PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Justin Kinlaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kale Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kinlaw comes to the cage accompanied by Numb-Linkin Park. Cruz is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Welcome to the Jungle. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kinlaw
vs
Cruz

180 cm
19
163 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

168 cm
20
163 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Fast

Swiss Systems Fight School

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Justin Kinlaw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kale Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kinlaw moves in looking to clinch but Cruz pushes him off.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Cruz closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cruz lands in his opponent's guard.

Kinlaw is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cruz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kinlaw keeping full guard, as Cruz tries to pass.
Kinlaw is trying to keep Cruz in close.
Cruz throwing strikes but missing.
Cruz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cruz throwing strikes but missing.
Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Kinlaw has wrist control.
Cruz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kinlaw is trying to keep Cruz in close.
Kinlaw keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
Cruz lands a couple of elbows.
Kinlaw preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kinlaw avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kinlaw is keeping the position for now.
Cruz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cruz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cruz throwing strikes from guard but Kinlaw blocks nicely.
Cruz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cruz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cruz.
Kinlaw will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Cruz drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kinlaw dives on top into guard.
Cruz looks gassed!
Kinlaw won't allow Cruz to sweep him here.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Kinlaw from controlling successfully.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruz trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz throws his legs up looking for a submission but Kinlaw uses it to pass to side control.
Cruz is trying to strike from the bottom but Kinlaw has passed into full mount.
Cruz can't escape the position.
Cruz is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Kinlaw scoring with strikes but Cruz is staying in there.
Cruz wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Cruz can't escape the position.
Kinlaw throwing damaging strikes from the back! Cruz could be in trouble here!
Cruz breaks Kinlaw's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Cruz wants to pass the guard but Kinlaw is keeping the position.
Cruz slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Kinlaw is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cruz scores with punches from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they both work up against the meshing.
Kinlaw takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Cruz tries to move to mount but Kinlaw blocks the move with his legs.
Cruz advances to full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cruz drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cruz throws a strike but Kinlaw rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Kinlaw slips nicely into half guard.
Cruz is trying to get back to full guard.
Cruz is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kinlaw trying to control from half guard but Cruz is working away.
Cruz is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kinlaw's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kinlaw's back!
Cruz is throwing shots to the body but Kinlaw manages to wriggle free. Cruz pounces on him again and ends up in Kinlaw's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cruz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

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.
Cruz postures up in Kinlaw's guard and throws a big left but Kinlaw blocks it.
Cruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kinlaw utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cruz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kinlaw's head.
Cruz scoring with punches to the head and body.
Kinlaw is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kinlaw lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Kinlaw has wrist control.
Cruz postures up in Kinlaw's guard and throws a big left but Kinlaw blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kinlaw is trying to control the position but Cruz postures up.
Cruz throwing strikes from guard but Kinlaw blocks nicely.
Kinlaw keeping full guard, as Cruz tries to pass.
Kinlaw bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cruz's guard.
Kinlaw looking to pass the guard.
Cruz throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Kinlaw landing with the ground and pound.

Cruz is looking for a triangle but Kinlaw pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kinlaw preventing the sweep.
Kinlaw stands up out of Cruz's guard for a moment - Cruz manages to land a nice upkick.
Cruz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kinlaw's guard.
Cruz passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Cruz working the ground and pound from side control.

It looks like Justin Kinlaw has been cut.
Cruz works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Cruz working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Cruz thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Cruz is trying to ground and pound but Kinlaw uses the momentary lack of control by Cruz to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kinlaw tries to clinch but Cruz is having none of it.
Kinlaw wants to clinch up but Cruz keeps it at a distance.
Cruz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kinlaw's waist but Cruz gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cruz off to one side.
Kinlaw throws a head kick but Cruz moves out of range.
Kinlaw shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense.
Justin Kinlaw seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kinlaw throws a sloppy head kick and Cruz moves out of range easily.
Kinlaw stuffs the takedown.
Kinlaw swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Cruz drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cruz landing with the ground and pound.

Cruz drops back looking for a leg! Kinlaw is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kinlaw manages to kick Cruz off! Cruz jumps back into Kinlaw's guard.
Kinlaw will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Cruz stands up over Kinlaw, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz throwing strikes but missing.
Cruz passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Cruz looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Cruz on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Cruz tries to get out of the position.

Cruz goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Kinlaw rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Cruz's guard! Nice work there by Kinlaw!
Cruz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruz doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Justin Kinlaw has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Kinlaw trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Cruz lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kinlaw!
Kinlaw taking shots to the head.
Cruz lands a heavy elbow.
Kale Cruz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kinlaw holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Cruz tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Cruz unloads with some shots from mount but Kinlaw bucks and avoids them well.
Cruz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kinlaw blocking the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz looking to land elbow strikes but Kinlaw uses the position to regain half guard.
Cruz stalling.
Cruz has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Cruz unloading with bombs!
Cruz wants to take his opponent's back but Kinlaw doesn't allow it.

Cruz is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Kinlaw is surviving well by controlling Cruz's body position as best he can.
Cruz thowing shots but they're missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruz has hold of Kinlaw's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Kinlaw manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Poor strikes thrown by Cruz there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

Cruz working for a submission but Kinlaw is keeping him at bay.
Kinlaw is trying to escape the mount.
Cruz dominating with strikes here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kale Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cruz winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kale Cruz!