PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nate Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raider Browne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz comes to the cage accompanied by Headstrong-Trapt. Raider Browne has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Cruz
vs
Browne

170 cm
30
152 lbs
15 - 10 - 0

180 cm
23
168 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Good gas tank

Brute
Syndicate Nutrition (DUS)

Ultimate Fighting Gear
Brute

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nate Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Raider Browne!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice cross by Browne.
Cruz digs a good body shot into Browne's ribs.
Cruz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cruz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Browne.
Cruz with a poor takedown
and Browne cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
No luck for Cruz with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nate Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Browne lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Browne swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.

Browne tries to sprawl but Cruz drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Browne moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Browne keeping full guard, as Cruz tries to pass.
Cruz stopping the sweep attempt from Browne.

Browne working for a triangle but Cruz defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Browne works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Browne has an active guard here but Cruz has managed to pass into half guard.
Cruz tries to pass the half guard into mount. Browne knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Browne is looking for a sweep. Cruz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Browne on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Browne tries to get to full guard but Cruz has control of the leg.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Browne's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Browne is trying to control but can't.
Cruz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Browne makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Browne.
Browne looking for a sweep. Not yet Browne, not yet.
Cruz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Browne swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Browne wants to sweep but no luck.
Cruz looking to sit in guard and control but Browne gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Browne wants to pass the guard but Cruz is keeping the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Browne is looking to advance position but Cruz has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz working the ground and pound effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Browne?
Browne is trying desperately to improve position.
Browne tries to hold on but Cruz postures up.
Browne is wriggling around trying to escape.
Browne is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Cruz landing strikes from the mount and Browne is in trouble!
Cruz controlling the pace for now.
Browne is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Browne regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Browne makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Browne.
Cruz has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Cruz won't allow Browne to sweep him here.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Browne is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Browne working for submissions but it's allowed Cruz to get to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz working Browne over with strikes.
Cruz looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Browne with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Browne tries to roll over but Cruz keeps him under control.
Cruz is keen to just control but Browne is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Raider Browne will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Browne gets caught napping as Cruz dives in and scores a takedown. Browne manages to retain guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Browne is on top in guard.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Browne postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Cruz is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Browne, into his guard.
Cruz trying to control but Browne is working from the bottom.
Nate Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Browne has his foot on Cruz's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cruz works his way back into a safe position though.
Cruz working some strikes from top position.
Browne looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Cruz puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Browne wants to improve his position but Cruz is controlling well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz is looking to stall here but Browne recovers full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz scoring with some ground and pound.
Cruz scoring with some ground and pound.
Browne wants to sweep but no luck.

Browne looking for a guillotine here but Cruz defends easily.
Browne wants to sweep but no luck.
Cruz lands a couple of elbows.
Cruz passes Browne's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Browne is looking for a sweep. Cruz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cruz seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Browne is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Browne wants to get back to full guard.

Browne actively working from the bottom here.
Cruz is keen to just control but Browne is a slippery customer.
Cruz slips a nice elbow through Browne's hands, connecting with Browne's forehead.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz is trying to control the action in half guard but Browne is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Cruz lands a nice short elbow.
Cruz prevents Browne from improving his position.
Cruz performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control the action but Browne is working from the bottom.
Cruz is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Browne looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Cruz controlling the action here.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Nate Cruz just wasn't active enough.

Browne shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Browne thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cruz's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control here.
Browne trying to advance position but Cruz counters by regaining guard.
Browne looking to pass the guard.
Browne trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Browne throws an elbow that misses. Cruz uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Browne's guard. Nice move by Cruz!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Browne looking for a guillotine here but Cruz defends easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Browne is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cruz is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nate Cruz will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Browne blocks a jab.
Browne defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cruz.
Cruz shoots and misses
and Cruz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Browne throws a lazy right hand but Cruz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nice defenses there by Cruz.
Cruz shoots for a takedown but Browne saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nate Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Browne counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Browne dips to his left and cracks Cruz with an uppercut!
Browne throws a hook but Cruz avoids it easily.
Jab, jab by Browne - just one landing.
Cruz checks the leg kick nicely there.
Cruz takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Cruz.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Browne tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Browne manages to work his way to half guard, despite Cruz's best efforts.
Cruz is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Cruz looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Browne with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Browne wants to improve his position but Cruz is controlling well.
Cruz drops an elbow to the side of Browne's head.
The fighters are battling for position here. Browne manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Cruz works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Browne tries to roll over but Cruz keeps him under control.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Browne is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Browne is looking for a sweep. Cruz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Cruz is looking for a kimura here.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Cruz connects with a nice short shot to Browne's temple.
Browne moves into full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz controlling from the top position.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Browne is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Browne throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cruz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Browne trying to strike off his back.
Browne is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Cruz avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Cruz lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Browne looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Cruz has picked Browne up and slammed him! Browne can't keep hold of the triangle and Cruz manages to pass to side control!
Browne manages to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz drops an elbow to the side of Browne's head.
Browne wants to get back to full guard.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Browne is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Browne has hold of Cruz's hands but Cruz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cruz looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
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!
Browne is trying to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz slips a nice elbow through Browne's hands, connecting with Browne's forehead.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Raider Browne.
I think Browne 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raider Browne!
During a confident post fight interview, Raider Browne thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.