PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Taito Tijuri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dominick Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: T-moor Rodriguez - Out in space. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Tijuri
vs
Cruz

157 cm
19
134 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taito Tijuri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dominick Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shigeki Sano and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Tijuri circles away.
Tijuri tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Cruz holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Tijuri's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Cruz turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Cruz manages to end up in side control.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Cruz looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Tijuri knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cruz on the ground.
Tijuri can't do much from the bottom here.

Cruz tries for a kimura but Tijuri is defending well.
Tijuri is looking for a sweep.
Tijuri is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control the position but Tijuri is working away.

Cruz looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Tijuri is not content to let Cruz control the position.

Cruz stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Tijuri looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Cruz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tijuri keeps working.
Cruz throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Tijuri wants to control but Cruz postures up.

Cruz is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tijuri knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Tijuri might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Tijuri tries to bench press Cruz off him but Cruz keeps the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Cruz swings around for an armbar but Tijuri sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Cruz's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tijuri wants to stand but Cruz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cruz is adopting a defensive guard.
Tijuri throwing strikes but missing.
Tijuri preventing the sweep.
Tijuri wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tijuri wants to get up but he can't break Cruz's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Tijuri working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cruz seems keen to control Tijuri's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Tijuri throws a solid leg kick but Cruz takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Tijuri.
Cruz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tijuri's waist but Tijuri gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cruz off to one side.

Cruz is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Tijuri's half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tijuri is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dominick Cruz dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Cruz closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Tijuri quickly recovers to half guard.

Tijuri is defending against the submission attempts here by Cruz.

Cruz seems to be looking for submissions.
Cruz prevents Tijuri from improving his position.

Cruz decides to stand and escape the position.
Taito Tijuri is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tijuri misses with a few strikes there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz looks for a takedown but Tijuri sprawls well.
Tijuri fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Cruz shoots in for a double leg but Tijuri sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cruz.
Taito Tijuri has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dominick Cruz.
Cruz tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tijuri swivels and escapes.
Tijuri tries to clinch but Cruz is having none of it.
Tijuri connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cruz fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Tijuri avoids it really well and circles away.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Tijuri. No joy for Cruz on that attempt.
Tijuri wants to clinch.
Tijuri is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dominick Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tijuri.
Tijuri keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tijuri doesn't manage to clinch there - Cruz circles away.
Tijuri throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tijuri tries a head kick but it misses.
Tijuri turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Tijuri lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Tijuri. Tijuri obviously looking to wear him down.
Cruz shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tijuri defends it nicely.
Tijuri lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Cruz backs up against the cage.
Tijuri fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Cruz keeps the fight on the outside.
Tijuri tries to clinch there but Cruz circles away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cruz is defended easily by Tijuri.
Tijuri leaves Cruz with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tijuri lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tijuri tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A chopping leg kick lands by Tijuri.

Tijuri shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Tijuri showed some decent athleticism there.
Tijuri sitting and controlling from the half guard.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tijuri wants to control but Cruz is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taito Tijuri dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Tijuri misses with a series of wild punches.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tijuri but Tijuri pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cruz fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Tijuri avoids it really well and circles away.
Cruz shoots in but no luck this time.
Taito Tijuri has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dominick Cruz.
Cruz shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tijuri pinned against the cage. Tijuri gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cruz fails with the takedown.
Cruz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tijuri tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tijuri is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tijuri is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cruz.
Tijuri looks to land a right hand but Cruz moved out of range.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tijuri looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cruz is fending him off so far but Tijuri persists. Nope, Cruz circles away and we're back to standing.
Taito Tijuri is winning the standup battle so far.

Cruz feints and as Tijuri raises his hands in defense, Cruz changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cruz won't allow Tijuri to get back to his feet.
Cruz with a nice head shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Tijuri keeps moving.
Cruz sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cruz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cruz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Tijuri keeping full guard, as Cruz tries to pass.
Cruz is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to pass the guard but Tijuri is keeping the position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Cruz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cruz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cruz wants to pass the guard but Tijuri is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz postures up.
Cruz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Tijuri is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Tijuri misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Tijuri is looking to clinch but Cruz is avoiding it.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt
and Tijuri counters with a head kick. That will keep Cruz thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Tijuri throws a series of punches but Cruz moves out of range.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Tijuri lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Cruz has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Cruz and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Tijuri enables Cruz to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Tijuri manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dominick 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29

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