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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joey Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niko Malik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.
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| 157 cm
18
130 lbs
3 - 4 - 0 |
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185 cm
23
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced |
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BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin |
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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
3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Joey Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Niko Malik!
The judges for this bout are , and .
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz tries to clinch there but Malik circles away.
Cruz looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Malik lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Malik rushes Cruz and presses him up against the cage.
Malik jumps into guard, dragging Cruz to the mat.
Cruz preventing the sweep.
Malik lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cruz!
Malik controlling from mount.
Malik thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Malik sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Malik controlling from the full mount.
Cruz wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Malik.
Cruz takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Malik throwing strikes but Cruz bucks up and reverses the position. He's now in guard on top.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Malik is on top in guard.
Malik throwing strikes but missing.
Cruz wants to sweep but no luck.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malik controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Malik lands with a kick to the temple. Cruz shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Malik manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malik is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cruz sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Malik is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cruz sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Joey Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Niko Malik.
Malik lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Malik has taken the fight to the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Cruz's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Malik is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Malik tries for a takedown. No joy.
Cruz is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Cruz can't break the clinch.
Malik manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Cruz forces his way into half guard.
Malik blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cruz.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Malik is controlling Cruz's trapped leg to prevent Cruz from advancing to side control.
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 seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Malik gets back to full guard.
Cruz tries to free his leg and advance position but Malik is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz wants to stand but Malik is controlling his posture from full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Niko Malik dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!
Malik looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cruz is fending him off so far but Malik persists. Nope, Cruz circles away and we're back to standing.
Cruz tries to keep at a distance but Malik has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cruz is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Malik has Cruz pressed against the cage, preventing Cruz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cruz can't break the clinch.
Cruz jumps guard.
Malik's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Malik stands up from Cruz's guard - Malik perhaps looking for a knockout.
Malik shoots for a takedown but Cruz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Joey Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Niko Malik.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Malik looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cruz is fending him off so far but Malik persists. Nope, Cruz circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Malik tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cruz swivels and escapes.
Malik takes the fight into the clinch.
Malik breaks the clinch.
Malik throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cruz's waist but Cruz gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Malik off to one side.
Malik looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cruz is fending him off so far but Malik persists. Nope, Cruz circles away and we're back to standing.
Cruz tries to clinch but Malik moves out of range.
Joey Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown. Malik tries to sprawl out of it but Cruz keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Malik manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cruz stuffs the takedown.
Malik blocks a head kick by Cruz.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Malik.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Malik circles away and keeps his distance.
Malik misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Malik pushes Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Malik escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cruz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cruz throws a series of punches but Malik avoids them all with ease.
Malik pushes Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Malik has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Cruz uses from the top position.
Cruz is fighting to break Malik's control of his arms but Malik is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Cruz wants to stand but Malik is controlling his posture from full guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cruz throws a big right hand that misses.
Malik has his foot on Cruz's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cruz works his way back into a safe position though.
Cruz might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cruz won't allow Malik to get back to his feet.
Cruz would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Malik pulls Cruz in close to his closed guard and prevents Cruz from doing any damage or advancing position.
Malik is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scoring with some ground and pound.
Cruz connects with a couple of short punches.
Malik not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Cruz wants to stand but Malik has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cruz has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Malik pulls Cruz in close to prevent any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Niko Malik wasn't active enough on the ground.
Malik lands a head kick!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Niko Malik showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Cruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!
Cruz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Malik moves into the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Malik gets control of Cruz's arms and successfully pulls guard. Malik will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Malik is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cruz is aware though and is defending well.
Malik pulls Cruz in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz wants to get up but he can't break Malik's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Malik had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cruz defends it easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Malik scrambles and gets back to his feet.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Malik jabs Cruz to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Malik darts in and clinches Cruz up against the cage.
Malik breaks from the clinch.
Malik shoots in looking for a takedown. Cruz tries to sprawl out of it but Malik keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cruz manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Malik paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cruz looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Cruz stopping the sweep attempt from Malik.
Cruz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a big elbow that misses.
Cruz throws a strike but Malik rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Cruz is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Malik is controlling him.
Malik stands up and waves to Cruz to follow him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Malik scores with a body shot.
Malik is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Malik throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Cruz.
Cruz tries for a takedown but Malik sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Malik circles away and keeps his distance.
No luck for Cruz with that takedown attempt.
Malik closes the distance and pushes Cruz back into the cage.
Malik leaning against his opponent.
Malik jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Cruz walks away with a smile on his face. Malik gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Malik wants to clinch.
Cruz looks for the body kick but Malik saw that one coming.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cruz slaps away a takedown attempt from Malik, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Joey Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Niko Malik.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malik shoots in but no luck this time.
Malik shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cruz pinned against the cage. Cruz gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cruz decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Malik tries to roll over but Cruz keeps him under control.
Malik moves into full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Malik has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Cruz off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Joey Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz leaves Malik with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Niko Malik is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Malik closes the distance and clinches up with Cruz, looking for a takedown. Malik pushes Cruz against the cage but Cruz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
And that's the end of the fight!
Niko Malik comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Malik 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Niko Malik!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
73% |
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