PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Karol Aka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dominck Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dominck Cruz has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Karol Aka's chin.

Aka
vs
Cruz

192 cm
19
175 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

160 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Prefers standup

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Karol Aka!
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, Dominck Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Sergei Dronov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Aka looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Aka moves into the clinch.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Aka won't allow it.
Cruz has Aka pressed against the cage, preventing Aka from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Aka is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A nice left hand lands by Cruz.
Aka lands a damaging elbow.
Aka presses Cruz against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Aka has Cruz pressed against the cage, preventing Cruz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Aka misses with a body punch.
Cruz avoids the elbow strike from Aka, against the cage.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Aka holds him up against the cage and eventually Cruz drops back down to his feet.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Aka.
Aka wants to stall.
Cruz jumps guard but Aka turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Karol Aka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dominck Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz tries to score a body lock takedown but Aka shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Aka looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Aka is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Aka prevents a body shot from Cruz.
Cruz struggles to land a body shot inside as Aka controls his hands.
Aka lands a knee to the body.
Aka throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Cruzs head.
Cruz letting Aka take a breather here.

Cruz breaks the clinch.
Aka lands with an uppercut that bounces Cruz off the cage and back into range.
Karol Aka is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz looks for a takedown but Aka sprawls well.
Cruz tries to score a power double leg takedown but Aka sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cruz somewhat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aka throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Cruz's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz shoots in for a double leg but Aka sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cruz fails with the takedown
and Aka counters with a stiff right hand.
Nice jab there from Aka.
Aka plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Cruz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Aka cracks a nice hook into Cruz's ribs.

Aka has Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aka breaks the clinch.

Cruz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Cruz tries for a kimura but Aka is defending well.
Cruz trying to control the position but Aka is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Aka kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Aka tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cruz wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz cracks Aka with a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karol Aka dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The fighters circle momentarily. Aka darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Cruz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Cruz decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Cruz shoots in and drives through. Aka sprawls well.
Aka connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Cruz's hands.
Cruz on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Dominck Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aka scores with a kick to the midsection.
Aka stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Aka wants it to stay on the feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheers as Aka lands an impressive looking overhand right. Cruz doesn't seem phased though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Cruz scores with a four punch combination!
Aka fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Cruz wants to clinch up but Aka keeps it at a distance.
Cruz checks the leg kick.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Aka is avoiding it.
Cruz on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Aka is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Cruz shoots in and bounces Aka off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Aka keeps moving.
Aka really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Karol Aka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dominck Cruz.
Aka lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Aka scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Aka tries to clinch up but Cruz circles away and keeps his distance.

Aka rushes Cruz and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz wants to take the fight to the mat but Aka manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aka lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Aka scores with a nice hook to the head.
Cruz is trying to pull guard but Aka has him pressed against the cage.
Aka lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cruz tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Aka smiles and moves away.

Aka instigates a clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Aka obliges.
A right handed body shot lands from Aka.
Cruz takes an elbow to the temple.
Cruz tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Aka just stands there and leans against the cage.
Aka is leaning against Cruz and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz jumps guard but Aka stands there with Cruz around his waist. Cruz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Aka stalling in the clinch.
Aka is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Aka working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Aka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Cruz wants to break free but Aka has control.

Aka breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Karol Aka is winning the standup battle so far.
Cruz ducks right into an uppercut from Aka.
Cruz closes the distance and clinches up with Aka, looking for a takedown. Cruz pushes Aka against the cage but Aka circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Aka slows down the pace here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karol Aka dominated that second round.
That's time! Aka's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Cruz. Aka does a little dance to reset his feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cruz.
Aka throws a leg kick that misses.
Aka misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Aka avoids it really well and circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Aka stuffs the takedown.
Karol Aka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dominck Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Aka scores with a head kick.
Aka throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Cruz counters with a nice leg kick.
Cruz misses with a takedown
and Aka counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Aka closes the distance and pushes Cruz back into the cage.
A short right from Aka.
Cruz blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Aka cracks Cruz with a nice body shot.
Cruz misses with a body punch.

Cruz wants the takedown. Aka is fighting it off but Cruz persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Aka's guard against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a strike but Aka rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Cruz has his foot on Aka's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Aka works his way back into a safe position though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz wants to sweep but no luck.
Aka trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Cruz is looking for a triangle but Aka pushes his legs off easily.
Aka wants to stand but Cruz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Cruz is looking to stand back up but Aka counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Cruz.
Aka frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Aka blocks Cruz's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Cruz is desperately trying to improve his position but Aka has a good base and remains in mount.
Karol Aka is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to hold on but Aka pushes him away.
Cruz working to try and regain half guard.
Aka looking to control and managing it successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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 Karol Aka.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Aka, 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 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Karol Aka!