PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between David Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Trang Troc (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cross's entrance music is The American Dream Song. A fine choice. Troc comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Dr. Octagon - Real Raw kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cross
vs
Troc

179 cm
32
168 lbs
27 - 10 - 2

175 cm
33
168 lbs
16 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Legion of Pain Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 10 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, David Cross!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Trang Troc!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Dillan Fox and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Troc misses with a double jab.
Troc throws a good cross that connects.
Troc tries to bum rush Cross with a series of wild strikes but Cross uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cross takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Troc throws the left hand but Cross avoids the punch easily.
An inside leg kick from Troc misses.
Nice uppercut lands for Cross. That snapped Troc's head back.
Cross looks to score with a jab to the body but Troc is just out of range.
Cross swings widly with a right hand
and Troc counters with an inside leg kick.
A combination from Troc does no damage.
Good standup being displayed there by Cross as he connects with a hook.
Troc tries to score with a low kick but Cross moves his leg out of the way.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross throws a jab but it's blocked by Troc.
Cross shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A cross from Cross lands.
Troc catches Cross with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Troc goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Troc misses the shot to the body.
Cross uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Troc.
Cross swings for the body but Troc moves out of range.
Cross looks to score with a jab to the body but Troc is just out of range.
Troc connects with a solid leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Troc throws a quick inside leg kick.
Cross lands with a straight right. Troc didn't see that one coming.
Cross scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Troc tries to clinch but Cross moves away
and Cross counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cross throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Troc bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Troc works Cross's body with a nice hook.
Troc lands a glancing blow to the side of Cross's head.
Cross takes one to the chin there.
Cross throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Troc is able to avoid easily.
Cross looks to land a right hand but Troc moved out of range.
Troc throws a jab when Cross was well out of range.
Troc misses with a double jab.
Cross chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Troc can pounce on him.
Troc bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cross moves out of range of the leg kick from Troc.
Cross keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cross keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Cross digs a good hook to Troc's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Troc fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cross manages to avoid it.
Troc takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Cross sizes up Troc with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Cross has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Troc finds it's way round the side to connect with Cross's head.
Troc stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Cross.
Cross looks to score with a jab to the body but Troc is just out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cross swings and misses with a hook to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Troc throws a leg kick which misses Cross's front leg but catches the back leg as Cross tries to avoid it.
Cross misses with a looping right.
Cross looking to land some kicks to the body here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that David Cross will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Troc ducks under a wild hook from Cross.
A swing and a miss from Troc.
Cross dips to his left and cracks Troc with an uppercut!
Troc wants to clinch.
A combination from Troc does no damage.
Troc throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Troc dodges the punch combination from Cross.
Cross lands with a good body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Troc misses with a double jab
and Cross counters with a nice leg kick.
Troc looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cross keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Cross looks to score with a jab to the body but Troc is just out of range.
Cross catches Troc with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Troc misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cross.
Troc ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Cross lands with a hook. Troc tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Cross.
Cross punishes Troc's body with a nice straight punch.
Troc throws a head kick but Cross moves out of range.
Cross swings for the body but Troc moves out of range.
Cross moves out of range as Troc throws a body kick.
Troc is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Troc lands a leg kick that knocks Cross off balance momentarily.
Troc scores with a hook to the body. Cross takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
David Cross is winning the standup battle so far.
Cross waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Troc.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cross. Troc does a little dance to reset his feet.

Troc closes the distance and clinches.
Cross avoids a wild elbow strike from Troc.
Cross lands a body punch in the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Cross.
Cross lands a body shot.
Cross avoids the elbow strike from Troc, against the cage.
Cross misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cross lands an uppercut.
Cross can't find room to land a body shot as Troc controls the action.
Knees in the clinch landing for Cross.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cross blocks a body shot from Troc.
Cross misses with a knee strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Troc takes a shot to the head.

Cross breaks the clinch.
Cross misses with a wild body shot.
Troc connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cross.
Cross swings away with a body shot that misses
and Troc counters with an inside leg kick.
Cross takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Cross lands a lovely overhand right.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cross slips a straight right by Troc.

Troc takes the fight into the clinch.
Cross digs a right hand into Troc's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Troc's gas tank.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cross displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Troc throws out the jab.
Cross uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Troc.
Cross lands with a nice body punch.
Troc takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Cross jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Troc lands a leg kick that knocks Cross off balance momentarily.
A telegraphed right hand from Cross misses the target.
A lazy left from Cross finds it's target.
Cross looks to land a right hand but Troc moved out of range.
Troc throws a right and a left that Cross avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Troc connects with a solid leg kick.
Cross throws out a loose jab but Troc uses good head movement to avoid it.
Troc throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Troc pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Troc drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Cross shoots in for a takedown but Troc shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cross misses with a wild body shot.
Troc shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Troc swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Trang Troc is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cross tries to land a leg kick but Troc saw it coming and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Troc scores with a hook.
A looping hook to the body misses from Troc. Cross does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cross throws a leg kick but Troc sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Cross throws out a loose jab but Troc uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cross misses with a low kick.
Cross misses with a straight left.
Troc dips to his left and cracks Cross with an uppercut!
Troc tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cross swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cross uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Troc.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross throws a hook but Troc blocks it.
Cross misses with a leg kick.
Cross fails with the takedown.
Cross misses with a looping left.
Cross scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Troc doesn't seem bothered though.
Troc missing with a left hand there. Cross was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cross is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cross with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Cross throws out a loose jab but Troc uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cross motions for Troc to come forward. Cross throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Troc swings for the body but Cross moves out of range.
A shot to the body from Cross misses
and Troc counters with a slapping leg kick.
Cross slips a straight right by Troc.
Cross looks to land a left hand but Troc moved out of range nicely.
Cross shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Troc lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cross connects with a leg kick. Troc looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Troc throws a leg kick that is checked
and Cross cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Cross clearly takes that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cross throws a body punch but Troc moves out of range.
Troc doesn't manage to clinch there - Cross circles away.
Cross stuns Troc with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Troc throws a low kick but it's checked well by Cross.
Cross misses with a combination
and Troc counters with a nice uppercut.
Troc scores with a one two! Cross had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cross is defended easily by Troc.
Troc throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Troc was well out of range. Poor timing from Cross.
A big right from Cross misses.
Troc moves in looking to clinch but Cross pushes him off.
Troc lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Troc takes a swing at Cross's ribcage but misses.
Troc scores with a kick to the midsection.
Cross looks to throw the jab but Troc is out of range.
Cross fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Troc manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cross connects with a looping right hand.
Cross cracks Troc with a right hand to the side of the head.
Troc closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cross counters with a straight right hand.
Cross defending well as Troc loads up on a big left hand.
A big left from Cross misses.
Cross tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Troc misses with a hook. Cross ducked under it nicely.
Troc needs to keep his hands up - Cross had a free shot at his head there.
Troc ducks under a wild hook from Cross.
Troc misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Troc uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cross.
A looping hook to the body misses from Troc. Cross does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cross tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Troc is able to avoid easily.
Troc throws a head kick that misses.
Troc throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Troc fails to land with a series of punches.
Troc tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Cross misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Troc.
Cross shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Troc but Troc pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cross lands with a shot to the body.
Troc dips to his left and cracks Cross with an uppercut!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cross pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Troc wants to clinch up but Cross keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that David Cross will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Troc lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
A head kick misses from Troc.
Troc looks to score with a jab to the body but Cross is just out of range.
Troc closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cross counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Good exchange - Troc coming out on top.
Troc looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A jab lands there for Cross.
Troc throws a leg kick
and Cross counters with a low kick, right behind Troc 's knee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Cross jabs at Troc's body.
Troc looks to land a right hand but Cross moved out of range.
Troc displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cross throws out the jab.
Troc gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cross.
Cross misses with an uppercut.
Cross jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Cross takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Cross lands with a good body shot.
Troc has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross blocks a leg kick.
Troc just misses with a punch to the body.
Trang Troc has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cross throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Some bone on bone action there as Cross checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

Troc has managed to clinch.
Troc blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cross throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Trocs head.
Troc misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cross.
Troc missing with knees to the body.
Troc lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cross gets through Troc's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Troc prevents a body shot from Cross.
Cross tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Troc's elbow.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Cross as Troc tries to tie him up.
Cross blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cross lands a nice shot to the body.
Cross tries to throw a body punch but Troc avoids it by throwing Cross back against the cage.
David Cross is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A short left from Cross.
Troc working aggressively here.
Troc misses with some punches.
Troc throws an elbow that misses.
Cross makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
David Cross has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Nice body punch from Cross.
Cross tries to work over Troc's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cross lands an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Cross fails to land.
Troc blocking some punches.
Cross softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Cross lands a shoulder strike.
Troc tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Troc stalling in the clinch.
Troc pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Troc trying to land knees to the body.
Cross blocks the elbow strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cross blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Knees in the clinch landing for Cross.
Troc is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Cross blocks an elbow strike.
Cross misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cross lands on the inside with an uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Cross showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cross 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 50:45
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 50:45
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 49:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Cross!
David Cross retains his lightweight title!
In his post fight interview, David Cross started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.