PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kale Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikhail Zakarova (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Cruz might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Welcome to the Jungle. Zakarova is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Song of the Volga Boatmen. Kale Cruz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cruz
vs
Zakarova

168 cm
26
163 lbs
17 - 8 - 0

175 cm
22
165 lbs
10 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 17 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kale Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mikhail Zakarova!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zakarova moves out of range as Cruz strikes.
Cruz moves out of range of the body kick.
Cruz connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Zakarova's hands.
Zakarova throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cruz misses with a looping right.
Zakarova looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.
Cruz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mikhail Zakarova seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zakarova throws out a leg kick but Cruz moves out of range and Zakarova only half commits.
Zakarova scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz lands a jab to Zakarova's midsection.
Zakarova misses the jab.
Cruz scores with a jab to the head.
Zakarova jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zakarova misses with a jab, cross combination.
A jab from Cruz misses.
Cruz throws a hook but Zakarova blocks it.
A big right from Cruz misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scores with a jab.
Zakarova throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Zakarova rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cruz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Cruz shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Zakarova's guard.
Zakarova is pulling down on Cruz's head. It's preventing any offense from Cruz, at least for the moment.
Cruz trying to control but Zakarova is working from the bottom.
Zakarova looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cruz is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zakarova avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Zakarova wants to sweep but no luck.
Zakarova wants to stand and escape but Cruz is having none of it.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Zakarova holds on and takes a little breather.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Zakarova is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Zakarova throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruz.
Mikhail Zakarova is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Zakarova.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cruz moves out of range as Zakarova strikes.
Cruz connects with a crisp jab.
Zakarova moves out of range as Cruz strikes.
Cruz takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Zakarova slips a jab from Cruz.
Zakarova misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zakarova misses with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kale Cruz dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Zakarova misses with a body shot.
Zakarova throws a predictable looking body shot
and Cruz counters with a nice uppercut.
Cruz thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zakarova works the jab nicely.
A big right from Zakarova misses.
Zakarova lands with a right hand.
Cruz misses with a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz avoids a kick to the body.
Zakarova keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cruz.
Zakarova misses with a wild body shot.
Zakarova throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cruz counters with a nice uppercut.
Cruz throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Zakarova counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cruz stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Zakarova.
Cruz misses with a looping right.
Zakarova swings away with a body shot that misses
and Cruz counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zakarova dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cruz. That did some damage!
Cruz moves out of range of the leg kick from Zakarova.
Zakarova throws a combination that misses
and Cruz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Zakarova lands the left hand.
Cruz takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Zakarova throws a leg kick but Cruz sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Zakarova throws a sloppy body shot
and Cruz counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cruz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zakarova was well out of range. Poor timing from Cruz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cruz misses with a jab to the body
and Zakarova connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zakarova looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.
Cruz drops his hands momentarily and Zakarova takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

It looks like Kale Cruz has been cut.
A bone on bone clash there as Cruz blocks the leg kick.
Cruz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice takedown defense from Zakarova. No joy for Cruz on that attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Zakarova can pounce on him.
Zakarova misses with a body punch
and Cruz counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Zakarova turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Zakarova uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cruz.
Zakarova ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
Zakarova works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cruz on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Zakarova. Zakarova obviously looking to wear him down.
Cruz bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Zakarova's head backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikhail Zakarova 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.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Zakarova throws a leg kick which misses Cruz's front leg but catches the back leg as Cruz tries to avoid it.
Zakarova wants to slow Cruz down by chopping away at his legs.
Cruz loads up on a big right hand but Zakarova slips the punch.
Zakarova lands a glancing blow to the side of Cruz's head.
Zakarova stalks Cruz and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Cruz's face. Cruz staggers backwards, shaken.
Zakarova has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Cruz throws a looping overhand right but Zakarova ducks down to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zakarova. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zakarova misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz throws a jab when Zakarova was well out of range.
Zakarova comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Cruz throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Zakarova sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Zakarova throws a left and a right that both miss

and Cruz decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zakarova's guard.

Zakarova scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Zakarova bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cruz is defended easily by Zakarova.
Zakarova slips under a jab.
Cruz looks to throw the jab but Zakarova is out of range.
Zakarova takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
No luck for Cruz with that takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zakarova scores with a head kick.
Cruz is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Zakarova wants to slow Cruz down by chopping away at his legs.
Zakarova walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Cruz checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Zakarova pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Zakarova takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Zakarova looks to land a body kick but Cruz moved away.
Cruz scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like Mikhail Zakarova has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zakarova throws a hook but Cruz blocks it.
Zakarova misses with a double jab
enabling Cruz to counter with a crisp jab.
Zakarova throws a one two combo.
Zakarova throws out a loose jab but Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.
A shot to the body from Cruz misses
enabling Zakarova to counter with a crisp jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jab, jab by Zakarova - just one landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mikhail Zakarova.
I think Zakarova has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight for Mikhail Zakarova!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Mikhail Zakarova!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Mikhail Zakarova!

Mikhail Zakarova wins by unanimous decision!