PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Carl Bell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vitor Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz has chosen Darude - Sandstorm as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bell
vs
Cruz

190 cm
25
265 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

185 cm
26
220 lbs
6 - 6 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Carl Bell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vitor Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Daniel Franklin and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz thows a body shot but no joy.
Bell checks a leg kick nicely.
A chopping leg kick lands by Cruz.
An inside leg kick lands from Cruz.

Bell shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Cruz's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Bell is breathing heavily.
Bell won't allow Cruz to get back to his feet.
Cruz wants to sweep but no luck.
Bell is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Bell throwing strikes but missing.
Cruz wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bell trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bell slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Cruz dodges the ground and pound from Bell.
Cruz struggling a bit here.
Cruz parries the strikes from Bell easily there. Bell is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Cruz to escape.

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.
Bell looks up at the clock and then as Cruz takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Bell smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Bell thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Bell tries for a kimura but Cruz is defending well.
Bell lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is not content to let Bell control the position.
Bell advances nicely into full mount.
Bell throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Bell looking to secure an arm triangle but Cruz defends it well.
Cruz is looking to get to half guard.

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.

Bell has hold of Cruz's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Cruz manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
BOOM! Bell connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Bell looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Bell moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Cruz has worked his arm free - good work by Cruz!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bell fails to land the takedown.
Bell looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

A head kick lands from Cruz that sends Bell to the canvas. Bell tries to scramble back to his feet but Cruz brings him back down into side control.

It looks like Carl Bell has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz trying to control the position but Bell is working away.
Cruz tries to stand but Bell is controlling his head.
Bell holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
Cruz tries to advance to mount but can't.
Bell manages to work his way to half guard, despite Cruz's best efforts.
Bell is staying active underneath Cruz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Cruz wants to control but Bell is keeping him busy.
Bell wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bell won't allow Cruz to pass to mount.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Cruz tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Bell.
Cruz wants to take a breather but Bell is having none of it.
Cruz controlling the action here.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Vitor Cruz hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Bell ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
Cruz stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carl Bell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is looking to slow Bell down with leg kicks.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bell showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cruz.
Bell shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense.
Bell looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Carl Bell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz lands with a kick to the temple. Bell shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A right-left combo lands from Cruz.
Cruz scores with a head kick.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Bell fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A leg kick checked by Cruz.
Vitor Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Bell's calf.
Bell showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cruz.
Vitor Cruz seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bell.
Cruz slaps away a takedown attempt from Bell, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bell avoids the head kick by Cruz.
Bell has a takedown stuffed.
Cruz lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Bell moves out of range easily.
Cruz thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Bell if he has to take too many more of those.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz connects with an inside leg kick.
Cruz falls off balance throwing a combination

and Bell counters with a takedown into side control.

Bell working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz is not content to let Bell control the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Bell 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.

Vitor Cruz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Carl Bell's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Bell tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cruz swivels and escapes.
Bell shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cruz as he jumps to the side.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Cruz looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Cruz.
Cruz throws a half hearted mid kick.
Cruz lands a front kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bell blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bell tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cruz swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carl Bell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz misses with a head kick.
Cruz tries a low kick but Bell avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bell was well out of range. Poor timing from Cruz.
Cruz throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Bell.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cruz misses with a few strikes there.
Bell shoots in looking for a takedown but Cruz manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bell's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Cruz scores with a kick to the midsection.
Bell takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Bell decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Bell is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Bell with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bell can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cruz is looking to escape.

Bell is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Cruz can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Cruz is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bell looking to control but Cruz is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bell scoring with strikes but Cruz is staying in there.
Cruz really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bell. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Bell is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Cruz is in real trouble.
Bell trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Carl Bell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cruz has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Bell.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vitor Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cruz 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 Vitor Cruz!
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Vitor Cruz!
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight for Vitor Cruz!

Vitor Cruz wins by unanimous decision!