PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Maciej Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Riordan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maciej Cruz had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Cruz
vs
Riordan

175 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

178 cm
21
180 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 Los Angeles, Maciej Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tommy Riordan!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz tries to clinch there but Riordan circles away.

Riordan moves into range and clinches up with Cruz.
Riordan is trying to drag Cruz to the mat but Cruz just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Riordan holds him up against the cage and eventually Cruz drops back down to his feet.
Cruz is trying to pull guard but Riordan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Riordan decides to pull guard.
Riordan keeping full guard, as Cruz tries to pass.
Cruz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Riordan wants to sweep here but Cruz controlling him for the moment.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Riordan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Riordan swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz throwing strikes but missing.
Cruz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Cruz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Riordan is trying to control the position but Cruz postures up.
Cruz trying to stand up but can't free himself from Riordan's guard.

Cruz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cruz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Riordan has control of Cruz's left arm, preventing Cruz from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz postures up in Riordan's guard and throws a big left but Riordan blocks it.

Cruz drops back looking for a leg! Riordan is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Riordan manages to kick Cruz off! Cruz jumps back into Riordan's guard.
Cruz looking to sit in guard and control but Riordan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Cruz looking for a sweep. Not yet Cruz, not yet.

Cruz is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cruz wants to stand and escape but Riordan is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz throws his legs up looking for a submission but Riordan uses it to pass to side control.
Cruz is breathing heavily.

Riordan stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Riordan shoots in but Cruz avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Riordan drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Cruz is working an open guard so Riordan takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Riordan avoids a punch combination nicely.
Riordan looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Riordan swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruz gets tackled into the cage by Riordan. Riordan maintains the clinch.
Riordan has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cruz avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Maciej Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tommy Riordan.
Cruz letting Riordan take a breather here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz is trying to stall.
Cruz is looking to take this one to the mat.
Cruz working hard to break the clinch.
Riordan tries to pull guard but Cruz holds him up against the cage and eventually Riordan drops back down to his feet.
Riordan wants to take the fight to the mat but Cruz manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz working hard to break the clinch.

Riordan pulls guard effortlessly.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tommy Riordan will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cruz shoots in but no luck this time.
Riordan slaps away a takedown attempt from Cruz, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Riordan tries to bum rush Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Riordan looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Riordan dives in and grabs Cruz's left leg, looking for a takedown. Cruz pushes down on Riordan's head and hops out.
Riordan scores with a one two! Cruz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Maciej Cruz has been cut.

Riordan has managed to clinch.

Riordan gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Riordan thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cruz's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Riordan stays in close to Cruz's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz trying to keep a closed guard but Riordan is proving a slippery customer.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Tommy Riordan hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Riordan.
Cruz is looking for a sweep.
Riordan just content to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riordan trying to control the position but Cruz is working away.

Riordan stands up.
Tommy Riordan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but Riordan shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maciej Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riordan closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cruz circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cruz.
Cruz slaps away a takedown attempt from Riordan, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Riordan lands a jab-cross combination.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Riordan shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Riordan showed some decent athleticism there.
Riordan frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Tommy Riordan has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to control Riordan's body but Riordan pushes him off. Cruz squirms to his side and now Riordan has his back!
Cruz rolls, trying to escape but Riordan keeps control of the position.
Riordan is trying to stick to Cruz's back but Cruz is turning into Riordan. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Riordan's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Cruz.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Riordan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Riordan controls Cruz momentarily but Cruz frees himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cruz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Riordan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Maciej Cruz's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Cruz shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Riordan defends it nicely.
Riordan looks for a takedown but Cruz sprawls well.
Riordan stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Riordan wants it to stay on the feet.
Riordan fails with a takedown attempt.
Riordan is looking to land body kicks.
Riordan scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Riordan shoots in but Cruz avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Maciej Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tommy Riordan.
Cruz is looking to clinch.
Riordan stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Riordan wants it to stay on the feet.
Maciej Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz keeps the fight on the outside.
Riordan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Riordan.
Riordan looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
Cruz shoots for a double leg takedown but Riordan sprawls well. He's pushed Cruz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Riordan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Riordan tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cruz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Riordan somewhat.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown. Riordan tries to sprawl out of it but Cruz keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Riordan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Riordan instigates a clinch.

Riordan jumps into guard, dragging Cruz to the mat.
Cruz stopping the sweep attempt from Riordan.
Cruz trying to control but Riordan is working from the bottom.
Riordan tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Riordan looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Cruz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Riordan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cruz has managed to get both his arms back between Riordan's legs - danger averted.
Riordan keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
Riordan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cruz wants to stand but Riordan has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cruz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz being controlled here momentarily.
Riordan throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Tommy Riordan is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Riordan decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Cruz, up you get!
Maciej Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cruz pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tommy Riordan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Riordan has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tommy Riordan!
During a confident post fight interview, Tommy Riordan thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.