PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Cruz (ranked 654 p4p, 697 weight class) and Luiz Mendoza (ranked 76 p4p, 84 weight class). Cruz comes to the cage accompanied by Daddy Yankee / Gasolina. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Cruz
vs
Mendoza

178 cm
27
150
11 - 6 - 0

164 cm
27
135
10 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

Carnage

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pablo Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Luiz Mendoza!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Richard Clark and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz throws a lazy head kick
and Mendoza counters with a straight right hand.
Mendoza misses with a wild body shot.
Mendoza dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Mendoza has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Cruz is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Luiz Mendoza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mendoza misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
Mendoza missing with a left hand there. Cruz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mendoza with a nice calf kick.
Mendoza throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Cruz counters with a stiff right hand.
A low kick from Mendoza misses
and Cruz counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendoza throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.
Cruz is looking to counter with head kicks.
Mendoza swings for the body but Cruz moves out of range.
Cruz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
It looked like Cruz wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz checks a low kick from Mendoza.
Mendoza throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mendoza throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.
Mendoza buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Cruz uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mendoza.
Mendoza throws a sloppy body shot
and Cruz counters with a nice uppercut.
Mendoza scores with a jab to the body.
Mendoza ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Cruz lands a really nice looking cross but Mendoza seems unphased.
Cruz misses with a looping left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza takes a swing at Cruz's ribcage but misses.
Cruz throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mendoza lands the left hand.
A shot to the body from Mendoza misses
and Cruz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cruz throws a half hearted mid kick.
Mendoza throws a hook but Cruz avoids it easily.
Cruz checks the leg kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Cruz misses the target.
Mendoza looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.
Cruz is looking to counter punch.
Mendoza slips under a jab from Cruz.
Mendoza throws a low kick but it's checked well by Cruz.
Cruz lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mendoza throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cruz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cruz looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Cruz looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Mendoza throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cruz takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mendoza. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mendoza swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mendoza throws a front kick aimed at Cruz's knee but Cruz avoids it well.
Cruz throws a hook but Mendoza avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz ducks right into an uppercut from Mendoza.
Mendoza lands a right hook to the body.
Mendoza fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Cruz on the side of the head.
Mendoza with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mendoza.
Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mendoza.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mendoza avoids the head kick by Cruz.

Mendoza dives in and scores a takedown into Cruz's guard.
Mendoza throws a strike but Cruz rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Cruz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mendoza has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cruz has managed to get both his arms back between Mendoza's legs - danger averted.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Luiz Mendoza will probably get the nod.
That's time! Cruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mendoza lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mendoza.
Cruz throws a body kick that misses.
Mendoza throws the left hand but Cruz avoids the punch easily.
Cruz appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
A head kick misses from Cruz.
Cruz takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Cruz is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mendoza.
Cruz doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Mendoza thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendoza connects with a jab.
Cruz takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Mendoza throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Mendoza throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Mendoza has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mendoza misses the shot to the body.
Cruz misses with a lunging right hand
and Mendoza counters with a right hand to the body.
Cruz uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Mendoza has time to react.
Cruz scores with a jab to the head.
Mendoza shoots in and drives through. Cruz sprawls well.
Cruz pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cruz manages to avoid it.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Mendoza. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Cruz lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Cruz misses with a kick to the body.
Cruz misses with a hook

and Mendoza counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mendoza loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mendoza scoring with punches to the head and body.
Mendoza working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Mendoza throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cruz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mendoza won't allow Cruz to sweep him here.
Mendoza is looking to work some ground and pound but Cruz has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.
Mendoza trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mendoza drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mendoza jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Mendoza throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Cruz backing away here, and Mendoza unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Mendoza tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruz was well out of range. Poor timing from Mendoza.
Cruz throws a counter high kick but Mendoza was just alert enough to avoid it.
Mendoza throws an overhand right that lands on Cruz's shoulder, as Cruz tries to avoid the shot.

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.
Mendoza misses with a wild body shot.
Mendoza lands a nice looking body shot.
Cruz checks a low kick from Mendoza.
An attempted straight right counter from Cruz misses the target.
Mendoza throws a jab but it's blocked by Cruz.
Nice shot lands for Mendoza.
Mendoza paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Mendoza lands with a shot to the body.
Cruz throws a jab when Mendoza was well out of range.
Cruz throws a right hand that misses
and Mendoza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Mendoza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Mendoza punishes Cruz's body with a nice straight punch.
Cruz misses with a head kick.
Cruz looks to throw the jab but Mendoza is out of range.
Cruz goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Cruz misses with a jab to the body
and Mendoza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mendoza swings for the body but Cruz moves out of range.
Mendoza throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendoza throws a hook but Cruz blocks it.
Cruz loads up on a big right hand but Mendoza slips the punch.
Nice defenses there by Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendoza lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Mendoza is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Cruz rather than just go for the knockout.
Cruz throws a body shot but no joy.
Mendoza misses with a body shot
and Cruz counters with a nice uppercut.
Good work by Cruz as he checks the leg kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Cruz misses the target.
Mendoza misses with a leg kick
and Cruz counters with a nice uppercut.
Mendoza scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A nice leg kick lands there from Mendoza.
Cruz looks to throw the jab but Mendoza is out of range.
A big left from Cruz misses.
Mendoza fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mendoza shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Cruz napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet but Mendoza is dominant here and he's now got Cruz's back!
Mendoza misses with punches from the back.

Mendoza is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Cruz won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips Mendoza off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Luiz Mendoza!
Luiz Mendoza decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.