PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jorge Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Per Saukko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cruz
vs
Saukko

215 cm
41
232 lbs
33 - 23 - 0

192 cm
38
272 lbs
32 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 23 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jorge Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 32 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Per Saukko!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saukko shoots in but no luck this time.
Cruz lands with a shot to the body.
Cruz takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Saukko shoots for a double leg takedown but Cruz sprawls well. He's pushed Saukko's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Saukko checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

Saukko closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cruz to the mat! Cruz manages to get full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Cruz uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Cruz lands with an overhand left.
Saukko throws a half hearted mid kick.
Saukko uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cruz.
Cruz connects with a crisp jab.
Nice shot lands for Saukko.
Saukko misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Jorge Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Per Saukko.

Saukko shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Cruz wants to stand and escape but Saukko is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Cruz has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Saukko has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Saukko tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz being controlled against the cage.
Cruz has had enough of the clinch but Saukko keeps him there for the moment.

Saukko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Saukko works Cruz's body with a nice hook.
Cruz scores with a nice head shot.
Cruz thuds his right hand into Saukko's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Saukko throws out a powerful jab.
Saukko looks to throw the jab but Cruz is out of range.

Saukko scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Saukko landing a few strikes.
Saukko prevents Cruz from escaping the position.
Saukko tries to move into full mount but can't pass Cruz's legs.
Saukko creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Cruz sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz stops Saukko from passing to mount.
Saukko is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Saukko is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cruz has escaped the position, nice work there.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Saukko working his ground and pound in the gym.
Cruz is pushing Saukko's head away, looking to escape. Saukko manages to hold on to the position though.
A lull in the action here as Saukko stalls from top position.
Saukko prevents Cruz from escaping the position.
Saukko fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saukko cracks Cruz with a big elbow.
Cruz is trying to buck Saukko off.
Cruz 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.
Saukko in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Saukko is trying to move to mount but Cruz reverses beautifully and ends up in Saukko's guard.
Cruz has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Cruz has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Saukko is proving hard to escape from.
Cruz preventing the sweep.

Saukko is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Saukko has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Cruz is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Saukko.

Cruz decides to stand up, so the ref orders Saukko to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saukko misses with a few strikes there.

Saukko shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Saukko won't allow Cruz to get back to his feet.
Saukko wants to pass the guard but Cruz is keeping the position.
Cruz is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Saukko content to stall in guard here.
Saukko prevents Cruz from getting back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Per Saukko 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.

Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saukko moves away.
Saukko feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Cruzs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Saukko throws a shot from downtown. Cruz moves away and avoids it.
Per Saukko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saukko takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Saukko moves in looking to clinch but Cruz pushes him off.
Cruz scores with a sloppy right hand. Saukko should have avoided that one.
Saukko looks to throw the jab but Cruz is out of range.
Cruz scores with a head kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saukko throws a lazy right hand but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Saukko slips under a jab from Cruz.

Saukko feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet but Saukko is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Cruz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cruz wants to stand up but Saukko is controlling him.
Saukko working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saukko is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Cruz is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Cruz has escaped and now he's on top!
Cruz wants to get up but he can't break Saukko's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Saukko wants to sweep here but Cruz controlling him for the moment.

Saukko had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cruz defends it easily.
Cruz really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Saukko working for a triangle but Cruz defends it easily.
Cruz wants to stand but Saukko is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz stands up and waves to Saukko to follow him.

Saukko dives in and scores a takedown into Cruz's guard.
Saukko is standing up over Cruz. Cruz looks to escape but Saukko dives into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet.
Saukko scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Cruz to see if he's OK.
Saukko grinds an elbow into Cruz's temple.
Saukko trying to control the action but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Cruz pushes Saukko away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Saukko gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Saukko has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee asks Saukko politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Saukko prefers to stall for the moment though.

Saukko working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Saukko taking a breather here.
Per Saukko has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cruz is trying to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cruz takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Cruz is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Saukko asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is not content to let Saukko control the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Saukko is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Saukko thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Saukko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cruz keeps working.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Saukko working the head with strikes.
Saukko wants to control but Cruz is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Per Saukko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Cruz jabs at Saukko's body.
Saukko on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Saukko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saukko thows a body shot but no joy.
Nice uppercut lands for Cruz. That snapped Saukko's head back.
Saukko misses with a straight left.
Saukko misses with an uppercut.
Saukko misses with a double jab
and Saukko takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Saukko loads up on a big right hand but Cruz slips the punch.
Saukko checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Saukko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Saukko moves out of range of the strikes.
Cruz defending well as Saukko loads up on a big left hand.
Cruz is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Saukko takes a jab right on the kisser.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saukko closes the distance and clinches up with Cruz, looking for a takedown. Saukko pushes Cruz against the cage but Cruz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saukko shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cruz but Cruz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Saukko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Saukko has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Cruz finds it's way round the side to connect with Saukko's head.
Cruz scores with a head kick.

Saukko shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Saukko showed some decent athleticism there.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet.
Cruz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Saukko performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Cruz is looking to get back to is feet but Saukko passes into side control.
Cruz tries to escape but Saukko is in control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saukko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cruz keeps working.
Cruz is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Saukko is controlling him well.
Check out the look on Saukko's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Saukko working the ground and pound from side control.
Saukko lands a decent elbow from side control.
Saukko cracks Cruz with an elbow. That is naaassty.
A big shot lands for Saukko! That's hurt Cruz! Will he recover? Saukko fires away with more strikes and the referee has to step in to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Per Saukko!