PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Juan de la Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Urijah Faber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

de la Cruz
vs
Faber

175 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
21
145 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Juan de la Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Urijah Faber!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

de la Cruz gets a clinch.
de la Cruz lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Faber backwards.
Faber drops down looking for an ankle pick but de la Cruz pulls his leg out and moves away.

Faber gets caught flat footed, as de la Cruz shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
de la Cruz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Faber's head.
Faber throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Faber looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
de la Cruz wants to get up but he can't break Faber's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

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

de la Cruz gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Faber misses with a takedown attempt

and de la Cruz holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Faber tries to pull guard but de la Cruz won't allow it.
Juan de la Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Urijah Faber.
Faber goes for a takedown in the clinch but de la Cruz prevents it.

de la Cruz pulls guard successfully.
Faber has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
de la Cruz manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Faber looks gassed!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
de la Cruz avoids the attempt from Faber to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
de la Cruz controlling from mount.

de la Cruz is standing up, even though he is in mount.

de la Cruz closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Faber tries to improve position but can't.
A lull in the action here.

de la Cruz wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Faber, who protects the arm well.
Faber is looking to regain half guard here but de la Cruz keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

de la Cruz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Faber is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

de la Cruz wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Faber, who protects the arm well.

de la Cruz has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
de la Cruz lands a head kick!
Faber doesn't succeed with the takedown

and de la Cruz counters with a takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
de la Cruz controlling the position from side mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

de la Cruz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Faber is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
de la Cruz working the head and body with strikes.
de la Cruz knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Faber on the ground.

de la Cruz is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Faber is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Faber struggling a bit here.

de la Cruz tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Faber is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

de la Cruz wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Faber, who protects the arm well.
Faber takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

de la Cruz wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Faber, who protects the arm well.
de la Cruz works to advance to full mount. Faber defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juan de la Cruz dominated that round.
That's time! de la Cruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

de la Cruz closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Faber to the mat! Faber manages to get full guard.
Faber looking to hit a scissor sweep but de la Cruz is one step ahead there.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Faber is on top in guard.
Faber pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. de la Cruz is keeping the position for now.
de la Cruz wants to stand but Faber is controlling the position.
de la Cruz keeping full guard, as Faber tries to pass.

Faber drops back, looking for a kneebar! de la Cruz looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. de la Cruz looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from de la Cruz!
de la Cruz controlling from side mount.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

de la Cruz tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
de la Cruz lands a few punches from side control.

de la Cruz tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The referee asks de la Cruz politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. de la Cruz prefers to stall for the moment though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

de la Cruz is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Faber knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

de la Cruz looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Faber stops de la Cruz from passing to mount.
Faber manages to get back to half guard.
Faber won't allow de la Cruz to pass to mount.
de la Cruz is keen to just control but Faber is a slippery customer.

de la Cruz is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Faber doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time de la Cruz.

de la Cruz is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber tries to roll over but de la Cruz keeps him under control.

Faber looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

de la Cruz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

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

de la Cruz looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Faber!
Faber is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
de la Cruz controlling the position easily from mount.
Faber gets back to half guard.
Faber is looking for a sweep. de la Cruz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Juan de la Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
de la Cruz looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Faber with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

de la Cruz is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
de la Cruz not doing much here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juan de la Cruz dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Faber fails with the takedown

and de la Cruz counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Faber!

de la Cruz is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Faber is surviving well by controlling de la Cruz's body position as best he can.
de la Cruz looking to control but Faber is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Faber is in all sorts of trouble here.
Faber swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
de la Cruz scoring with strikes but Faber is staying in there.
de la Cruz controlling the pace for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Faber is working to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
de la Cruz breaks from Faber's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Faber tries to get back to half guard but can't.
de la Cruz lands a big shot there that rocks Faber but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

de la Cruz looking to secure an arm triangle but Faber defends it well.
Faber is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Faber manages to regain half guard. Good work.
de la Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Faber is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Faber is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
de la Cruz is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Faber slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Faber throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
de la Cruz trying to stand up but can't free himself from Faber's guard.

Faber had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. de la Cruz is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Faber Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take de la Cruz's back instead.

de la Cruz preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Faber.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Faber is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. de la Cruz is defending well though. Faber let's go of the attempt for now.
Well, with Faber on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before de la Cruz is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
de la Cruz trying to control the hands but Faber breaks the grip.
Faber controlling well, preventing de la Cruz from escaping the position.
de la Cruz is working hard here to advance position.
A lull in the action here.
de la Cruz trying to control the position but Faber manages to sink in the hooks.
Urijah Faber has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
de la Cruz tries to escape the position.
de la Cruz wants to control his opponent's hands but Faber gets his hands free.

Faber tightening his grip on de la Cruz, looking for the choke.

Faber is persistently looking for the submission but de la Cruz is defending it well.
de la Cruz is covering up but some of the strikes from Faber are getting through and doing damage.
de la Cruz rolls, trying to escape but Faber keeps control of the position.
de la Cruz holding both Faber 's hands and preventing any damage.
Juan de la Cruz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Faber is persistently looking for the submission but de la Cruz is defending it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Urijah Faber comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well de la Cruz has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juan de la Cruz!