PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eddy Valentino (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus De La Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). De La Cruz comes into a darkened arena with his song building. http://youtu.be/lTiAdy--FOQ kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! De La Cruz has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! Marcus De La Cruz acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Valentino
vs
De La Cruz

186 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
188 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eddy Valentino!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marcus De La Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, John Kavanagh and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Valentino closes the distance and pushes De La Cruz back into the cage.
De La Cruz looks winded!

Valentino manages to break the clinch.
Valentino looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? De La Cruz is fending him off so far but Valentino persists. Nope, De La Cruz circles away and we're back to standing.
Valentino throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around De La Cruz's waist but De La Cruz gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Valentino off to one side.
Valentino shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with De La Cruz but De La Cruz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddy Valentino. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Valentino shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Valentino shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has De La Cruz pinned against the cage. De La Cruz gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Valentino shoots in and drives through. De La Cruz sprawls well.
Valentino throws a right hand that De La Cruz ducks under and follows up with a left that De La Cruz also avoids with ease.

Valentino forces De La Cruz back against the cage and clinches.

Valentino successfully pulls guard.
Valentino has control of De La Cruz's left arm, preventing De La Cruz from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De La Cruz wants to control from the top but Valentino keeps moving.

Valentino is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Valentino breaks the clinch.
Valentino throws a series of punches but De La Cruz moves out of range.

Valentino pushes De La Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.

Valentino's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Valentino closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentino drops down looking for an ankle pick but De La Cruz pulls his leg out and moves away.
Nice takedown defense from De La Cruz. No joy for Valentino on that attempt.

Valentino gets a clinch.

Valentino pulls De La Cruz into guard.
Valentino trying to control the position here.
Valentino is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Valentino wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Eddy Valentino wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Valentino misses with a head kick.
De La Cruz leaves Valentino with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Valentino closes the distance and clinches up with De La Cruz, looking for a takedown. Valentino pushes De La Cruz against the cage but De La Cruz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Valentino misses with a head kick.
Valentino shoots for a takedown but De La Cruz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
De La Cruz is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De La Cruz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Valentino.
De La Cruz wants to clinch up but Valentino keeps it at a distance.
Valentino closes this distance looking for a takedown but De La Cruz circles away.
De La Cruz dodges the punch combination from Valentino.
Valentino will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Valentino blocks a head kick by De La Cruz.
Valentino scores with a nice strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
De La Cruz dodges the punch combination from Valentino.
De La Cruz's corner calls for a 1-2. De La Cruz obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddy Valentino dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Valentino throws a low kick but De La Cruz moves out of range easily.
Eddy Valentino is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Valentino looks for the body kick but De La Cruz saw that one coming.
Valentino tries a head kick but it misses.
De La Cruz checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

Valentino throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. De La Cruz was covering up waiting for the punch and Valentino finishes the takedown easily into guard.
De La Cruz trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

De La Cruz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Valentino defends well.
De La Cruz keeping moving, preventing Valentino from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Valentino decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on De La Cruz, up you get!
Valentino feints a jab promting De La Cruz to slip. Valentino then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. De La Cruz slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Valentino looks to land a combination. De La Cruz sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
De La Cruz missing with a left hand there. Valentino was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Valentino forces De La Cruz back against the cage and clinches.
Valentino just leaning against De La Cruz, taking a breather.
Valentino tries to land a knee to the head but De La Cruz blocks with his arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentino has De La Cruz pressed against the cage.
Valentino tries for a takedown. No joy.

De La Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Valentino tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. De La Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
De La Cruz is looking to clinch.
Valentino misses with the combination.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Valentino fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Valentino darts in and clinches De La Cruz up against the cage.
Valentino dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Valentino fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddy Valentino. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De La Cruz tries to circle away but Valentino has him pinned against the cage.

Valentino's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Valentino tries a head kick but it misses.
De La Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Valentino.
De La Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Valentino lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from De La Cruz.
Valentino tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Valentino throws the kick towards the body but De La Cruz avoids it.
De La Cruz throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De La Cruz slips a jab and a cross from Valentino.
Valentino wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Valentino closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Valentino shoots in but De La Cruz avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Valentino tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but De La Cruz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Valentino connects with a body shot that sends De La Cruz's belly button to the back.
The fight stays on the outside here - De La Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Valentino fails with the takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Valentino will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddy Valentino dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Valentino goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Valentino misses with a head kick.
Valentino looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Valentino doesn't manage to clinch there - De La Cruz circles away.
Valentino tries to score a power double leg takedown but De La Cruz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Valentino somewhat.
Valentino is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Valentino looks to land a combination but De La Cruz avoids it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valentino shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Valentino throws a combination. De La Cruz tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De La Cruz is looking to clinch but Valentino is avoiding it.
Valentino dives in and grabs De La Cruz's left leg, looking for a takedown. De La Cruz pushes down on Valentino's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddy Valentino. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Valentino tries to close the distance and clinch up but De La Cruz swats him away and circles back towards the center.

De La Cruz instigates a clinch.

Valentino pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Valentino looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
De La Cruz misses with the combination.
De La Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Valentino ducks under a wild hook from De La Cruz.
Valentino tries for a takedown but De La Cruz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Valentino fails with a takedown attempt.
Marcus De La Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Valentino, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
De La Cruz tries to clinch but Valentino moves away
and Valentino counters with a left to the body.
Valentino throws a sloppy head kick and De La Cruz moves out of range easily.
De La Cruz is looking to clinch but Valentino is avoiding it.
Valentino throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Valentino moves into the clinch successfully.
Valentino goes for a takedown in the clinch but De La Cruz prevents it.
Valentino is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables De La Cruz to keep the fight standing.
De La Cruz has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Valentino breaks from the clinch.
Valentino scores with a shot to the body.
De La Cruz misses with a jab, cross combination.
De La Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Valentino paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Valentino fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Valentino throws a right and a left that De La Cruz avoids nicely.
Valentino lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but De La Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.
Valentino misses with a head kick.
Valentino lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Valentino misses with a takedown attempt - De La Cruz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
De La Cruz misses with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De La Cruz keeps the fight on the outside.
Valentino pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Valentino tries to clinch there but De La Cruz circles away.
Valentino throws a sloppy head kick and De La Cruz moves out of range easily.
Eddy Valentino is winning the standup battle so far.
Valentino misses with a low kick.
De La Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Valentino moves away.
Valentino fails to land the takedown.
De La Cruz stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and De La Cruz wants it to stay on the feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
De La Cruz throws a wild body kick that Valentino sees coming a mile off.

Valentino gets a double leg takedown into De La Cruz's guard.
Marcus De La Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eddy Valentino is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Valentino accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eddy Valentino showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Valentino has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eddy Valentino!