PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rhymin Slayin (ranked 144 p4p, 202 weight class) and Julio Cruzeiro (ranked 23 p4p, 34 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Cruzeiro's choice of entrance music: Linval Thompson - Jah Jah The Conqueror. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Slayin
vs
Cruzeiro

190 cm
33
226
24 - 16 - 1

194 cm
31
210
20 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conquer

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rhymin Slayin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Julio Cruzeiro!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Taro Takaoka and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruzeiro lands a nice looking body kick.
A slow jab from Cruzeiro misses its intended target.
Rhymin Slayin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Slayin has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Cruzeiro finds it's way round the side to connect with Slayin's head.

It looks like Rhymin Slayin has been cut.
Slayin misses with a body shot.
Slayin throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Cruzeiro counters with a straight right hand.
The fighters circling - Cruzeiro throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cruzeiro takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Cruzeiro clobbers Slayin with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
A slow jab from Cruzeiro misses its intended target.
Cruzeiro moves out of range as Slayin strikes.
Cruzeiro throws out a counter right but Slayin avoids it with no problem.
Slayin on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruzeiro blocks a head kick by Slayin.
Slayin has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Total Impact MMA/KT in the buildup to the fight.

Slayin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Cruzeiro looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Slayin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Slayin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cruzeiro scores with a shoulder strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Slayin.
Cruzeiro fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Slayin blocking some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Slayin fails to land.

Cruzeiro manages to break the clinch.
Slayin bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Cruzeiro's head.
Slayin lands a body shot.
Slayin scores with a jab to the head.
Nice defenses there by Cruzeiro.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slayin tries a head kick but it misses.
Slayin moves out of range as Cruzeiro throws a body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jab by Slayin.

It looks like Julio Cruzeiro has been cut.
Cruzeiro thuds his right hand into Slayin's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Slayin slips under a jab.
Slayin misses with a straight left.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Cruzeiro! But no joy.
Slayin throws a head kick but Cruzeiro moves out of range.
Cruzeiro moves away from the strike by Slayin.
Cruzeiro explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Slayin misses
and Cruzeiro connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cruzeiro throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Slayin dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Slayin throws a sloppy head kick
and Cruzeiro counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cruzeiro misses with a body kick.
Slayin misses with a straight left.
Slayin throws a head kick that misses.
Cruzeiro throws a big counter head kick but Slayin avoids it with no problem.
Cruzeiro lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
A low kick from Slayin misses
and Cruzeiro counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruzeiro throws a lazy body kick
and Slayin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Cruzeiro gets tackled into the cage by Slayin. Slayin maintains the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruzeiro tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Slayin's elbow.
Cruzeiro lands a nice uppercut.
Cruzeiro goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Slayin blocks a body shot from Cruzeiro.
Cruzeiro misses with a punch to the body.
Cruzeiro throws a head punch that misses.
Cruzeiro misses with a hook to the ribs.
Slayin looking to throw knees to the head but Cruzeiro is blocking nicely.
Cruzeiro blocks an uppercut.
Slayin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Cruzeiro can't find room to land a body shot as Slayin controls the action.
Slayin blocks a body shot from Cruzeiro.
Cruzeiro lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Slayin can't find room to land a body shot as Cruzeiro controls the action.

Cruzeiro breaks the clinch.
Cruzeiro stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Slayin.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Julio Cruzeiro dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Slayin throws a head kick but Cruzeiro moves out of range.
Good leg kick by Slayin.
A chopping leg kick lands by Slayin.
Slayin walks into a left hand.
Cruzeiro misses with a hook. Slayin ducked under it nicely.
Slayin misses with a hook. Cruzeiro ducked under it nicely.
Jab by Cruzeiro.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cruzeiro cracks Slayin with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Cruzeiro has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Slayin to stand back up!

Slayin is rocked!
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Cruzeiro in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruzeiro keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Slayin.
Slayin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cruzeiro counters with a massive hook, right on the button! He's out cold! Damn, that was naaaaaasty! Hopefully he'll be OK.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Julio Cruzeiro!
During a confident post fight interview, Julio Cruzeiro thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.