PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Phillipe St Croix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason Puzzle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

St Croix
vs
Puzzle

179 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
212 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Phillipe St Croix!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jason Puzzle!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Joseph Jones and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puzzle swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Puzzle tries to bum rush St Croix with a series of wild strikes but St Croix uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Puzzle shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says St Croix as he avoids it easily.
St Croix has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Puzzle lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
St Croix fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Jason Puzzle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Puzzle throws out a loose jab but St Croix uses good head movement to avoid it.
Puzzle throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Puzzle tries to close the distance and clinch but St Croix swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
St Croix could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Puzzle scores with a jab to the body.
Puzzle blocks a head kick by St Croix.
A nice combination there by Puzzle.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Puzzle drops St Croix with a left right combo! Puzzle follows him down to the ground into side control.

St Croix is rocked!

Puzzle working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Oh St Croix is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Puzzle working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Puzzle tries for a kimura but St Croix is defending well.
St Croix seems to have got his legs back now.
Puzzle looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puzzle wants to lay and pray for a moment but St Croix keeps working.
Puzzle working away.
St Croix keeping his opponent close.

Puzzle tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
St Croix regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Puzzle seems to be looking for submissions.
Puzzle is thwarting St Croix's attempts to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
St Croix gets full guard.
Puzzle must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Puzzle postures up.
St Croix manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Puzzle manages to get himself to full guard.
St Croix wants to control from the top but Puzzle keeps moving.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Puzzle is trying to control the position but St Croix postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puzzle looking to hit a scissor sweep but St Croix is one step ahead there.
St Croix throwing strikes but missing.
Puzzle wants to stand and escape but St Croix is having none of it.
Puzzle working a defensive guard here.

Puzzle looking for submissions from the bottom but instead St Croix passes into half guard.
Puzzle wants to control but St Croix is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
St Croix scores with a head kick.
St Croix works over Puzzle's head and body with a nice combination.
Puzzle lands a right hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
A punch combination from St Croix misses.
A combination from Puzzle does no damage.

Excellent takedown into side control there by St Croix.
A lull in the action here as St Croix stalls from top position.
St Croix scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Puzzle to see if he's OK.
Puzzle tries to get back to half guard but can't.

St Croix thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

St Croix looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Puzzle dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Nice jab there from Puzzle.
Puzzle looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
St Croix misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Puzzle.
St Croix on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Puzzle swings away with a body shot that misses
and St Croix counters with a head kick. That will keep Puzzle thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
St Croix throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Puzzle throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
St Croix throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Puzzle's head.
Puzzle clinches but St Croix breaks the clinch

so St Croix counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Puzzle is looking for a triangle but St Croix pushes his legs off easily.
St Croix pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Puzzle is keeping the position for now.
St Croix throwing strikes from guard but Puzzle blocks nicely.
St Croix forces his way into half guard.
Puzzle is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Croix sitting and controlling from the half guard.
St Croix is looking to take a break and control but Puzzle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
St Croix is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
St Croix has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
St Croix prevents Puzzle from improving his position.
Puzzle holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
St Croix trying to mount his opponent but Puzzle defends it.

St Croix seems to be looking for submissions.

St Croix seems to be looking for submissions.
St Croix missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Puzzle tries to get to full guard but St Croix has control of the leg.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Puzzle with a hook.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Puzzle.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Puzzle!
Puzzle tries for a takedown but St Croix circles away easily

and St Croix counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
St Croix tries a knee to the head but Puzzle blocks it.
Puzzle drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Croix lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Puzzle backwards.

St Croix drags the fight down to the ground.
Puzzle thows a big elbow that misses.

St Croix has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Puzzle off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

St Croix gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
St Croix looking to hit a scissor sweep but Puzzle is one step ahead there.
St Croix manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Puzzle manages to get himself to full guard.
St Croix trying to control but Puzzle is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Croix showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Puzzle is trying to keep St Croix in close.
St Croix slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
St Croix trying to control the position from guard on top but Puzzle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

St Croix drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and St Croix jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Puzzle looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

St Croix feints and as Puzzle raises his hands in defense, St Croix changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phillipe St Croix dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

St Croix dodges the punch combination from Puzzle.
Puzzle pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Puzzle misses with a jab, cross combination.
St Croix tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
No joy there for Puzzle, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
St Croix cracks the inside of Puzzle's front leg.
Nice cross by St Croix.
St Croix slips under a jab from Puzzle.
St Croix pulls out of a head kick attempt.
St Croix chopping away at his opponent's legs.
St Croix scores with a leg kick.
Puzzle throws a right and a left that both miss.
A big right from Puzzle misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

St Croix bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
St Croix lands a decent elbow from side control.
Puzzle tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but St Croix wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Puzzle tries to control the position but he's not in luck - St Croix easily slips into full mount!
Phillipe St Croix overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
St Croix putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's one minute gone in the round.

St Croix is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Puzzle is surviving well by controlling St Croix's body position as best he can.
Puzzle working to try and regain half guard.
Puzzle trying desperately to get to his feet.
Puzzle is trying to reverse the position but instead St Croix has taken his back - oops!
Puzzle trying to control the hands but St Croix won't let him.

Puzzle manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.
Puzzle jabs St Croix right on the nose. St Croix blinks but takes it well.
Puzzle moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Puzzle feints and as St Croix raises his hands in defense, Puzzle changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St Croix utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Puzzle drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Puzzle jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
St Croix tries to strike from the bottom.
Puzzle trying to control the position from guard on top but St Croix is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Puzzle postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! St Croix is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Puzzle, into his guard.
St Croix wants to control from the top but Puzzle keeps moving.
Puzzle looking to hit a scissor sweep but St Croix is one step ahead there.
St Croix wants to control from the top but Puzzle keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puzzle thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
St Croix trying to control but Puzzle is working from the bottom.
Puzzle wants to improve his position but instead St Croix has moved into half guard.
Puzzle is trying to stand back up but St Croix is controlling him
Puzzle is staying active underneath St Croix, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Good standup being displayed there by Puzzle as he connects with a hook.
Puzzle lands a big shot that drops St Croix! Can he finish him?

St Croix is rocked!
St Croix keeping moving, preventing Puzzle from controlling successfully.
Oh St Croix is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Puzzle stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Puzzle cracks St Croix with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! St Croix falls to his knees and Puzzle doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jason Puzzle!