PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chris Cote (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cote comes into the arena with For Those About To Rock - ACDC blaring out of the sound system. Cruz has chosen T.I - Big Shit Poppin as his entrance music. Chris Cote has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cote
vs
Cruz

190 cm
25
206 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

187 cm
25
215 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

CEC Nutrition Q160 & Loans

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Chris Cote!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nick Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Ian Loll and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cote fails to land with a series of punches.
Cote takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Cote tries to bum rush Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cote throws the left hand but Cruz avoids the punch easily.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.
Cote goes for a takedown attempt but Cruz pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Chris Cote seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cote feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Cruzs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

It looks like Nick Cruz has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cote misses with a wild combination.
Cote looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cruz dodges the punch combination from Cote.

Cote drives through and clinches with Cruz against the cage.

Cote manages to break the clinch.
Cruz throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Cote.

It looks like Chris Cote has been cut.
A jab from Cote misses.
A big right from Cote misses.
Cote misses with a wild combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cote tries to keep at a distance but Cruz has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cruz is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cote is defending well for now.
Cote wants to take the fight to the mat but Cruz manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Cote is looking to break free of the clinch but Cruz has double underhooks.
Cruz gets underhooks to prevent Cote's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Cote. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz looking to slow down the pace here.
Cruz misses with a knee strike.

Cruz kicks Cote off and gets to his feet.
Cote bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cruz's head backwards.
Cruz fails with the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cote scores with a one two! Cruz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Cote misses with a hook.
Cote misses with the combination.
Cote scores with a nice right hand.
Cote lands a jab-cross combination.

Cruz is rocked!
Cote throws a lazy right hand but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cruz is still on wobbly legs! Can Cote finish him?
Cote throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Cruz counters by moving into the clinch.
Cote is breathing heavily.
Cote takes a knee to the side of the body.

Cote is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Cruz can't fight it off and eventually Cote manages to take the fight to the floor. Cruz looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Cote has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Cruz is proving hard to escape from.
Cote postures up.
Cruz seems to have recovered his senses.
Cote wants to get up but he can't break Cruz's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Cote trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Cruz is looking to stand up but Cote isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cote stands and steps away. Cruz gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Cruz throws a push kick but Cote slaps the foot to one side.
Cote misses with a jab, cross combination.

Cruz gets tackled into the cage by Cote. Cote maintains the clinch.

Cruz pulls guard successfully.
Cote is looking to stand up but Cruz won't let him.

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

Cote manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cote loads up on a big right hand but Cruz slips the punch.
Cote throws an ugly left hook that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Cote looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.

Cruz rushes Cote and presses him up against the cage.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
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!
Cruz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cote.
Cruz with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Cote decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Cote clinches up against the cage.
Cote keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cruz's efforts to push away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Cote dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cote clobbers Cruz with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Cruz lands a front kick.

Cruz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cruz landing knees to the body.
Cruz misses with a knee to the head.
Cote wants a takedown but no success here.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cruz looking to slow down the pace here.
Cote avoiding damage as Cruz throws knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cote is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cote takes a knee to the side of the body.

Cruz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Cruz has managed to clinch.
Cruz trying to control the position but instead, Cote has worked for underhooks and has pushed Cruz into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Cote breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cote lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.
Some wild striking there from Cote.
Cote misses with a looping left.
Cote shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cruz pinned against the cage. Cruz gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Cote. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cruz darts in and clinches Cote up against the cage.
Cruz is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cote is defending well for now.
Cruz working Cote over with knees to the body.
Cote tries to score a body lock takedown but Cruz shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Cruz throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cote blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Cruz throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cruz tries to land knees in the clinch but Cote avoids the damage to the body.
Cruz tries to land knees in the clinch but Cote avoids the damage to the body.
Cote wants to break free but Cruz has control.

Cote pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Cote gets tackled into the cage by Cruz. Cruz maintains the clinch.
Nick Cruz seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
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!

Cote is trying to trip Cruz. He has hold of a leg but Cruz is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Cote persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Cote gets to his feet. Cruz looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Cote is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Cruz lands a high kick!
Cote misses with an uppercut.
Cruz throws a half hearted mid kick.
Cote throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Cruz has Cote up against the cage in a clinch.
Cote goes for a takedown attempt but Cruz pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cote avoids the head kick by Cruz.

Cruz clinches up with Cote and pushes him back against the cage.
Cote wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
Cruz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cote's efforts to push away.
Cruz throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cote blocks it with crossed arms.
Cruz throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Cotes head.
Cruz throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cote blocks it with crossed arms.
Cruz is pressed up against the cage. Cote has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Cruz down to the mat. Cruz avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Cote gets tackled into the cage by Cruz. Cruz maintains the clinch.

Cote has picked Cruz up - he's going for a ride! Cote dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Cruz wants to control but Cote is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cote decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Cote misses with a hook. Cruz ducked under it nicely.
Cote works over Cruz's head and body with a nice combination.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Cruz darts in and clinches Cote up against the cage.
Cruz lands a knee to the body.

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

Cruz clinches up against the cage.
Cote avoiding damage as Cruz throws knees to the body.
Cruz is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cote is defending well for now.
Cote looking for a takedown.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cruz putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Cote in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Cruz stops a takedown attempt from Cote.
Cruz tries to stall but Cote uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Cruz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Cruz lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Cote lands with a right hand.
Cruz on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Cote tries to keep at a distance but Cruz has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cruz looking to throw knees to the head but Cote is blocking nicely.
Cote has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cruz avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Cote has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cruz avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Cruz throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cote is trying to force a seperation but Cruz has the dominant position.
Cruz has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cote avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cote has Cruz pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Cruz manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Cote. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz tries to land knees in the clinch but Cote avoids the damage to the body.
Cote tries to pull guard but Cruz holds him up against the cage and eventually Cote drops back down to his feet.
Cote goes for a takedown in the clinch but Cruz prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz tries to land knees in the clinch but Cote avoids the damage to the body.
Cruz is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Cote takes a knee right on the jaw!
Cruz is trying to maintain a safe position but Cote gets an underhook and turns Cruz into the cage.
Cruz using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cote has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cruz putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Cote in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Cruz looking to throw knees to the head but Cote is blocking nicely.
Cruz tries a knee to the head but Cote blocks it.
Cruz is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cote is defending well for now.
Cote wants a takedown but no success here.

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

Cruz clinches with his opponent.

Cote breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Chris Cote is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cote throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cruz sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cruz throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cote connects with a good right hand that stumbles Cruz. Cruz circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Cote connects with a single shot there.

Cruz drives through and clinches with Cote against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Cote successfully pulls guard.
Cote is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cruz trying to control but Cote is working from the bottom.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Nick Cruz wasn't active enough on the ground.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cote throws a right and a left that Cruz avoids nicely.
Cruz misses with a body kick.
Cote moves out of range as Cruz throws a body kick.
Cote fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cruz showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cote.
Cote throws a series of strikes that have Cruz backpedaling.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.
Cote wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cote drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cruz pulls his leg out and moves away.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cote misses with a straight right.

Cruz has closed the distance and engaged Cote in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to land knees to the body.
Cruz is trying to push Cote away but Cote has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Cruz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cote scores with a one two! Cruz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That has opened up Nick Cruz's cut even more.
Chris Cote is winning the standup battle so far.

Cruz drives through and clinches with Cote against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cote on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cote has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cruz avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Cote wants a takedown but no success here.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but Cote blocks with his arms.
Cote managing to block the knees to the body from Cruz.

Cruz gets control of Cote's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cruz will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cruz is working an open guard so Cote takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Cote connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Cruz closes the distance and pushes Cote back into the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nick Cruz.
I think Cruz has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Cruz!
A very excited looking Nick Cruz made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.