PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Taio Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Vbahi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vbahi has chosen Pregador Luo - Bate Pesadão as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cruz
vs
Vbahi

175 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
140 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Taio Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Vbahi!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Vbahi fails with the takedown.
Cruz has his takedown stuffed

and Vbahi counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Cruz's guard now.
Vbahi seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Vbahi tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.
Cruz working a defensive guard but Vbahi manages to pass into side control anyway.
Cruz is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Vbahi tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vbahi staying calm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vbahi slips into full mount, dodging the strikes by Cruz.
Vbahi postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cruz looks a forlorn figure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vbahi scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cruz?
Vbahi putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Vbahi takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Vbahi scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cruz?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz is in all sorts of trouble here.
Vbahi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is desperately trying to improve his position but Vbahi has a good base and remains in mount.
Cruz is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Vbahi lands a big shot there that rocks Cruz but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Vbahi with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Vbahi fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Vbahi controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz working to try and regain half guard.
Vbahi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Vbahi lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vbahi landing punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Vbahi dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cruz lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Cruz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Vbahi.

Vbahi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Cruz!
Vbahi cracks Cruz with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vbahi scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cruz?
Cruz tries to reverse the position but Vbahi maintains control.
Vbahi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Vbahi lands a big shot there that rocks Cruz but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vbahi avoids the attempt from Cruz to control.
Vbahi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Vbahi scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cruz is looking to get to half guard.
Vbahi scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cruz tries to reverse the position but Vbahi maintains control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vbahi controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to hold on but Vbahi pushes him away.
Vbahi lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Vbahi controlling the position easily from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Cruz wants to hold on but Vbahi pushes him away.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Matt Vbahi.
Nice takedown defense from Vbahi. No joy for Cruz on that attempt.
Cruz with a lazy takedown attempt

and Vbahi counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vbahi tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Vbahi has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Cruz taking punishment in the form of punches.

Vbahi decides to stand back up. Vbahi steps back and let's Cruz get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Vbahi throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Cruz tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Vbahi is in Cruz's guard.
Vbahi postures up and lands a big shot to Cruz's brow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vbahi showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Vbahi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Vbahi closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
A lull in the action here as Vbahi stalls from top position.
Vbahi scores with a couple of short elbows.
Cruz is trying to control Vbahi's posture but Vbahi avoids it.
Vbahi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Vbahi decides to stand back up. Vbahi steps back and let's Cruz get back to his feet.
Taio Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vbahi shoots in and drives through. Cruz sprawls well.
Vbahi shoots and misses
letting Cruz counter with a right hand.
Cruz looks for a takedown but Vbahi sprawls well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Cruz, right into the meat.
Cruz looks to clinch

and Vbahi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Cruz's guard.

Cruz has an active guard here but Vbahi has managed to pass into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Vbahi has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vbahi working over Cruz with some ground and pound. Cruz looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Cruz is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Vbahi jumps into side control!

Vbahi tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Vbahi is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vbahi decides to stand back up. Vbahi steps back and let's Cruz get back to his feet.
Cruz fails with the takedown

and Vbahi counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Cruz!

Vbahi looking to secure an arm triangle but Cruz defends it well.
Vbahi controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz wants to control but Vbahi is having none of it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Vbahi working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Vbahi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Vbahi winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Vbahi!