PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Eduardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felipe Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eduardo comes to the cage accompanied by Darude - Sandstorm. This should be a great matchup!

Eduardo
vs
Cruz

172 cm
19
143 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

177 cm
19
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid 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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Eduardo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Felipe Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Thiago Cunha and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz keeps the fight on the outside.
Eduardo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Eduardo stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Eduardo wants it to stay on the feet.
Eduardo 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 single leg takedown. Eduardo is trying to defend but Cruz finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Cruz content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Cruz throwing shots but Eduardo is blocking nicely.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Eduardo's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz stops Eduardo from getting back to his feet.
Cruz missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Cruz stands up from half guard.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
Paulo Eduardo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felipe Cruz.
Eduardo misses with a looping right.
Cruz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Eduardo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Eduardo fails to land with a series of punches.
A chopping leg kick lands by Cruz.
Cruz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Eduardo is fending him off so far but Cruz persists. Nope, Eduardo circles away and we're back to standing.
Eduardo moves to clinch but Cruz breaks away

and Cruz counters by moving into the clinch.
Cruz pressing his opponent against the cage.
Cruz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Eduardo's efforts to push away.
Cruz is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Eduardo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Eduardo is looking to clinch.
Eduardo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cruz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Eduardo throws a hook but Cruz blocks it.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Eduardo circles away.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Cruz darts in and clinches Eduardo up against the cage.

Cruz breaks the clinch.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Eduardo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A looping hook to the body misses from Eduardo. Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Eduardo misses with a looping right.
Paulo Eduardo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz has Eduardo pressed against the cage.
Eduardo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Cruz ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Cruz no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Eduardo would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Eduardo preventing the sweep.
Cruz tries to strike from the bottom.

Cruz looking for a guillotine here but Eduardo defends easily.
Cruz has a closed guard, preventing Eduardo from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Eduardo is pushing down on Cruz's leg trying to pass to half guard. Cruz is fighting to maintain full guard but Eduardo has managed to sneak the leg through.
Cruz is looking for a sweep. Eduardo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cruz trying to control but Eduardo postures up.
Eduardo wants to pass the guard but Cruz is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz trying to control but Eduardo postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Cruz dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Eduardo tries to clinch up but Cruz circles away and keeps his distance.

Cruz gets a clinch.
Cruz dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Cruz continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Eduardo connects with a knee to the head.
Cruz jumps guard but Eduardo turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Cruz is stalling here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but Eduardo blocks with his arms.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cruz working aggressively here.
Eduardo is trying to force a seperation but Cruz has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Eduardo gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Cruz tries for a takedown. No joy.
Paulo Eduardo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felipe Cruz.

Cruz has hold of one of Eduardo's legs. Eduardo is fighting the takedown attempt but Cruz gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Eduardo being controlled here, momentarily.
Eduardo is pulling down on Cruz's head to control his posture.
Cruz is stalling in the full guard.
Eduardo wants to sweep here but Cruz controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Felipe Cruz.
Crunch! Cruz slams his shin into Eduardo's torso.
Eduardo paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Eduardo thuds a left hand into Cruz's body.
Eduardo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
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!
Eduardo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Eduardo.
Eduardo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruz.
Eduardo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cruz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Eduardo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Eduardo looks to throw the jab but Cruz is out of range.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cruz wants to clinch up but Eduardo keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eduardo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruz.
Cruz shoots in but Eduardo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Eduardo misses the jab.

Cruz moves into the clinch.

Cruz breaks from the clinch.
Jab by Eduardo.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nice jab there from Eduardo.

Eduardo has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cruz throws an elbow that misses.
Cruz avoiding damage.
Eduardo tries a knee to the head but Cruz blocks it.
Eduardo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Cruz takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
The crowd are getting on Cruz's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.

Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Cruz rushes Eduardo and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz is pressed up against the cage. Eduardo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Cruz down to the mat. Cruz avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Eduardo throws a hook but Cruz blocks it.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Eduardo.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Eduardo circles away and keeps his distance.
Eduardo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Paulo Eduardo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Eduardo swats away the attempt to clinch by Cruz.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Eduardo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cruz paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Eduardo just misses with a punch to the body.
Eduardo wants to clinch up but Cruz keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Felipe Cruz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Eduardo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cruz forces Eduardo back against the cage and clinches.
Cruz fails to pull guard.
Cruz lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Eduardo backwards.
Eduardo can't break the clinch.
Cruz with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Cruz will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Eduardo up against the cage.
Eduardo looking to stall.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cruz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Eduardo, pushing him back against the cage.
Eduardo has a couple of punches blocked by Cruz.
Cruz stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Cruz using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Eduardo can't get the takedown.
Cruz has Eduardo pressed against the cage.

Cruz manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Eduardo slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Eduardo gets to his feet - Cruz follows without any prompting.
The fighters circling - Eduardo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A right-left combo lands from Eduardo.
Cruz thumps Eduardo with a low kick.
Eduardo doesn't manage to clinch there - Cruz circles away.
Eduardo connects with an inside leg kick.
Nice takedown defense from Eduardo. No joy for Cruz on that attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Eduardo is avoiding it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Eduardo is avoiding it.
Eduardo tries to clinch there but Cruz circles away.
Cruz tries to clinch but Eduardo is having none of it.
Cruz misses with a two punch combination.
Cruz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cruz connects with a high kick.
Cruz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Eduardo lands a jab to the head.
Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Eduardo.
Eduardo misses with a jab, cross combination.

Cruz has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eduardo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Cruz manages to break the clinch.
Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Eduardo.
Cruz turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Eduardo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Eduardo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz is looking to clinch but Eduardo is avoiding it.
Eduardo feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Cruz's calf.
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Eduardo wants to clinch up but Cruz keeps it at a distance.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cruz tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Eduardo swivels and escapes.
Paulo Eduardo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felipe Cruz.
Cruz fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A jab from Eduardo does it's job there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cruz tries to clinch there but Eduardo circles away.
Cruz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Eduardo throws a low kick, looking for Cruz's leg but Cruz calmly moves out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Eduardo misses the target.
Paulo Eduardo is winning the standup battle so far.
Eduardo goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Cruz moves into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz pushes off an throws an elbow but Eduardo leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Cruz tries for a takedown. No joy.
Cruz misses with a knee strike.
Paulo Eduardo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eduardo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cruz.
Cruz lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz is trying to pull guard but Eduardo turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Eduardo lands a damaging elbow.
Felipe Cruz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Eduardo lands a right hand.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Felipe Cruz.
I've got Cruz winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

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