PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Eddie Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dominick Cruise (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Alvarez
vs
Cruise

165 cm
21
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

173 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eddie Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dominick Cruise!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez misses with a takedown attempt - Cruise sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Cruise moves into range and clinches up with Alvarez.

Alvarez wants the takedown. Cruise is fighting it off but Alvarez persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Cruise's guard against the cage.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Alvarez stops Cruise from standing up.
Alvarez is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Alvarez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cruise keeping moving, preventing Alvarez from controlling successfully.
Alvarez is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Cruise is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Eddie Alvarez has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Cruise throws a right and a left that Alvarez avoids nicely.
Cruise fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cruise tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alvarez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Alvarez shoots for a takedown but Cruise saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Alvarez closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruise misses with some punches.
Alvarez tries for a takedown but Cruise manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruise lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Cruise working aggressively here.
Alvarez blocking some punches.
Cruise is pressed up against the cage. Alvarez has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Cruise down to the mat. Cruise avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Cruise misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cruise fails to land with a series of punches.
Alvarez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cruise pinned against the cage. Cruise gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cruise stalks Alvarez and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Alvarez's face. Alvarez staggers backwards, shaken.
Cruise tries to clinch but Alvarez moves out of range.
Cruise throws a right and a left that both miss.

Alvarez clinches up against the cage.
Cruise looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Alvarez's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Alvarez wants a takedown.
Alvarez dodges an elbow strike from Cruise.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Cruise.
Alvarez is trying to drag Cruise to the mat but Cruise just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Cruise gets through Alvarez's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Cruise fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A frustrated look appears on Cruise's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Alvarez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cruise shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Alvarez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cruise misses with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruise gets through Alvarez's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Cruise jumps into guard, dragging Alvarez to the mat.
Alvarez throws a big right hand that misses.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cruise is on top in guard.
Alvarez wants to sweep but no luck.

Alvarez pushes Cruise off and gets back to his feet.
Cruise tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Alvarez paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruise tries to clinch up but Alvarez circles away and keeps his distance.
Cruise keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A punch combination from Cruise misses.
Alvarez looks for a takedown but Cruise sprawls well.
Alvarez is breathing heavily.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cruise as he jumps to the side.
Cruise is looking to clinch but Alvarez is avoiding it.
Alvarez takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Cruise tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alvarez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alvarez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cruise circles away.
Alvarez dodges the punch combination from Cruise.
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.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cruise is looking to clinch.

Cruise forces Alvarez back against the cage and clinches.
Alvarez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Cruise is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dominick Cruise dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cruise wants to clinch.

Alvarez clinches with his opponent.
Alvarez tries to score a body lock takedown but Cruise shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A short right from Cruise.
Alvarez is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Cruise is defending well.
Cruise tries to break the clinch but Alvarez is controlling the position.

Alvarez tightens his grip and picks Cruise up, before dumping him to the ground. Cruise manages to land in guard.
Cruise looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruise keeping full guard, as Alvarez tries to pass.
Alvarez has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Cruise is proving hard to escape from.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Alvarez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez postures up in Cruise's guard and throws a big left but Cruise blocks it.
Cruise looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Alvarez postures up.
Alvarez works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Alvarez is pressing down on Cruise's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cruise is holding on for now.
Cruise is doing well to control the position and prevent Alvarez from advancing to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruise is refusing to be controlled, as Alvarez sits in half guard.
Alvarez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Alvarez looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Cruise trying to control here.
Cruise is refusing to be controlled, as Alvarez sits in half guard.
Alvarez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez is nestled in close to Cruise, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Cruise avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Alvarez.

Alvarez is looking for a kimura here.
Alvarez drops an elbow to the side of Cruise's head.
Alvarez stalling.
Alvarez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cruise defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Cruise knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Alvarez prevents Cruise from standing back up.

Alvarez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cruise doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Alvarez.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nice strikes from Alvarez there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Alvarez dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

No joy there for Cruise, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cruise wants to clinch.
Alvarez drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Cruise misses with a head kick.
Cruise tries to close the distance and clinch but Alvarez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cruise defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Alvarez.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cruise but Cruise pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Dominick Cruise seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruise tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alvarez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alvarez has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alvarez misses with a takedown attempt - Cruise sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Horrible takedown by Alvarez or perhaps it was just good defense by Cruise which made him look bad.
Cruise fails with an attempt to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruise is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Alvarez shoots in for a double leg but Cruise sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cruise fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cruise lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Alvarez at a distance.
Cruise pivots, looking for a leg kick but Alvarez is out of range and Cruise settles back down.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cruise.
Alvarez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Alvarez takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Eddie Alvarez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Cruise darts in and clinches Alvarez up against the cage.
Cruise lands a shoulder strike.
Cruise misses with an elbow over the top.
Cruise is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Alvarez is keeping busy.

Cruise pulls guard successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruise wants to stand and escape but Alvarez is having none of it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Alvarez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cruise has his hands on Alvarez's head, controlling the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruise keeping full guard, as Alvarez tries to pass.
Cruise avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Alvarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruise is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cruise as he avoids it easily.
Cruise throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Cruise drives through and clinches with Alvarez against the cage.

Cruise successfully pulls guard.
Cruise looking to control.
Alvarez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Cruise trying to control the position.
Alvarez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez throws a big right hand that misses.

Alvarez stands and steps away. Cruise gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Alvarez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Alvarez lands with a punch from half guard.
Alvarez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cruise defending well though.
Cruise is trying to maintain the position but Alvarez is very close to passing his half guard.
Alvarez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Alvarez is working for a kimura but Cruise is defending it quite comfortably.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dominick Cruise.
I think Cruise 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dominick Cruise!