PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kale Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Severi Turpaansaaja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz's entrance music is Welcome to the Jungle. A fine choice. Turpaansaaja is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Bulls On Parade. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cruz
vs
Turpaansaaja

168 cm
32
163 lbs
27 - 14 - 0

170 cm
26
164 lbs
17 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Popeye’s Spinach - 159 + 158 Proof Supps
[CBK] The Smashwear Corporation

Popeye’s Spinach - 159 + 158 Proof Supps

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 27 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kale Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Severi Turpaansaaja!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Dillan Fox and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Turpaansaaja uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
Cruz misses with an uppercut.
Cruz throws a leg kick
and Turpaansaaja counters with a stiff right hand.
Cruz jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Turpaansaaja fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cruz moves away from the strike by Turpaansaaja.
Cruz lands with a straight right. Turpaansaaja didn't see that one coming.

It looks like Severi Turpaansaaja has been cut.
Turpaansaaja throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Turpaansaaja lands with an uppercut that bounces Cruz off the cage and back into range.
Severi Turpaansaaja seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Turpaansaaja.
A chopping leg kick lands by Turpaansaaja.
Cruz tests Turpaansaaja's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cruz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cruz throws out a loose jab but Turpaansaaja uses good head movement to avoid it.
Turpaansaaja misses with a wild body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz looks to land a right hand but Turpaansaaja moved out of range.
Cruz shoots in and drives through. Turpaansaaja sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Turpaansaaja displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cruz throws out the jab.
Cruz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Turpaansaaja.
Cruz throws a low kick but it's checked well by Turpaansaaja.
A looping hook to the body misses from Turpaansaaja. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
A big right from Cruz misses.
Cruz misses with an uppercut. Turpaansaaja saw that one coming.
Turpaansaaja's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Cruz connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Turpaansaaja scrambles back to his feet.
Cruz steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Turpaansaaja. That one must have hurt.
Cruz lands a really nice looking cross but Turpaansaaja seems unphased.
A swing and a miss from Cruz.
Cruz blocks a head kick by Turpaansaaja.
Cruz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Turpaansaaja was well out of range. Poor timing from Cruz.
Cruz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cruz takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Cruz throws a shot from downtown. Turpaansaaja moves away and avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Turpaansaaja misses with a head kick.
Turpaansaaja throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Turpaansaaja throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cruz throws a shot from downtown. Turpaansaaja moves away and avoids it.
Turpaansaaja lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A nice leg kick lands there from Turpaansaaja.
The fighters circling - Cruz throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Turpaansaaja throws a hook but Cruz blocks it.
Turpaansaaja tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Cruz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Turpaansaaja manages to avoid it.
Cruz takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
Cruz misses with a hook.
Cruz misses with a lunging right hand
and Turpaansaaja counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Turpaansaaja throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cruz sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Turpaansaaja gets a takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Turpaansaaja working the head and body with strikes.
Turpaansaaja thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cruz's head.
Turpaansaaja not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Turpaansaaja thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Turpaansaaja missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Turpaansaaja misses with a head shot. Cruz uses the momentum to regain guard.
Cruz is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Turpaansaaja is controlling him.
Cruz looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz pulls Turpaansaaja in close to prevent any damage.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruz is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Turpaansaaja throwing strikes but missing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Kale Cruz.

Cruz decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Turpaansaaja keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Turpaansaaja is looking to escape.
Cruz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Turpaansaaja defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Severi Turpaansaaja will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Severi Turpaansaaja's cut.
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 ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Turpaansaaja closes the distance and clinches.
A shot in the inside from Turpaansaaja.
Turpaansaaja tries to work over Cruz's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Turpaansaaja.
Turpaansaaja misses with a punch to the body.
Turpaansaaja lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Cruz backwards.

Turpaansaaja breaks the clinch.
Cruz takes one to the chin there.
A telegraphed right hand from Cruz misses the target.
Cruz throws a right hand that misses
and Turpaansaaja counters with a right hand to the body.
Cruz looks to throw the jab but Turpaansaaja is out of range.
A lazy left from Turpaansaaja finds it's target.
Cruz throws an off balance right hand
and Turpaansaaja counters with a thumping low kick.
Turpaansaaja throws the kick towards the body but Cruz avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Cruz.
Cruz misses with a lunging right hand
and Turpaansaaja counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cruz darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Cruz takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Cruz walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Turpaansaaja throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.
Turpaansaaja throws a shot to the body.
Turpaansaaja feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Cruz's calf.
Cruz missing with a left hand there. Turpaansaaja was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cruz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Turpaansaaja lands with a nice body punch.
Turpaansaaja scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's 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!
Cruz throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Turpaansaaja throws a leg kick which misses Cruz's front leg but catches the back leg as Cruz tries to avoid it.
Turpaansaaja chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Turpaansaaja circles away.
Turpaansaaja shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A slow jab from Cruz misses its intended target.
Turpaansaaja is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cruz.
Cruz misses with a head kick.
Turpaansaaja dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Cruz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nice defenses there by Cruz.
Turpaansaaja ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Cruz, right into the meat.
Cruz misses with a two punch combination.
Turpaansaaja connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Cruz's hands.
Turpaansaaja moves out of range as Cruz strikes.
Turpaansaaja showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cruz.
Turpaansaaja lands a high kick!

It looks like Kale Cruz has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Cruz.
Cruz uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Turpaansaaja has time to react.
Turpaansaaja cracks a nice hook into Cruz's ribs.
Cruz avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Cruz misses with a right hand
and Turpaansaaja counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cruz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Turpaansaaja scores with a push kick.
Cruz jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Turpaansaaja blocks a jab.
Cruz misses the jab.
Turpaansaaja misses with a head kick.
Turpaansaaja scores with a spinning back kick!
Turpaansaaja scores with a jab to the body.
Turpaansaaja connects with a solid leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Turpaansaaja throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cruz on the side of the head.
Cruz on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
A slapping body kick lands there for Turpaansaaja.
Cruz takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Cruz moves out of range as Turpaansaaja strikes.
Turpaansaaja thows a body shot but no joy.
Turpaansaaja blocks a jab.
Cruz throws a looping overhand right but Turpaansaaja ducks down to avoid it.
Turpaansaaja misses with a lunging right hand
and Cruz counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Severi Turpaansaaja seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Turpaansaaja just misses with a punch to the body.
Cruz closes the distance and clinches up with Turpaansaaja, looking for a takedown. Cruz pushes Turpaansaaja against the cage but Turpaansaaja circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Turpaansaaja misses with an uppercut.
Turpaansaaja throws a jab when Cruz was well out of range.
Turpaansaaja looks for a takedown but Cruz sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Severi Turpaansaaja showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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. This is the final round!

Cruz shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Cruz showed some decent athleticism there.
Cruz is trying to control. Turpaansaaja wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Cruz trying to pass the guard but Turpaansaaja defending well.

Cruz is working for a submission of some sort.
Turpaansaaja tries to get to full guard but Cruz has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control the action but Turpaansaaja is working from the bottom.
Cruz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Turpaansaaja kicks Cruz off and gets back to his feet.
Cruz misses with a jab to the body
and Turpaansaaja counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scores with a hook to the body. Turpaansaaja takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Cruz throws the left hand but Turpaansaaja avoids the punch easily.
Cruz leaves Turpaansaaja with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Cruz throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A lazy left from Turpaansaaja finds it's target.
Cruz lands with a right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz throws a big shot that misses.
Cruz misses with an uppercut. Turpaansaaja saw that one coming.
Severi Turpaansaaja is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Cruz is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cruz fails with the takedown.
Cruz looks to score with a jab to the body but Turpaansaaja is just out of range.
Turpaansaaja wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Turpaansaaja connects with a body shot that sends Cruz's belly button to the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Turpaansaaja ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Turpaansaaja looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.
Turpaansaaja comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Cruz takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Turpaansaaja misses with an uppercut. Cruz saw that one coming.
A telegraphed right hand from Cruz misses the target.
Turpaansaaja tries to bum rush Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice sprawl there from Cruz as Turpaansaaja shoots in.
Turpaansaaja connects with a body shot.
Cruz lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Turpaansaaja backs up against the cage.
Kale Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Turpaansaaja ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
Cruz scores with a jab. Turpaansaaja acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Turpaansaaja scores with a punch to the head.
Turpaansaaja cracks a nice hook into Cruz's ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz takes a kick to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Turpaansaaja punishes Cruz's body with a nice straight punch.
Turpaansaaja misses the shot to the body.
Turpaansaaja pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Turpaansaaja fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cruz has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cruz throws an off balance right hand
and Turpaansaaja connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Turpaansaaja defending well as Cruz loads up on a big left hand.
Cruz displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Cruz swings widly with a right hand
and Turpaansaaja makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Cruz really felt that one!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Turpaansaaja counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Turpaansaaja scores with a jab to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Turpaansaaja keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cruz.
Turpaansaaja tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kale Cruz.
I think Turpaansaaja 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Severi Turpaansaaja!