PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joey Marsh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Salva Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Kreator - Phobia kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Joey Marsh could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Salva Cruz's chin.

Marsh
vs
Cruz

200 cm
20
220 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

180 cm
26
209 lbs
8 - 10 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joey Marsh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Salva Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Wesley Smith and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marsh looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.

Marsh lands a big head kick that sends Cruz tumbling to the mat! Marsh takes a step backwards and waves Cruz back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Cruz is rocked!
Cruz avoids the head kick by Marsh.
Cruz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marsh swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Cruz has closed the distance and engaged Marsh in a clinch.
Cruz jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Marsh walks away with a smile on his face. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Marsh connects with a solid leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Cruz drives through and clinches with Marsh against the cage.

Cruz pulls guard successfully.
Cruz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Marsh is one step ahead there.
Cruz throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Marsh wants to get up but he can't break Cruz's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Cruz thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Marsh trying to stand up but can't free himself from Cruz's guard.
Marsh won't allow Cruz to sweep him here.
Cruz looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Marsh lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.
Marsh looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Marsh tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick misses from Marsh.
Marsh works over Cruz's head and body with a nice combination.
Cruz looks for a takedown but Marsh sprawls well.
Marsh tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruz dodges the punch combination from Marsh.
Marsh closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Cruz has taken the fight to the clinch.
Marsh tries to break the clinch but Cruz is controlling the position.
Cruz lands a left hand.
Marsh pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Marsh breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Marsh looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cruz moves in looking to clinch but Marsh pushes him off.
Marsh misses with a looping left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marsh stuffs the takedown.
Joey Marsh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Salva Cruz.
Cruz wants to clinch up but Marsh keeps it at a distance.
Marsh works over Cruz's head and body with a nice combination.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marsh connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Marsh misses with the combination.
Marsh stuffs the takedown attempt from Cruz. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
A head kick misses from Marsh.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Marsh is avoiding it.
Marsh throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
No luck for Cruz with that takedown attempt.
Cruz tries to clinch but Marsh moves out of range.
Marsh pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Marsh swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cruz tries to clinch there but Marsh circles away.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Marsh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marsh lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.

Cruz closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Marsh did well to prevent Cruz getting side control.
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cruz slips a nice elbow through Marsh's hands, connecting with Marsh's forehead.
Marsh avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cruz.
Cruz drops an elbow to the side of Marsh's head.
Cruz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Marsh wants to get back to his feet.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Marsh's head.
Marsh looks like he's trying to stand up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cruz shoots in for a double leg but Marsh sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marsh fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Marsh misses with a leg kick.
Cruz misses with the combination.
Cruz is looking to clinch.
Marsh throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Marsh slaps away a takedown attempt from Cruz, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Marsh works over Cruz's head and body with a nice combination.
Marsh tries a head kick but it misses.
Cruz wants to clinch up but Marsh keeps it at a distance.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Marsh is avoiding it.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marsh swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cruz ducks right into an uppercut from Marsh.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A leg kick checked by Cruz.
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Marsh.
Marsh throws a head kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Marsh dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A punch combination from Marsh misses.
Marsh misses with a jab, cross combination.

Cruz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Marsh, pushing him back against the cage.

Marsh escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Cruz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Cruz connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Marsh some visible discomfort.
Cruz in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Marsh pushes Cruz away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Cruz gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Cruz scoring with punches from side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cruz connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Marsh some visible discomfort.
Cruz working the ground and pound but Marsh is defending the strikes.
Cruz in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Cruz working the ground and pound from side control.
Marsh wants to get back to his feet but Cruz drags him back down.
Cruz landing strikes.
Cruz throws a strike aimed at the side of Marsh's head but Marsh avoids it well.
Marsh is trying to get back to his feet.
The ground and pound from Cruz seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cruz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cruz walks into a stiff left hand from Marsh.

Cruz shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Cruz showed some decent athleticism there.
Cruz throws a strike but Marsh avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Cruz throws a strike but Marsh rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Marsh stands up from Cruz's guard - Marsh perhaps looking for a knockout.
Marsh gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cruz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marsh misses with a two punch combination.

Cruz gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Cruz jumps guard.
Cruz throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Cruz throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Cruz has a closed guard, preventing Marsh from standing up.
Cruz trying to strike off his back.
Cruz throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Cruz throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Cruz throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cruz dives in and grabs Marsh's left leg, looking for a takedown. Marsh pushes down on Cruz's head and hops out.
Salva Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marsh will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cruz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Joey Marsh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Salva Cruz.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marsh swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Marsh works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Joey Marsh is winning the standup battle so far.
Cruz blocks a head kick by Marsh.
A shot to de liver by Cruz. Beautiful body shot.

Cruz clinches with his opponent.

Marsh manages to break the clinch.
Marsh is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Marsh misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Marsh throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A lazy body kick from Cruz
and Marsh counters with a head kick. That will keep Cruz thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

It looks like Salva Cruz has been cut.
Marsh swats away the attempt to clinch by Cruz.
Marsh lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Marsh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salva Cruz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Salva Cruz's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Cruz scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Cruz misses with a head shot. Marsh uses the momentum to regain guard.
Cruz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Marsh will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Cruz stops Marsh from standing up.
Cruz throwing strikes but missing.
Cruz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cruz postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Cruz gets a clinch.
Marsh tries to stall but Cruz uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Cruz has Marsh pressed against the cage, preventing Marsh from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Marsh wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Cruz.
Cruz lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Good exchange - Marsh coming out on top.
Marsh throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruz.
Cruz dives in and grabs Marsh's left leg, looking for a takedown. Marsh pushes down on Cruz's head and hops out.
Marsh is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Cruz tries to clinch but Marsh is having none of it.
Marsh stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Marsh wants it to stay on the feet.
Marsh pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Marsh keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Joey Marsh has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Salva Cruz.
Cruz is looking to clinch.
Marsh lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.

Cruz shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Marsh is trying to defend but Cruz finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz prevents Marsh from standing back up.
Cruz not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Cruz lands a nice short elbow.
Cruz scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Cruz sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Marsh defending well though.
Marsh is trying to stand back up but Cruz is controlling him
Marsh keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cruz looks to land a strike but Marsh avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Marsh wants to stand up but Cruz is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a big right hand that misses.
Cruz landing with the ground and pound.
Marsh preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Marsh scores with a head kick.

Cruz has Marsh up against the cage in a clinch.
Marsh's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Cruz has Marsh pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Marsh manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Marsh's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruz wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Marsh swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Cruz.
Salva Cruz has got the better of the ground game so far.
An elbow from Cruz crashes against the mat.
Marsh regains half guard, as Cruz was trying to land strikes.

Marsh makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Marsh leaves Cruz with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Cruz avoids the head kick by Marsh.
Cruz shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Salva Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cruz 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Salva Cruz!