PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Cruz (ranked 2105 p4p, 2789 weight class) and Ron Funches (ranked 152 p4p, 201 weight class). Cruz comes to the cage accompanied by Daddy Yankee / Gasolina. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cruz
vs
Funches

178 cm
33
150
16 - 15 - 0

175 cm
32
148
10 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

30th Century Beer Store
Stoner's Killer Apparel

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 16 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, 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 Montreal, Ron Funches!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Richard Clark and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Funches throws a jab when Cruz was well out of range.
Cruz looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Funches takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Cruz misses with a jab, cross combination.
A looping hook to the body misses from Funches. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
A little feinted left hand from Cruz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cruz lands a nice looking body shot.
Funches has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Cruz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Funches manages to avoid it.
Cruz slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Funches buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Cruz throws a looping overhand right but Funches ducks down to avoid it.
Funches jabs Cruz right on the nose. Cruz blinks but takes it well.
The fighters circling - Funches throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Funches lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Funches scores with a kick to the midsection.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz blocks the body kick.
Cruz moves away from the strike by Funches.
A combination from Cruz does no damage.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Funches.
Funches scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Cruz throws a jab when Funches was well out of range.
Funches swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cruz uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Funches.
Cruz catches Funches with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funches lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Funches lands a jab-cross combination.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Funches takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cruz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Funches throws a hook but Cruz avoids it easily.
Cruz just misses with a punch to the body.
Funches steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Funches throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cruz stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Funches throws a head kick that Cruz semi-blocks.
Funches looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz misses with a hook. Funches ducked under it nicely.
Cruz cracks Funches with a good jab.
Funches throws a head kick but Cruz moves out of range.
Funches throws a lazy right hand but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Funches fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jab from Cruz.
Funches moves out of range of the strikes.
Cruz paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Funches tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cruz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Funches throws a shot from downtown. Cruz moves away and avoids it.
Funches misses with a hook. Cruz ducked under it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cruz tests Funches's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Funches slips under a jab from Cruz.
A chopping leg kick lands by Funches.
Funches takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Funches thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cruz misses with a looping right.
A nice side step and Funches releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
A big right from Funches misses.
A little feinted left hand from Cruz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Funches goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Cruz is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
A low kick lands for Funches.
Pablo Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz misses with a combination
and Funches counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Cruz is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Cruz moves away from the strike by Funches.
Cruz on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Funches takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Funches lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Cruz has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Cruz and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Cruz avoids a kick to the body.
Funches moves out of range as Cruz strikes.
Funches swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Cruz misses with a hook.
Funches was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Funches ducks right into an uppercut from Cruz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funches walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Funches chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Cruz throws a body shot but no joy.
Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Funches throws a leg kick which misses Cruz's front leg but catches the back leg as Cruz tries to avoid it.
Funches pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Cruz is looking to counter punch.
Some bone on bone action there as Cruz checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Cruz throws a hook to the side of Funches's head but Funches sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cruz lands with a shot to the body.
Funches uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cruz has time to react.
Funches walks into a straight right hand from Cruz.
Funches scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Funches misses with a body shot.
Cruz lands a jab to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Funches blocks a jab.
Cruz throws a hook but Funches avoids it easily.
Funches displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cruz throws out the jab.
Funches fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Cruz has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cruz misses with a looping right.
Funches looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Cruz cracks Funches with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funches jabs at Cruz's body.
Cruz moves into range and connects with a jab.
Cruz swings for the body but Funches moves out of range.
Funches feints a counter leg kick.
Funches throws a leg kick but Cruz checks it.
Cruz darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Funches misses with a kick to the body.
Cruz looks to score with a jab to the body but Funches is just out of range.
Cruz punishes Funches's body with a nice straight punch.
Funches avoids the body shot from Cruz.
Funches keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cruz.
Cruz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cruz looks to land a right hand but Funches moved out of range.
Cruz misses with a straight left.
Funches tries a quick counter leg kick but Cruz is wise to it.
Cruz blocks a leg kick.
Cruz avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz takes one on the button.
Funches takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Funches dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice body punch from Cruz.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Funches.
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 Pablo 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.

Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Cruz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Funches moves away.
Funches fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Cruz walks into a stiff left hand from Funches.
Funches connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Cruz misses with a series of wild punches.
Funches throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Funches looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Funches missing with a left hand there. Cruz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Funches uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cruz.
Funches connects with a jab.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Funches moves away.
Funches lands a jab to Cruz's midsection.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Funches misses with an uppercut.
Cruz defending well as Funches loads up on a big left hand.
A little feinted left hand from Cruz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A bone on bone clash there as Cruz blocks the leg kick.
Funches scores with a nice strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cruz slips under a jab.
Cruz thuds his right hand into Funches's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Cruz!
Funches misses with a straight left.
Funches misses with a low kick.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Funches moves away.
Cruz lands with a shot to the body.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Funches.
Funches throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cruz misses with a looping right.
Cruz changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cruz throws an off balance right hand
and Funches counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Funches throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cruz stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz dips to his left and cracks Funches with an uppercut!
Cruz jabs at Funches's body.
Funches misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Funches walks into a jab.
Cruz scores with a jab to the body.
Funches misses with a low kick as Cruz jumps back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Cruz misses with an uppercut. Funches saw that one coming.
Cruz doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Funches on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Funches throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cruz swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Funches lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A looping hook to the body misses from Funches. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cruz was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Cruz is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cruz lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Cruz throws a jab when Funches was well out of range.
Funches looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Funches moves away.
Funches misses with a wild body shot.
Cruz punishes Funches's body with a nice straight punch.
Funches takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A big right from Cruz misses.
Cruz lands with a straight right. Funches didn't see that one coming.
Cruz throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Funches sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Funches takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Cruz lands a nice looking body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz slips under a jab.
Cruz appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Funches has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Cruz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Funches was well out of range. Poor timing from Cruz.
Pablo Cruz is winning the standup battle so far.
A big left from Cruz misses.
Cruz jabs Funches to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Funches is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cruz.
Cruz with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Funches walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Cruz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A nice side step and Funches releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
A big left from Funches misses.
Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Funches.
Funches comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Funches.
Cruz bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Funches's head backwards.
Cruz scores with a sloppy right hand. Funches should have avoided that one.
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!
A lazy left from Cruz finds it's target.
Cruz lands a lovely overhand right.
Cruz looks to score with a jab to the body but Funches is just out of range.
Cruz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scores with a nice head shot.
Funches walks into a jab.
A slow jab from Funches misses its intended target.
Funches wants to slow Cruz down by chopping away at his legs.
Funches scores with a leg kick.
Funches tries to work over Cruz's front leg with a kick but Cruz checks it.
Cruz swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Funches with the inside leg kick.
Funches throws a nice outside leg kick.
Cruz misses with a shot to the body
and Funches counters with a right hand to the body.
Funches connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Cruz's hands.
Funches has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Funches there as he acknowledges the shot.
Funches throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cruz stalks Funches and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Funches's face. Funches staggers backwards, shaken.
Cruz scores with a nice right hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Funches uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cruz.
A chopping leg kick lands by Funches.
Funches changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Funches scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Cruz doesn't seem bothered though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Pablo Cruz dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Funches misses with a body kick.
It looked like Cruz wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Funches wants to land a leg kick but Cruz is out of range.
Funches takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Funches looks to throw the jab but Cruz is out of range.
Cruz swings for the body but Funches moves out of range.
Funches tries to work over Cruz's front leg with a kick but Cruz checks it.
Funches throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A swing and a miss from Funches.
Funches walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Funches throws a body shot but no joy.
Cruz moves out of range as Funches throws a body kick.
Cruz slips a straight right by Funches.
Funches is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz looks to throw the jab but Funches is out of range.
Cruz throws a shot to the body.
Funches throws out a loose jab but Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice uppercut there from Cruz.
Funches misses with a body shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Cruz misses the target.
Cruz's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Cruz duly obliges.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funches swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Funches throws a front kick aimed at Cruz's knee but Cruz avoids it well.
Left hook, right uppercut from Cruz.
Funches goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A chopping leg kick lands by Funches.
Funches fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cruz manages to avoid it.
A big right from Funches misses.
Funches takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Funches gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Funches swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cruz misses the jab.
Cruz connects with a body shot.
Funches takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Cruz scores with a jab to the body.
Funches throws a head kick that misses.
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 connects with a crisp jab.
Funches uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
Funches avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Funches misses with a wild body shot.
Cruz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Funches was well out of range. Poor timing from Cruz.
Ron Funches has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands a head shot.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Funches might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Cruz has got the better of the exchanges.
Funches takes one to the chin there.
Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A slow jab from Cruz misses its intended target.
Funches looks to land a body kick but Cruz moved away.
Cruz throws a body shot but no joy.

Cruz tries to keep at a distance but Funches has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cruz lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Funches tries to throw a body punch but Cruz avoids it by throwing Funches back against the cage.
Cruz lands a right hand that snaps the head of Funches backwards.
Funches tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cruz moves out of range as Funches strikes.
An inside leg kick lands from Funches.
Funches takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Funches misses the shot to the body.
Cruz staying out of range there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands with a shot to the body.
Funches tries to move into range but Cruz moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Funches fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Cruz is out of range.
Cruz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cruz scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Some bone on bone action there as Cruz checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Cruz works over Funches's head and body with a nice combination.
Funches throws a body shot but no joy.
Cruz lands a body shot.
Cruz throws a series of punches but Funches avoids them all with ease.
Cruz misses with a wild body shot.
Funches lands with a thumping leg kick.
Cruz dips to his left and cracks Funches with an uppercut!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Funches lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Funches fakes the leg kick and cracks Cruz in the body.
Funches avoids the body shot from Cruz.
Nice uppercut lands for Cruz. That snapped Funches's head back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Funches.
Cruz ducks right into an uppercut from Funches.
Cruz's corner calls for a 1-2. Cruz obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Cruz lunges at Funches with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Funches's hand.
Cruz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Funches manages to avoid it.
Cruz backing away here, and Funches unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Cruz bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Funches's head backwards.
Funches lands an overhand right.
Funches takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Cruz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Funches can do to turn this around?
Funches uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cruz.
Funches rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cruz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cruz throwing a counter right hand but Funches manages to avoid it.
Cruz blocks a leg kick.
Cruz moves out of range as Funches throws a body kick.
Cruz lands with a good body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Funches misses with a low kick.
Funches tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
It looked like Cruz was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Funches.
Cruz throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Funches on the side of the head.
Cruz displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Funches throws out the jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pablo Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cruz has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pablo Cruz!
Pablo Cruz managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Stoner's Killer Apparel, into his post fight interview.