PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juho Heinonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz's entrance music is I'm Not Afraid. A fine choice. Juho Heinonen is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Cruz
vs
Heinonen

195 cm
18
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
21
190 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Knockout power

THE STEEL PENN NUTRITION

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Juho Heinonen!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Frank Dennis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Heinonen moves out of range easily.
Nice sprawl there from Cruz as Heinonen shoots in.
Cruz stuns Heinonen with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Cruz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Heinonen blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Cruz misses with a wild body shot.
Heinonen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Cruz defends it nicely.
Cruz throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Heinonen.
Cruz scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Anthony Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Heinonen shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense.
Anthony Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juho Heinonen.
Cruz misses with an attempted mid kick.
Heinonen fails with the takedown.
Heinonen gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Cruz pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Cruz shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Heinonen napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Cruz is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Heinonen will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heinonen is not content to let Cruz control the position.
Heinonen can't do much from the bottom here.

Cruz looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Heinonen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cruz advances to full mount.
Cruz content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Heinonen wants to hold on but Cruz pushes him away.
Cruz tries to control but Heinonen wriggling away.
Heinonen wants to hold on but Cruz pushes him away.
Heinonen is working to get back to half guard.
Heinonen is squirming around, avoiding Cruz's attempts to control the action.
Cruz lands with some strikes.
Cruz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cruz throws a wild body kick that Heinonen sees coming a mile off.
Heinonen misses with a takedown attempt - Cruz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Cruz scores with the left hand. Heinonen knows he should have avoided that one.
Cruz throws a head kick but Heinonen moves out of range.
Heinonen with a lazy takedown attempt
and Cruz counters with a good low kick that Heinonen was not able to check.
Heinonen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cruz sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Anthony Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juho Heinonen.
Heinonen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cruz sprawls well. Cruz wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Heinonen gets slowly back to his feet.
Cruz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Heinonen is breathing heavily.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Cruz moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Heinonen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cruz but Cruz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cruz plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz lands with a slapping head kick.
Cruz misses with a double jab.
Cruz throws a series of strikes that have Heinonen backpedaling.
Heinonen takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Cruz lands a head kick!
Cruz lands the left hand.
Cruz scores with a head kick.
Cruz connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Cruz is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
A head kick from Cruz lands but Heinonen takes it in his stride.

Heinonen is rocked!
Heinonen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Heinonen is still on wobbly legs! Can Cruz finish him?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz lands a big head kick that sends Heinonen to the canvas! Cruz follows up with strikes from the mount that forces the ref to step in and stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:44 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Anthony Cruz!