PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gary Daebak (ranked 1596 p4p, 81 weight class) and Dom Cruz (ranked 782 p4p, 38 weight class). Gary Daebak could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Dom Cruz's chin.

Daebak
vs
Cruz

170 cm
25
141 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

172 cm
25
144 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

RAGS of a RONIN

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gary Daebak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dom Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Fujiwara and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Daebak swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Daebak moves away from the strike by Cruz.
Cruz throws a body punch but Daebak moves out of range.
Daebak takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Daebak misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Daebak lands a slapping body shot.

Cruz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Daebak sneaks out the side door and pushes Cruz away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Daebak has been working on his boxing with his coaches at IMMA Gym of Elite ASS in the buildup to the fight.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz throws a series of punches but Daebak avoids them all with ease.

Cruz 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.

Daebak has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Cruz off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Cruz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Daebak is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Cruz has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Cruz tries to advance to mount but can't.
Cruz creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daebak is pushing Cruz's head away, looking to escape. Cruz manages to hold on to the position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Daebak is not content to let Cruz control the position.
Cruz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Daebak is trying to get back to his feet.
Cruz scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Daebak to see if he's OK.
Daebak knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cruz on the ground.
Cruz tries to move to mount but Daebak blocks the move with his legs.
Cruz prevents Daebak from escaping the position.
Cruz landing strikes.
Cruz prevents Daebak from escaping the position.
Daebak on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Daebak tries to get out of the position.
Cruz tries to score with some ground and pound. Daebak controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Cruz connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Daebak some visible discomfort.

Cruz is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Daebak has escaped the position, nice work there.

Cruz working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Daebak is not content to let Cruz control the position.
Daebak is working to avoid the ground and pound but Cruz connects with a decent elbow.
Daebak is trying to get back to his feet.
Cruz trying to control the action but Daebak is working from the bottom.
Daebak is trying to buck Cruz off.
Cruz scores with punches from side control.
Cruz scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Daebak to see if he's OK.
Daebak takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control the action but Daebak is working from the bottom.
Cruz lands some shots froms side control.
Cruz tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Daebak dodges the ground and pound from Cruz.
Cruz prevents Daebak from escaping the position.
Cruz connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Daebak some visible discomfort.

Daebak throws Cruz to one side and escapes!
Daebak misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Cruz.
A big left from Cruz misses.
Cruz throws a big shot that misses.
Daebak is looking to counter the offense by Cruz and move into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tried to score with a low kick but Daebak checks it.
Daebak is looking to counter the offense by Cruz and move into the clinch.
Cruz lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Cruz throws a head kick but Daebak moves out of range.

Cruz scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
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 lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Cruz working the body and head with strikes.
Daebak parries the strikes from Cruz easily there. Cruz is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Daebak to escape.

Cruz tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The strikes coming from Cruz are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Daebak is trying to buck Cruz off.
Cruz scores with punches from side control.
Daebak is trying to get back to his feet.
Cruz scores with punches from side control.

Daebak is rocked!
Cruz lands some shots froms side control.
Oh Daebak is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Cruz scores with a big shot from side control... and another... and another! Oh Daebak is done here - save him referee! More strikes land and eventually the ref does step in and Cruz can finally stop beating on his defenseless opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Dom Cruz!
Dom Cruz took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'Ive said it over and over. No one can match my training, my speed, my intelligence. I won this fight before I stepped into the ring.'.