PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mark Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vic Sotto (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.

Cruz
vs
Sotto

184 cm
21
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mark Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vic Sotto!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Valeri Chadov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sotto throws a leg kick but Cruz moved away.
Sotto lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sotto.
Sotto fails with a takedown attempt.
Cruz on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Sotto defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruz.
Cruz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sotto is fending him off so far but Cruz persists. Nope, Sotto circles away and we're back to standing.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sotto.
Sotto misses with a takedown attempt

and Cruz counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Mark Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vic Sotto.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz stands and throws Sotto's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Sotto is looking for a sweep.
Cruz happy to just control the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sotto gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Cruz content just to control the position here.
Cruz is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Sotto is trying to escape the mount.
Sotto really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cruz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cruz controlling the position easily from mount.
Cruz's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Mark Cruz.
Cruz tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sotto sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cruz somewhat.
Cruz really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sotto tries for a takedown but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz circles away from the clinch attempt

and Cruz counters with a takedown into side control.
Sotto stops Cruz from passing to mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sotto can do anything to dispel that myth.
Sotto wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Cruz is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Sotto will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Sotto is trying to improve his position.
Sotto struggling a bit here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sotto tries to improve position but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz prevents Sotto from escaping the position.
Sotto tries to improve position but can't.
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!
Cruz slows the pace down.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sotto tries to buck Cruz off but Cruz is having none of it.
Cruz controls the position from side control.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Sotto is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cruz lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Cruz dominated that round.
That's time! Cruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sotto shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cruz pinned against the cage. Cruz gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cruz tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sotto swivels and escapes.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Sotto.
Sotto tries to clinch up.
Sotto wants to clinch

and Cruz counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Cruz trying to control from half guard but Sotto is working away.
Cruz is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is trying to control. Sotto wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Cruz is really struggling to control Sotto but he's trying to hold on to the position.

We're going to have a standup here because Mark Cruz wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Cruz tries for a takedown but Sotto sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cruz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sotto.
Cruz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sotto shoots in but Cruz avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sotto shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sotto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sotto misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sotto looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cruz is fending him off so far but Sotto persists. Nope, Cruz circles away and we're back to standing.
Sotto works over Cruz's head and body with a nice combination.
Sotto stuffs the takedown attempt from Cruz. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Sotto tries for a takedown but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
No luck for Sotto with that takedown attempt.
Vic Sotto seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sotto pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Sotto shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sotto tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Cruz counters with a nice double leg into side control. Sotto won't be happy with that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz working away.
Cruz working the ground and pound.
Cruz in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Sotto is looking to regain half guard here but Cruz keeps moving and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Sotto!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sotto is trying desperately to improve position.
Cruz controlling from the full mount.
Mark Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cruz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sotto is looking to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sotto swinging wildly here.

Cruz bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Sotto is trying to improve his position.
Cruz lands a decent elbow from side control.
Cruz in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Cruz passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Sotto!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is landing with some decent strikes but Sotto is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Sotto in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Cruz landing strikes from the mount.
Cruz controlling from mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Cruz cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Cruz tries to control but Sotto wriggling away.
Cruz breaks from Sotto's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Cruz looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz punishing his opponent with strikes.
Cruz tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Cruz is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Sotto can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sotto is desperately trying to improve his position but Cruz has a good base and remains in mount.
Cruz content just to control the position here.
Sotto really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Cruz controlling the position easily from mount.
Sotto is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.
Cruz landing shots from mount.
Sotto wants to control but Cruz is having none of it.
Cruz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sotto working to try and regain half guard.
Cruz lands a nice shot to the head.
Mark Cruz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sotto keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Cruz working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sotto is trying desperately to improve position.
Sotto takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz looking to control and managing it successfully.
Vic Sotto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Sotto for as long as he can get away with.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cruz, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27

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