PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brick Top (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benedict Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Top comes to the cage accompanied by Killing in the name . Brick Top has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Top
vs
Cruz

180 cm
31
218 lbs
25 - 11 - 0

193 cm
28
222 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

5th Round Clothing
Mango Nutrition (90% Laundry)

5th Round Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brick Top!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Benedict Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Jorge Garcia and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz misses with a looping right.
Top throws a nice head kick!

Cruz pushes Top up against the cage in a clinch.

Top wants the takedown. Cruz is fighting it off but Top persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Cruz's guard against the cage.
Top looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Top is looking to work some ground and pound but Cruz has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Top works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Top misses with a head shot. Cruz uses the momentum to regain guard.
Top trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Top throwing strikes but missing.
Top trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Top tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.

Cruz manages to escape and get back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A head kick misses from Top.
Cruz moves out of range as Top throws a body kick.
Brick Top seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Top thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cruz stuns Top with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Cruz jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Top wants to clinch.
Cruz dodges the punch combination from Top.

Top shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cruz is trying to defend but Top finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Top is pressing down on Cruz's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cruz is holding on for now.
Top throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Top missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Top stops Cruz from getting back to his feet.

Top looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Top wants to pass to mount but Cruz is defending the position.
Top looks to land a strike but Cruz avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Cruz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Top is pushing down on Cruz's leg trying to pass to half guard. Cruz is fighting to maintain full guard but Top has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Top looks to land a strike but Cruz avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Top might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Top wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Top advances to half guard.
Top passes to side control.
Cruz parries the strikes from Top easily there. Top is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Cruz to escape.
Sloppy strikes there by Top.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Top is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cruz has escaped the position, nice work there.
Cruz wants to control but Top postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cruz uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Cruz connects with the punch.
Top throws a wild body kick that Cruz sees coming a mile off.
Some wild striking there from Top.
Top misses the shot to the body.
Cruz feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Top's calf.
Top tries to work over Cruz's front leg with a kick but Cruz checks it.

Top feints and as Cruz raises his hands in defense, Top changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Top with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cruz wants to stand and escape but Top is having none of it.
Top trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
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!
Top throws a big elbow that misses.
Top loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Top accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Top postures up in Cruz's guard and throws a big left but Cruz blocks it.
Top postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Top wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Top looking to pass the guard.
Top throws a big elbow that misses.

Top drops back, looking for a kneebar! Cruz looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Cruz looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Cruz!
Top 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz controls the position.
Top has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Cruz has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Cruz keeps the fight on the outside.
Top tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Top looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.
Top 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.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Top shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cruz as he jumps to the side.
Cruz avoids the head kick by Top.
Brick Top is winning the standup battle so far.
Cruz has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Top finds it's way round the side to connect with Cruz's head.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Cruz misses with a kick to the body.
Top throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Top with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Cruz to score with a decent uppercut.
Cruz scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Top's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Top duly obliges.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Top fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Cruz checks it well.
Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A low kick from Cruz is predictable there
and Top counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Top throws a nice looking combination but Cruz bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Top scores with a crisp jab that stopped Cruz in his tracks.
Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Top.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A jab from Cruz misses.
Top throws the kick towards the body but Cruz avoids it.
A telegraphed right hand from Top misses the target.
Top throws a hook but Cruz avoids it easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Top looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cruz wants it to stay on the feet.
Cruz clobbers Top with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Cruz lands a leg kick that knocks Top off balance momentarily.
Cruz is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Top throws a head kick that half lands.
Top lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Top feints and as Cruz raises his hands in defense, Top changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Top lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Top drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Cruz manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Top has Cruz in his guard.

Cruz stands and steps away. Top gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Brick Top will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Cruz feints and then cracks Top's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Top down.

Top moves into range and clinches up with Cruz.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Cruz scores with a shoulder strike.
Cruz missing with knees to the body.
Cruz makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Cruz blocks an uppercut.
Top misses with a punch to the body.
Top is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Cruz tries to work over Top's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Top misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
Top is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Top tries to clinch but Cruz is having none of it.
Top moves to clinch but Cruz breaks away
and Cruz counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Top throws a low kick but Cruz avoids it.
Top fails to land the takedown.
Cruz dodges the punch combination from Top.
Cruz is looking to slow Top down with leg kicks.
Cruz scores with the left hand. Top knows he should have avoided that one.
Top tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Benedict Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Top keeps the fight on the outside.
A slapping body kick lands there for Cruz.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Top closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cruz circles away.
Cruz connects with a right hand. Top shakes it off.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz throws a series of punches but Top avoids them all with ease.
Top takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Top will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brick Top. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Top fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cruz avoids it really well and circles away.
Benedict Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Top ducks right into an uppercut from Cruz.
Top throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Top takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Cruz instigates a clinch.
Top can't find room to land a body shot as Cruz controls the action.
Cruz working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Cruz lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Brick Top is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cruz doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Top tries a body shot but Cruz blocks it.
A knee to the head by Cruz.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cruz swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Top blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cruz working Top over with knees to the body.
Top throws a head punch that misses.
Cruz lands a left hand that snaps the head of Top backwards.
Cruz pushes Top back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Cruz tries to land knees in the clinch but Top avoids the damage to the body.
Cruz gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Top.
Top takes a shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz missing with knees to the body.
Cruz tries a body shot but Top blocks it.
A nice left hand lands by Cruz.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Top.
Cruz has a couple of punches blocked by Top.
Cruz blocks an uppercut.
Cruz struggles to land a body shot inside as Top controls his hands.
Cruz has a couple of punches blocked by Top.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cruz throws a punch but it's blocked by Top.
Cruz lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Cruz gets through Top's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benedict Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Top has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 29:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Brick Top!