PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Felipe Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mankus Paliskus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cruz
vs
Paliskus

177 cm
19
140 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

175 cm
18
144 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Felipe Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mankus Paliskus!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cruz clinches up with Paliskus and pushes him back against the cage.
Paliskus is looking for a takedown.
Cruz stalling the fight.
Cruz gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cruz tries to clinch up but Paliskus circles away and keeps his distance.
Cruz stuffs the takedown attempt from Paliskus. Paliskus gets slowly back to his feet.

Cruz has managed to clinch.
Paliskus is looking for a takedown.
Felipe Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mankus Paliskus.
Paliskus drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Cruz gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Paliskus wants a takedown but no success here.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruz breaks the clinch.
Paliskus shoots in for a takedown but Cruz shows good takedown defense.
Cruz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cruz fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Paliskus misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cruz stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cruz wants it to stay on the feet.
Paliskus tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Paliskus looks gassed!

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.

Cruz jumps guard and drags Paliskus to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Cruz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Paliskus's guard.
Cruz won't allow Paliskus to get back to his feet.
Cruz's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Paliskus swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paliskus avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cruz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Felipe Cruz.
Paliskus defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruz.
Paliskus will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Paliskus throws a series of punches but Cruz avoids them all with ease.
Cruz keeps Paliskus at a distance using the push kick.

Cruz clinches up against the cage.
Cruz lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Cruz really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cruz fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Paliskus avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands with a kick to the temple. Paliskus shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Paliskus sprawls well. Paliskus wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.

Cruz gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A short uppercut from Cruz.
Cruz tries for a takedown but Paliskus manages to get underhooks.
Cruz has Paliskus pressed against the cage.
Cruz comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Cruz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz stuffs the takedown.
Paliskus misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz stuffs the takedown.

Cruz gets a clinch.
Cruz lands a knee to the body.

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.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet but Paliskus is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz pulls Paliskus in close to prevent any damage.
Paliskus throwing strikes but missing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Paliskus accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Cruz dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Paliskus fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cruz avoids it really well and circles away.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Paliskus paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Paliskus misses with a low kick.
Cruz stuffs the takedown.

Cruz feints and as Paliskus raises his hands in defense, Cruz changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cruz is pushing down on Paliskus's leg trying to pass to half guard. Paliskus is fighting to maintain full guard but Cruz has managed to sneak the leg through.
Cruz is controlling the pace.

Cruz is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Paliskus has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz stalling.
Paliskus is breathing heavily.
Cruz is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Paliskus wants to hold on but Cruz pushes him away.

Cruz stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz pushes Paliskus up against the cage in a clinch.
The referee calls for Cruz to work.

Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Paliskus shoots in but no luck this time.
Felipe Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mankus Paliskus.

Cruz clinches up with Paliskus and pushes him back against the cage.

Cruz pulls guard successfully.
Paliskus wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Paliskus lands a couple of digs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Paliskus postures up and lands a big shot to Cruz's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paliskus throwing strikes but missing.
Paliskus throwing strikes from guard but Cruz blocks nicely.
Paliskus loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cruz wants to sweep but no luck.

Paliskus drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Cruz dives on top into guard.
Paliskus striking off his back but it's not causing Cruz any problems.
Cruz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Paliskus swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz blocks a head kick by Paliskus.
Horrible takedown by Cruz or perhaps it was just good defense by Paliskus which made him look bad.
Cruz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Paliskus's waist but Paliskus gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cruz off to one side.
Paliskus shoots in and drives through. Cruz sprawls well.

Cruz clinches up against the cage.
Cruz will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Paliskus up against the cage.
Cruz throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A bit of stalling here from Cruz.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Paliskus jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Cruz walks away with a smile on his face. Paliskus gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Cruz dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Cruz shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Cruz was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Paliskus wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Cruz.
Cruz looking to control and managing it successfully.
Paliskus is trying desperately to improve position.
Paliskus throwing hammer fists to the chest of Cruz. What's that going to do exactly?
Cruz controlling from the full mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paliskus is trying to stand up.
Paliskus wants to hold on but Cruz pushes him away.
Paliskus takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cruz blocks Paliskus's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Cruz punching from mount but Paliskus doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Paliskus regains half guard.
Cruz controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paliskus is trying to maintain the position but Cruz is very close to passing his half guard.
Paliskus throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Cruz keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Cruz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Paliskus is just riding it out for now. Cruz eventually gives up the hold.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz not doing much here.
Cruz's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Paliskus has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Felipe Cruz wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Paliskus shoots in but no luck this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paliskus will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cruz shoots for a takedown but Paliskus saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Felipe Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Paliskus swats away the attempt to clinch by Cruz.
Cruz closes the distance and clinches up with Paliskus, looking for a takedown. Cruz pushes Paliskus against the cage but Paliskus circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mankus Paliskus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Cruz lands an elbow just above Paliskus 's eye.
Felipe Cruz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cruz lands a left hand.
Cruz scores with a knee to the head.
Paliskus struggles to land a body shot inside as Cruz controls his hands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Felipe 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

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