PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Neil McSluggin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chad Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McSluggin's entrance music is Warriors Code - Dropkick Murphy's. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

McSluggin
vs
Cruz

177 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

181 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Reaper Combatwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Neil McSluggin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chad Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Chad Campbell and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cruz moves into the clinch.
Cruz prevents McSluggin from breaking the clinch.

Cruz gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Cruz passes into half guard.
Cruz takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Cruz is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but McSluggin still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, McSluggin has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Cruz wants to get back to his feet.

Cruz throws McSluggin to one side and escapes!
McSluggin thuds a left hand into Cruz's body.
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!
McSluggin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cruz tries to avoid it but McSluggin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cruz to the ground. Cruz escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
McSluggin with a jab.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says McSluggin as he avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McSluggin shoots in looking for a takedown but Cruz manages to keep the fight standing, pushing McSluggin's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
McSluggin fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cruz.

Cruz throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. McSluggin was covering up waiting for the punch and Cruz finishes the takedown easily into guard.
McSluggin trying to control the position.
Cruz slips nicely into half guard.

McSluggin has one foot on Cruz's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Cruz shoots for a double leg takedown but McSluggin sprawls well. He's pushed Cruz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
McSluggin jabs Cruz to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Cruz looks winded!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
McSluggin scores with a nice strike.
Cruz shoots in looking for a takedown. McSluggin tries to sprawl out of it but Cruz keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. McSluggin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Neil McSluggin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chad Cruz.
McSluggin wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the 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!
McSluggin sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
McSluggin moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
McSluggin has his hands on Cruz's head, controlling the position.
Cruz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cruz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as McSluggin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Chad Cruz wasn't active enough on the ground.
Cruz walks into a jab.

Cruz feints and as McSluggin raises his hands in defense, Cruz changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cruz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
McSluggin is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz stands and throws McSluggin's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Cruz working the head with strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz controlling from side mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cruz scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at McSluggin to see if he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Cruz dominated that round.
That's time! McSluggin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

McSluggin lands a glancing blow to the side of Cruz's head.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but McSluggin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
McSluggin throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.

Cruz shoots in and gets a takedown into McSluggin's guard.
McSluggin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cruz stands and throws McSluggin's legs to the side, diving into side control.
McSluggin takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
McSluggin is trying to improve his position.
Cruz just content to control the position.

Cruz tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cruz has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz has knee on belly and moves into mount.

Cruz working for a submission but McSluggin is keeping him at bay.
Cruz lands a nice shot to the head.
McSluggin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz controlling from the full mount.
Cruz scores with a couple of good head shots there.
McSluggin is in a horrible position here. Cruz smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Cruz with the ground and pound from mount.
Cruz takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Cruz lands with some vicious ground and pound - can McSluggin hang on?
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Cruz moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, McSluggin has worked his arm free - good work by McSluggin!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McSluggin is trying to escape the position but Cruz is controlling the position.
Cruz scores with a couple of short elbows.
Cruz tries to advance to mount but McSluggin denies him.
McSluggin trying to remain calm as Cruz controls from the top position.
Cruz working the head and body with strikes.
The referee asks Cruz politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Cruz prefers to stall for the moment though.
Cruz throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
McSluggin takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz advances to mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz with a couple of short strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cruz scoring with strikes but McSluggin is staying in there.
Cruz in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Cruz tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cruz working the ground and pound effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Cruz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

McSluggin scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
McSluggin is looking to wear down Cruz with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Cruz takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
McSluggin throws a quick inside leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - McSluggin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sloppy strikes from McSluggin. Those never looked like landing.

McSluggin closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
McSluggin prevents Cruz from escaping the position.

McSluggin is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Cruz knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Cruz sneaks out the side door and pushes McSluggin away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Cruz closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down McSluggin's shoulder. That is not cool.

Cruz is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. McSluggin knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Cruz controlling the position from side mount.
McSluggin taking a bit of punishment here - Cruz scoring with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
McSluggin is pushing Cruz's head away, looking to escape. Cruz manages to hold on to the position though.
Cruz lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Cruz in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Cruz working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
McSluggin is looking for a sweep.
McSluggin is trying to control Cruz's posture but Cruz avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz taking a breather here.
Cruz tries to advance to mount but can't.
Cruz controls the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chad Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30

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