cruz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Carwin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cruz postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kale Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Carwin wants to stand up but Cruz is controlling him.
Carwin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carwin wants to sweep here but Cruz controlling him for the moment.
Carwin trying to control the position.
Cruz is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carwin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cruz swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Carwin counters with a straight right hand.
Carwin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The fighters circling - Carwin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Carwin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Carwin tries for a takedown but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Carwin takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Casey Carwin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Carwin decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Cruz's guard.
Cruz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Carwin's guard.
Cruz distracts Carwin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cruz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Carwin keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
Carwin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Carwin keeps moving.
Cruz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cruz working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Carwin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A jab from Carwin misses.
Cruz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz misses with a shot to the body
and Carwin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Cruz tries to bum rush Carwin with a series of wild strikes but Carwin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Carwin lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Carwin.

Cruz gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Cruz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Carwin is one step ahead there.
Carwin wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Cruz 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.
Carwin works over Cruz with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carwin won't allow Cruz to sweep him here.
Cruz has momentary wrist control but Carwin slips an elbow through the middle.
Carwin throwing strikes but missing.
Cruz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cruz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Carwin trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Cruz looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Carwin passes into side control.
Cruz struggling a bit here.
Cruz is working to avoid the ground and pound but Carwin connects with a decent elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Casey Carwin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kale Cruz's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Carwin misses with a series of wild punches.
Carwin stuffs the takedown attempt from Cruz. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Kale Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Carwin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cruz sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cruz connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Carwin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
No luck for Cruz with that takedown attempt.
Carwin looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carwin has his takedown stuffed

and Cruz counters with a takedown into side control.
Cruz misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Carwin is looking for a sweep.
Cruz working the head and body with strikes.
Carwin is not content to let Cruz control the position.
Cruz looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Carwin is avoiding damage well.
Cruz working the ground and pound from side control.
Cruz in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Carwin is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Carwin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cruz wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Cruz working the head with strikes.
Carwin dodges the ground and pound from Cruz.
Carwin wants to control but Cruz postures up.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Carwin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cruz is trying to ground and pound but Carwin uses the momentary lack of control by Cruz to regain half guard.
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cruz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throwing shots but Carwin is blocking nicely.
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cruz scores with a crisp jab that stopped Carwin in his tracks.
Carwin cracks a nice hook into Cruz's ribs.
A slow jab from Carwin misses its intended target.
Carwin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Cruz counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Cruz is nestled in close to Carwin, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Cruz is working for a kimura but Carwin is defending it quite comfortably.
Cruz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carwin is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Cruz's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Cruz's back!
Cruz covering up well under a series of strikes from Carwin.
Carwin tries to keep control of the position but Cruz is staying busy.
Cruz turns into Carwin and is now in his guard.
Carwin throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Cruz postures up and lands a big shot to Carwin's brow.
Cruz working some strikes from top position.
Cruz throws and elbow that misses. Carwin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Cruz's guard. Nice move by Carwin!
Cruz manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

And that's the end of the fight!
Kale Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cruz has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Kale Cruz!
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight for Kale Cruz!
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight for Kale Cruz!

Kale Cruz wins by unanimous decision!