PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Henkka Reem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ernesto Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Reem
vs
Cruz

190 cm
23
193 lbs
12 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
195 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Fight Night Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Henkka Reem!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ernesto Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Paul Gruel and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Reem gets the takedown into side control.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Cruz gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Reem is pressing down on Cruz's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cruz is holding on for now.
Reem missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cruz wants to control but Reem is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Reem stalling away here and it's allowed Cruz to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Reem working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Reem has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Reem is fighting to break Cruz's control of his arms but Cruz is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Reem looking to sit in guard and control but Cruz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Reem striking off his back but it's not causing Cruz any problems.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reem looking for a sweep. Not yet Reem, not yet.
Cruz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cruz tries to free his leg and advance position but Reem is retaining full guard.
Reem looking to control.
Cruz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cruz postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Cruz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Cruz landing some decent shots from guard.
Reem avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Reem looking for a guillotine here but Cruz defends easily.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Reem throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Reem looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a big elbow that misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Reem's head.
Reem manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Cruz wants to control but Reem is having none of it.
Reem unloading with bombs!
Cruz avoids a strike by Reem and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in Reem's guard! Fantastic escape!
Cruz postures up in Reem's guard and throws a big left but Reem blocks it.
Cruz must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Reem throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reem avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Reem is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Cruz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cruz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cruz tries to free his leg and advance position but Reem is retaining full guard.
Reem is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Reem is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cruz is aware though and is defending well.
Cruz is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cruz lands a couple of digs.

Reem working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cruz doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cruz manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Reem escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cruz gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cruz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Reem's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz preventing the sweep.
Cruz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Reem's head.
Reem looking to control.

Cruz stands and steps away. Reem gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Reem has a takedown stuffed.
Cruz has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Reem is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Reem misses the jab.
Reem just misses with a punch to the body.
Ernesto Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A big left from Reem misses.

Cruz scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Cruz lands an elbow.
Reem manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Cruz keeps control of the position for the meantime.

Reem seems to be looking for submissions.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cruz is on the bottom, trying to hold on to half guard. He's throwing a few small shots here, to keep his opponent honest.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ernesto Cruz will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Cruz tries to clinch up but Reem circles away and keeps his distance.

Reem closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
What's Cruz going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
Ernesto Cruz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Reem working the head with strikes.

Reem looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Reem thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Reem throwing strikes but Cruz manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Cruz landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz cracks Reem with a big elbow.
Cruz landing a few strikes.
Cruz landing a few strikes.
Cruz trying to control the action but Reem is working from the bottom.
Cruz lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Reem down.

Reem is rocked!
Reem taking a bit of punishment here - Cruz scoring with strikes.
Oh Reem is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Cruz stands up and we're back to a striking position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Reem.
Cruz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Reem blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Reem misses the jab.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Reem circles away.
Cruz dodges the punch combination from Reem.

Cruz closes the distance looking for a takedown. Reem stuffs it but Cruz still has hold of him. Cruz picks Reem up in a fireman's lift! The crowd roars in approval. Cruz slams Reem to the floor and that's really hurt Reem - he doesn't know where he is! Cruz throws a couple of strikes and the referee steps in to save him! This one is in the books!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ernesto Cruz!
Ernesto Cruz is the new middleweight champion!