PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Humberto Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zachariah Wayne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz comes to the cage accompanied by Deja Vu. Wayne is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Open your eyes before you die!. This should be fireworks!

Cruz
vs
Wayne

170 cm
34
165 lbs
29 - 14 - 5

184 cm
31
166 lbs
18 - 8 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

GREEN!

CEC Nutrition Q160
LOD: Affordable Quality

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 29 - 14 - 5, fighting out of London, Humberto Cruz!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Zachariah Wayne!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wayne lands a nice shot that snaps Cruz's head back.
Nice uppercut there from Wayne.
A shot to the liver by Wayne. Beautiful body shot.
Wayne uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cruz.
Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Wayne.
Wayne misses with a straight left.
Wayne stuns Cruz with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Wayne lands a jab to the head.
Wayne swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cruz.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Wayne misses with a wild body shot.

Cruz closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Wayne is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Cruz's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Cruz content to control rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz is keen to just control but Wayne is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Cruz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Wayne keeps working.
Wayne has his hands clasped together around Cruz's back. He's all about the action.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Humberto Cruz wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Wayne chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Wayne sizes up Cruz with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wayne thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cruz takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Wayne misses with a hook. Cruz ducked under it nicely.
Wayne misses with a straight right.
Cruz keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Zachariah Wayne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz lands a nice leg kick that just misses Wayne's sensitive parts.
Wayne is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Wayne lands a jab.
Cruz throws a jab when Wayne was well out of range.
Wayne swings for the body but Cruz moves out of range.
Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wayne tests Cruz's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Wayne has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Wayne throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wayne lands a jab to Cruz's midsection.
Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wayne swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cruz needs to keep his hands up - Wayne had a free shot at his head there.
Wayne uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cruz.
Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wayne throws a combination that misses

and Cruz counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Wayne's guard now.
Cruz advances position into side control!
Cruz trying to control the position but Wayne is working away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz gets to mount! Wayne was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wayne is squirming around, avoiding Cruz's attempts to control the action.
Cruz misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Cruz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Wayne tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Wayne sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zachariah Wayne dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cruz shoots in and gets a takedown into Wayne's guard.

Wayne has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Cruz can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Cruz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Wayne is keeping the position for now.
Humberto Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Wayne has wrist control.
Wayne looking to control.
Cruz preventing the sweep.
Wayne keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wayne has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Wayne tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cruz throwing strikes from guard but Wayne blocks nicely.
Wayne controlling Cruz's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Zachariah Wayne.
Wayne throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wayne jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zachariah Wayne seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Wayne misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
Cruz tries a low kick but Wayne avoids it.
Wayne closes the distance and clinches up with Cruz, looking for a takedown. Wayne pushes Cruz against the cage but Cruz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cruz moves out of range as Wayne strikes.

Cruz closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Wayne to the mat! Wayne manages to get full guard.
Cruz might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cruz forces his way into half guard.
Cruz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cruz missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Wayne does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Wayne's head.
Wayne blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cruz.
Cruz is pressing down on Wayne's thigh, looking to free his foot. Wayne is holding on for now.
Wayne trying to control from the bottom.
Cruz has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Cruz is working for a kimura but Wayne is defending it quite comfortably.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Wayne's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is taking a breather. Wayne 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 has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Wayne is refusing to be controlled, as Cruz sits in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wayne wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Humberto Cruz dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Wayne throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Wayne misses with a low kick.
Wayne ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
Wayne scores with a jab to the head.
Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Wayne.
Cruz lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Cruz looks for a takedown but Wayne sprawls well.
Wayne connects with a body shot.
Cruz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Wayne dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Cruz. That did some damage!
Wayne misses with a low kick.
Cruz lands a leg kick that knocks Wayne off balance momentarily.
Cruz thows a body shot but no joy.
Cruz avoids the body shot from Wayne.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Wayne swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Wayne throws a jab but it's blocked by Cruz.
Wayne sizes up Cruz with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Wayne throws a jab but it's blocked by Cruz.
Cruz scores with a spinning back kick!
Wayne checks a low kick from Cruz.
Wayne misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Wayne.
An inside leg kick from Cruz misses.
Wayne connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Wayne takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

It looks like Zachariah Wayne has been cut.
Cruz misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wayne tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruz was well out of range. Poor timing from Wayne.
Wayne misses with a looping left.
Cruz keeps the fight on the outside.
Wayne throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cruz on the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A punch combination from Wayne misses.
Wayne fails with the takedown.
Cruz tried to score with a low kick but Wayne checks it.
Cruz misses the jab.
Wayne misses with a wild body shot.
Cruz looks to score with a jab to the body but Wayne is just out of range.
Wayne lands an overhand right.
Cruz misses with a wild body shot.
Wayne swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wayne takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Cruz looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cruz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cruz slips under a jab from Wayne.
Jab by Wayne.
Cruz feints and then cracks Wayne's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Wayne down.
Wayne throws a hook but Cruz blocks it.
Nice uppercut there from Cruz.
Wayne misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
Wayne throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nice body punch from Wayne.
Wayne scores with a jab to the jaw.
Cruz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wayne on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A chopping leg kick lands by Wayne.
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!
Wayne jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Cruz scores with a spinning back kick!
Wayne is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cruz.
Wayne takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Nice shot lands for Wayne.
Cruz lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Wayne fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Wayne avoids the body shot from Cruz.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cruz pushes Wayne away with a front kick.
Wayne takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wayne misses with a low kick.
Cruz takes a swing at Wayne's ribcage but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Humberto Cruz did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The cut man is working on Zachariah Wayne's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cruz smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Wayne throws a hook but Cruz blocks it.
Wayne throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Wayne swings for the body but Cruz moves out of range.
Cruz scores with a hook.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Wayne.
Cruz gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Cruz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Wayne takes a swing at Cruz's ribcage but misses.
Nice defenses there by Cruz.
Cruz misses with a wild body shot.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Cruz, as that shot connected.
Cruz misses with a hook
and Wayne counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wayne throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.
Cruz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cruz on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Cruz cracks Wayne with an open hand slap.
Cruz lands with a right hand.
Cruz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruz bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Cruz chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Cruz slips a jab and a cross from Wayne.
Wayne has his takedown stuffed

and Cruz counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wayne is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wayne trying to control from the bottom.

Cruz seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Wayne is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:32 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Humberto Cruz!
Humberto Cruz retains his lightweight title!
After winning the bout, Humberto Cruz thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.