PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Glestter Dela Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafa Quintana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Dela Cruz
vs
Quintana

180 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 Rio de Janeiro, Glestter Dela Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafa Quintana!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Matheus Silva and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Quintana looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Quintana tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Dela Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Dela Cruz moves into range and clinches up with Quintana.
Dela Cruz lands with a light punch inside.
Quintana working aggressively here.

Quintana breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Quintana throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Dela Cruz misses with a takedown attempt - Quintana sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Dela Cruz wants to clinch up but Quintana keeps it at a distance.
Quintana tries to close the distance and clinch but Dela Cruz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Quintana misses with a body kick.
Quintana moves in looking to clinch but Dela Cruz pushes him off.
Quintana closes the distance looking to clinch
and Quintana takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nice takedown defense from Quintana. No joy for Dela Cruz on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Quintana pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Quintana throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Quintana tries to clinch but Dela Cruz moves out of range.
Quintana throws a right and a left that Dela Cruz avoids nicely.
Dela Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Quintana.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Dela Cruz is defended easily by Quintana.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Glestter Dela Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Quintana wants to clinch up but Dela Cruz keeps it at a distance.
Dela Cruz has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Dela Cruz showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Quintana.
Quintana tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Dela Cruz breaks from the clinch.
Dela Cruz moves in looking to clinch but Quintana pushes him off.
Quintana keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Dela Cruz's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Quintana connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Dela Cruz scrambles back to his feet.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Dela Cruz.
Quintana stuffs the takedown.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Quintana tries to clinch but Dela Cruz is having none of it.
Some wild striking there from Quintana.

Quintana tries to keep at a distance but Dela Cruz has taken the fight into the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Dela Cruz takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Quintana taking a breather.

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

Quintana has managed to clinch.
Dela Cruz is trying to pull guard but Quintana has him pressed against the cage.
Dela Cruz is trying to stall.
Quintana wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Dela Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
Dela Cruz tries to pull guard but Quintana holds him up against the cage and eventually Dela Cruz drops back down to his feet.
Dela Cruz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Quintana breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dela Cruz walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Dela Cruz has a takedown stuffed.
Quintana cracks Dela Cruz with a right hand to the side of the head.
Dela Cruz looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A left lands for Quintana.
Quintana feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Dela Cruzs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Quintana jabs Dela Cruz right on the nose. Dela Cruz blinks but takes it well.
Dela Cruz scores with the left hand. Quintana knows he should have avoided that one.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Quintana!
Nice body kick from Quintana.
Dela Cruz is breathing heavily.
Quintana lands a really nice looking cross but Dela Cruz seems unphased.
Quintana keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafa Quintana dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sloppy strikes from Quintana. Those never looked like landing.
Quintana tries to clinch there but Dela Cruz circles away.
Dela Cruz closes the distance and clinches up with Quintana, looking for a takedown. Dela Cruz pushes Quintana against the cage but Quintana circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Quintana clobbers Dela Cruz with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Quintana tries to clinch up but Dela Cruz circles away and keeps his distance.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Dela Cruz. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Dela Cruz swinging wildly here.
Quintana swats away the attempt to clinch by Dela Cruz.
Quintana throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Glestter Dela Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dela Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Quintana misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dela Cruz.
Quintana is looking to clinch.
Quintana throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Quintana gets a clinch.
Dela Cruz keeps control of Quintana as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Quintana wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Dela Cruz ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Dela Cruz no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Dela Cruz working a defensive guard here.
Dela Cruz is really struggling to control Quintana but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Quintana would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Quintana is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Dela Cruz throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Dela Cruz throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Dela Cruz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Quintana defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Quintana won't allow Dela Cruz to sweep him here.
Dela Cruz 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dela Cruz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Quintana tries to kick Dela Cruz off in order to stand up. Dela Cruz Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Quintana dodges the ground and pound from Dela Cruz.
Quintana is letting Dela Cruz control him for a moment.
Dela Cruz's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Quintana prevents Dela Cruz from improving position.

Dela Cruz decides to stand back up. Dela Cruz steps back and let's Quintana get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Glestter Dela Cruz dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Quintana fails with an attempt to clinch.
Quintana chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Dela Cruz can pounce on him.
Dela Cruz shoots for a double leg takedown but Quintana sprawls well. He's pushed Dela Cruz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Quintana has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Quintana misses with a series of wild punches.
Quintana is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Dela Cruz has closed the distance and engaged Quintana in a clinch.
Quintana wants to break free but Dela Cruz has control.
Quintana has a couple of punches blocked by Dela Cruz.
Dela Cruz fails to pull guard.
Quintana stalling in the clinch but Dela Cruz improves position.
Quintana wants to break the clinch but can't.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dela Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Quintana as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Glestter Dela Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dela Cruz throws a series of punches but Quintana avoids them all with ease.
Quintana takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Dela Cruz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dela Cruz moves out of range of the body kick from Quintana.
Quintana tries to close the distance and clinch but Dela Cruz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dela Cruz throws a sloppy head kick
and Dela Cruz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Quintana has closed the distance and engaged Dela Cruz in a clinch.

Quintana escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dela Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Dela Cruz looks to clinch
letting Quintana counter with a right hand.
Quintana wants to clinch up but Dela Cruz keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Quintana fails with an attempt to clinch.

Quintana has closed the distance and engaged Dela Cruz in a clinch.
Dela Cruz can't get the takedown.
Dela Cruz wants to break the clinch but can't.
Quintana wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Dela Cruz has him pressed against the cage.

Quintana pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
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!
Quintana tries to clinch but Dela Cruz is having none of it.
Dela Cruz has a takedown stuffed.
Quintana wants to clinch.
Quintana tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Dela Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Quintana drives through and clinches with Dela Cruz against the cage.

Quintana pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dela Cruz shoots for a takedown but Quintana saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rafa Quintana seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dela Cruz throws a right and a left that Quintana avoids nicely.
Dela Cruz is looking to clinch.
Rafa Quintana is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Quintana wants to clinch.

Quintana has taken the fight to the clinch.

Quintana breaks the clinch.

Quintana rushes Dela Cruz and presses him up against the cage.
Dela Cruz jumps guard but Quintana turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dela Cruz jumps guard but Quintana stands there with Dela Cruz around his waist. Dela Cruz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Quintana's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Quintana stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Quintana misses with a punch to the body.

Quintana's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dela Cruz on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dela Cruz wants to clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dela Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Quintana as he jumps to the side.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafa Quintana comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Quintana 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafa Quintana!