PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Hatton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesus Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jesus Cruz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hatton
vs
Cruz

169 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
135 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ricky Hatton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jesus Cruz!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Steven Brown and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hatton tries to land a body kick

so Cruz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cruz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Cruz stands up and waves to Hatton to follow him.
Hatton throws a body kick that misses.
Hatton is looking to chop away at Cruz's legs.
Hatton misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
Cruz misses with a head kick.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Hatton moves out of range easily.

Hatton gets caught napping as Cruz dives in and scores a takedown. Hatton manages to retain guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz postures up.
Cruz not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hatton is working an open guard so Cruz takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Cruz showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hatton.
Cruz on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Hatton misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Some wild striking there from Hatton.
Hatton fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Cruz looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Cruz shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hatton pinned against the cage. Hatton gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cruz is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Hatton scores with a shot to the body.
Ricky Hatton is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hatton avoids a punch combination nicely.

Cruz shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Cruz was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Hatton is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hatton parries the strikes from Cruz easily there. Cruz is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Hatton to escape.
Hatton is letting Cruz control him for a moment.
Hatton taking a bit of punishment here - Cruz scoring with strikes.
Cruz is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Hatton will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hatton is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Cruz decides to stand up, so the ref orders Hatton to his feet.

Cruz pushes Hatton up against the cage in a clinch.
Hatton prevents a takedown attempt there.

Cruz gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Cruz escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hatton displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cruz throws out the jab.
Cruz slips a straight right by Hatton.

Cruz has managed to clinch.

Cruz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz fails to land with a series of punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cruz.
Ricky Hatton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jesus Cruz.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hatton sprawls well. Hatton wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hatton sprawls well. Hatton wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cruz slips a jab and a cross from Hatton.
Cruz shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hatton defends it nicely.
Hatton misses with a double jab
and Cruz counters with a good low kick that Hatton was not able to check.
Hatton will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hatton fails to land with a series of punches.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cruz.

Cruz rushes Hatton and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Cruz breaks from the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Cruz or perhaps it was just good defense by Hatton which made him look bad.
Ricky Hatton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jesus Cruz.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hatton!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hatton lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.
Cruz blocks a leg kick.
Hatton misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
Cruz has a takedown stuffed.
Hatton tries to bum rush Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Hatton gets tackled into the cage by Cruz. Cruz maintains the clinch.

Cruz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cruz fails to land the takedown.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hatton but Hatton pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Cruz gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz wants the takedown. Hatton is fighting it off but Cruz persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Hatton's guard against the cage.
Cruz showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Cruz is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cruz advances to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz is taking a breather. Hatton says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Cruz stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz moves into the clinch.
Cruz tries for a takedown but Hatton manages to get underhooks.

Cruz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ricky Hatton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hatton lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Cruz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Hatton is looking to get back to his feet here but Cruz is keeping cool and he's managed to take Hatton's back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hatton is trying to remain composed but Cruz is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Cruz slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cruz has got one arm under Hatton's chin. This could be trouble... Hatton trying to control the other hand but Cruz gets it free and sqeezes tight - just a matter of time now! Yep, Hatton has tapped out! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Jesus Cruz!
Jesus Cruz seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.