PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Gareth Keenan (ranked 20 p4p, 4 weight class) and Dom Cruz (ranked 170 p4p, 23 weight class). Gareth Keenan could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Dom Cruz's chin.

Keenan
vs
Cruz

179 cm
36
150 lbs
36 - 7 - 5

172 cm
32
144 lbs
24 - 13 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

UnderGround Supplements
Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Urban Fighter
Vegan Gains

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 36 - 7 - 5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gareth Keenan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dom Cruz!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Phil Schofield and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keenan tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Keenan cracks Cruz with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Cruz scores with a jab to the jaw.
Keenan throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Keenan displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cruz throws out the jab.
A left and a right from Cruz both land. Nice combination.
Cruz connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Cruz misses with a body shot
and Keenan counters with a thumping low kick.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown. Keenan tries to sprawl out of it but Cruz keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Keenan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cruz slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Keenan looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Keenan throws a lazy right hand but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cruz moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Cruz has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Keenan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cruz sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cruz swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Keenan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Keenan throws a leg kick but Cruz moved away.
Keenan misses with an uppercut.
Cruz was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.

Cruz closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Keenan to the mat! Keenan manages to get full guard.
Keenan keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
Cruz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Keenan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Keenan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cruz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Keenan pulls Cruz in close to prevent any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cruz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keenan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cruz looking to pass the guard.
Keenan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Keenan keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
Keenan controlling Cruz's posture.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Cruz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Keenan shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A little jabbing left from Cruz on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Keenan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Keenan scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Cruz tries for a takedown but Keenan circles away easily
and Keenan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Dom Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keenan throws a push kick but Cruz slaps the foot to one side.
Cruz fails to land with a series of punches.
Keenan fires out a quick counter leg kick but Cruz just manages to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cruz. Keenan does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cruz cracks Keenan with a good jab.
Cruz works Keenan's body with a nice hook.
Keenan misses with a leg kick

and Cruz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Cruz.
Cruz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Keenan works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cruz is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Keenan has wrist control.
Cruz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Keenan works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Cruz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Cruz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Keenan is pulling down on Cruz's head. It's preventing any offense from Cruz, at least for the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cruz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cruz slips nicely into half guard.
Cruz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Cruz is looking to advance position but Keenan won't allow it.

Cruz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Keenan is just riding it out for now. Cruz eventually gives up the hold.
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 is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Keenan doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Cruz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dom Cruz 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 swings for the body but Keenan moves out of range.
Cruz scores with a leg kick.
Cruz shoots in and drives through. Keenan sprawls well.
A little feinted left hand from Keenan on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cruz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cruz throws a series of punches but Keenan moves out of range.
Cruz scores with a nice head shot.
Keenan connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Keenan connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
A head kick misses from Cruz.
And Keenan counters with a quick kick to the body but Cruz blocks it.
Cruz misses with a series of wild punches.
Cruz misses with a body shot.
Keenan throws a low kick but Cruz moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Keenan.
Cruz scores with the left hand. Keenan knows he should have avoided that one.
Keenan throws a nice inside leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Keenan misses with a kick to the body.
A little jabbing left from Cruz on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Cruz turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Cruz. Those never looked like landing.
Cruz scores with a nice head shot.
Keenan misses with a low kick.
Cruz throws a leg kick that is checked
and Keenan counters with a nice uppercut.
Cruz takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Cruz needs to keep his hands up - Keenan had a free shot at his head there.

Cruz is rocked!
Some bone on bone action there as Cruz checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Cruz is still on wobbly legs! Can Keenan finish him?
Cruz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cruz seems to have recovered his senses.
Keenan lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Gareth Keenan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz throws a jab but it's blocked by Keenan.
Keenan was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Keenan has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Keenan there as he acknowledges the shot.
A low kick from Cruz is predictable there
and Keenan counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz scores with a jab. Keenan acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Horrible takedown attempt by Cruz or perhaps it was just good defense by Keenan, which made it look bad.
Keenan lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Keenan.
Cruz jabs Keenan to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Keenan throws a leg kick which misses Cruz's front leg but catches the back leg as Cruz tries to avoid it.
Cruz throws a leg kick but Keenan sees it coming and moves out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Cruz. Those never looked like landing.
Keenan drops his hands momentarily and Cruz takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Oooooh!!! Keenan has knocked Cruz down with a huge combo! Keenan steps away and waves a wobbly Cruz back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!
Keenan shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Keenan works Cruz's body with a nice hook.
Cruz closes the distance looking to clinch
and Keenan counters with a leg kick.
Keenan is looking to chop away at Cruz's legs.
A low kick from Cruz misses
and Keenan counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a low kick but it's checked well by Keenan.
Keenan throws a quick inside leg kick.
Cruz throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Keenan counters with a crisp right hand that drops Cruz! Keenan lets Cruz back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
Cruz looks to land a combination but Keenan avoids it well.
Keenan thinks about countering with a body kick.
Cruz on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Cruz connects with a solid leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Keenan. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Keenan is avoiding it.
Cruz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Keenan counters with a crisp right that sends Cruz to the canvas! Keenan follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gareth Keenan!