PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tavares Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Handy Ganon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cruz
vs
Ganon

175 cm
22
179 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
176 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tavares Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Handy Ganon!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz misses with a few strikes there.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Ganon moves out of range easily.

Ganon looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ganon won't allow Cruz to get back to his feet.
Ganon trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ganon trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ganon thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ganon trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz is looking to stand back up but Ganon counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Cruz.
Cruz is controlling Ganon's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Ganon shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ganon showed some decent athleticism there.
Cruz is trying to stand up here but Ganon is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ganon wants to free his trapped foot but Cruz is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet.
Ganon thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cruz's head.
Ganon prevents Cruz from standing back up.
Ganon not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Cruz tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Ganon manages to move to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz really wants to buck Ganon off and get back to his feet.
Cruz is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ganon looking to ground and pound but Cruz is blocking nicely.
Ganon putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Cruz is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Cruz is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Ganon looking to land elbow strikes but Cruz uses the position to regain half guard.
Cruz looks like he's trying to stand up.
Cruz wants to get back to full guard but Ganon has passed into side control.
You get the feeling that Cruz really doesn't like being in this position too much.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ganon looking to ground and pound but Cruz is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Handy Ganon dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ganon takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Cruz throws a right and a left that Ganon avoids nicely.
Ganon shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Cruz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cruz connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cruz.
Cruz throws a leg kick but Ganon checks it.
Cruz misses with a head kick.
Cruz misses with a head kick.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cruz scores with a head kick.
Ganon is breathing heavily.
Cruz moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
No joy there for Cruz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Tavares Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ganon moves away.
Cruz throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ganon.
Cruz tries a low kick but Ganon avoids it.
Cruz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Left hook, right uppercut from Cruz.
Cruz stuns Ganon with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Cruz throws a series of punches but Ganon avoids them all with ease.
Cruz plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
An inside leg kick lands from Cruz.
Cruz lands with a thumping leg kick.
Ganon takes a head kick and keeps coming.
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!
Ganon has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Ganon takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cruz throws a series of punches but Ganon avoids them all with ease.
Cruz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cruz thuds his shin into the meat of Ganon's side.
Cruz fails to land with a series of punches.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Ganon moves out of range easily.
Cruz lands a head kick!
Cruz throws a nice head kick!
Ganon avoids the head kick by Cruz.
Cruz feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ganon's calf.
Ganon takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ganon's calf.
Cruz lands a nice leg kick that just misses Ganon's sensitive parts.
Ganon's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
An inside leg kick from Cruz misses.
Cruz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Cruz.
Cruz stalks Ganon and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ganon's face. Ganon staggers backwards, shaken.
Cruz connects with a solid leg kick.
Cruz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cruz scores with a shot to the body.
Cruz lands a front kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cruz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Ganon moves out of range easily.
Ganon closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Cruz lets loose with a powerful body kick. Ganon will feel that in the morning.
Cruz thows a body kick. Ganon tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Cruz lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cruz.
No joy there for Cruz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ganon avoids the head kick by Cruz.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cruz throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Ganon.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Ganon has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tavares Cruz dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Danga de danga de dang - Cruz scores with a four punch combination!
A head kick misses from Cruz.
Cruz buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tavares Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ganon.
Tavares Cruz is winning the standup battle so far.
Ganon takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Cruz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ganon.
Ganon takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Ganon throws a leg kick
and Cruz counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cruz throws a nice outside leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Cruz.
Cruz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ganon moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Left hook, right uppercut from Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz lands with a thumping leg kick.
Some wild striking there from Cruz.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Cruz!
Cruz lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tavares Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ganon takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Cruz throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Ganon.
Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cruz moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Cruz throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ganon walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Cruz scores with a jab. Ganon acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Ganon takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Ganon avoids the head kick by Cruz.
Cruz looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Cruz throws a nice outside leg kick.
Cruz throws a head kick that Ganon semi-blocks.
Good leg kick by Cruz there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Ganon's head backwards.
Cruz misses with a head kick.
Cruz throws a head kick but Ganon moves out of range.
Cruz leaves Ganon with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from Cruz lands but Ganon takes it in his stride.
Cruz scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Cruz buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Cruz dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Ganon. That did some damage!
Cruz misses with an attempted mid kick.
Cruz connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cruz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ganon moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cruz with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Cruz's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Cruz duly obliges.
Cruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ganon can do to turn this around?
Cruz throws a leg kick which misses Ganon's front leg but catches the back leg as Ganon tries to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz misses with a two punch combination.
Cruz moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Ganon takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Cruz misses with a series of wild punches.
A combination from Cruz does no damage.
Cruz lands a head kick. Ganon smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Cruz throws a leg kick which misses Ganon's front leg but catches the back leg as Ganon tries to avoid it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz feints and then cracks Ganon's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Ganon down.
Cruz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ganon circles away quickly and effectively.
Cruz connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tavares Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cruz has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:26
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:26
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:26

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