PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Cruz (ranked 3951 p4p, 2882 weight class) and Sonatane Veainu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sonatane Veainu is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Cruz
vs
Veainu

180 cm
18
210
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
34
210
29 - 17 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ricardo Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sonatane Veainu!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Sam Margolis and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Veainu sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sonatane Veainu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz throws a body shot but no joy.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Veainu.
Veainu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Cruz just misses with a punch to the body.
Veainu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cruz fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Veainu is out of range.
Veainu checks a leg kick.
Cruz misses with a low kick as Veainu jumps back.
Veainu looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Veainu checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Veainu is out of range.
Cruz shoots for a takedown but Veainu saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A left and a right from Veainu both land. Nice combination.
Cruz throws a low kick but it's checked well by Veainu.
Cruz looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veainu throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Cruz tries to counter with a takedown but Veainu is quick to defend against it.
Cruz shoots for a double leg takedown but Veainu sprawls well. He's pushed Cruz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Veainu misses with a double jab.
Cruz throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz throws out a leg kick but Veainu moves out of range and Cruz only half commits.
A head kick misses from Veainu.
Veainu throws a head kick that misses.
Cruz half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Cruz misses with a leg kick
and Veainu counters with a series of strikes. Cruz will be more careful next time no doubt.
Cruz takes a swing at Veainu's ribcage but misses.
Veainu is looking to clinch.
Cruz throws out a leg kick but Veainu moves out of range and Cruz only half commits.
Veainu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Cruz counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Veainu!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Cruz tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cruz has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz laying and praying for a moment but Veainu takes advantage and regains half guard.
Cruz is trying to control the action in half guard but Veainu is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Veainu is defending against the submission attempts here by Cruz.
Cruz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Veainu defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz passes to full mount!
Veainu avoids a series of strikes thrown by Cruz.
Cruz trying to control but Veainu is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Veainu tries to hold on but Cruz pushes him away.
Cruz takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz looking to control but Veainu is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz unloads with some shots from mount but Veainu bucks and avoids them well.
Veainu is squirming around, avoiding Cruz's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cruz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Cruz working the ground and pound effectively.
Cruz looking to control but Veainu is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ricardo Cruz will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Veainu misses with a low kick as Cruz jumps back.
Veainu fails to land with a series of punches.
Cruz misses with a low kick.
Veainu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Veainu checks a leg kick.
Veainu lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Cruz tries a low kick but Veainu avoids it.
Cruz waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Veainu.
Veainu throws a leg kick but Cruz sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Cruz misses the jab.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz throws a jab when Veainu was well out of range.
Veainu displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Cruz fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz throws out a loose jab but Veainu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cruz throws a low kick but Veainu avoids it.
Cruz throws the left hand but Veainu avoids the punch easily.
Veainu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cruz tries to counter with a takedown but Veainu is quick to defend against it.
Sonatane Veainu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz avoids a kick to the body.

Cruz throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Veainu was covering up waiting for the punch and Cruz finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Cruz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Veainu is keeping the position for now.
Cruz is looking to pass into half guard but Veainu pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Veainu is in guard.

Ricardo Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Veainu avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to keep a closed guard but Veainu is proving a slippery customer.
Veainu controlling from the top position.

Cruz has his foot on Veainu's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Veainu works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz working for submissions but it's allowed Veainu to get to half guard.
Cruz tries to get to full guard but Veainu has control of the leg.
Still in half guard, Veainu seems content to control.

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.
Cruz is trying to control but can't.
Cruz is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Veainu's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Veainu's back!

Veainu fending off the submission attempt from Cruz.

Cruz working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Cruz patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Sonatane Veainu will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Cruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Veainu feints and as Cruz raises his hands in defense, Veainu changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Veainu postures up.

Cruz working for a triangle but Veainu defends it easily.
Cruz is trying to control the position but Veainu postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veainu stopping the sweep attempt from Cruz.
Cruz trying to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Cruz throws a low kick, looking for Veainu's leg but Veainu calmly moves out of range.
Veainu displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Veainu rushes Cruz and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Veainu decides to pull guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Veainu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Veainu can't keep his opponent in guard - Cruz advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Cruz is trying to control. Veainu wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Cruz throwing shots but Veainu is blocking nicely.
Cruz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Veainu defending well though.
Cruz wants to control but Veainu is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Veainu is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Veainu looks like he's trying to stand up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Veainu is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice defenses there by Veainu.
Cruz tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Veainu tries to close the distance and clinch but Cruz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown. Veainu tries to sprawl out of it but Cruz keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Veainu manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Veainu tries to clinch there but Cruz circles away.

That's four 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.
Cruz avoids the head kick by Veainu.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown but Veainu shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Veainu throws a head kick but Cruz moves out of range.
Veainu throws a right and a left that both miss.
Veainu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Veainu falls off balance throwing a combination

and Cruz counters with a shoot takedown. Veainu fights it but they end up in guard.
Veainu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cruz trying to control but Veainu is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Veainu striking off his back but it's not causing Cruz any problems.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sonatane Veainu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Veainu has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sonatane Veainu!