PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Guillermo Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz comes to the cage accompanied by My Way - Limpbizkit. Rafael Cruz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cruz
vs
Mendez

186 cm
24
185 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

185 cm
21
185 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Self confident

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Knockout power

Sun-Tzu

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Guillermo Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Sergei Dronov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mendez is trying to counter with his kicks.
Mendez slips a straight right by Cruz.
Cruz works the jab nicely.
Mendez swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cruz counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mendez misses with a low kick.
Cruz looks to land a left hand but Mendez moved out of range nicely.
Cruz throws a lazy right hand but Mendez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A jab from Cruz misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice defenses there by Mendez.
Mendez closes the distance and clinches up with Cruz, looking for a takedown. Mendez pushes Cruz against the cage but Cruz circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cruz throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mendez sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Cruz feints and as Mendez raises his hands in defense, Cruz changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz pushing down on Mendez's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Mendez is looking to escape.
Cruz passes to full mount!
Mendez is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Cruz controlling the position easily from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendez is looking to improve his position but Cruz isn't that keen on the idea.
Cruz can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mendez is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz controlling his opponent.
Cruz's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Mendez is trying desperately to improve position.
Cruz controlling the position easily from mount.
Mendez's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Cruz is really struggling to control Mendez but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Mendez is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Mendez tries to hold on but Cruz postures up.
Cruz tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Cruz looking to control but Mendez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Mendez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Mendez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Cruz tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mendez tries to reverse the position but Cruz maintains control.
Mendez is squirming around, avoiding Cruz's attempts to control the action.
Mendez wants to try and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Cruz dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cruz swings widly with a right hand
and Mendez counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Cruz thinking.
Cruz misses with a straight left.
Guillermo Mendez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz misses with a right hand
and Mendez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cruz connects with a right hand. Mendez shakes it off.
Mendez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cruz looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Cruz looks to throw the jab but Mendez is out of range.
Cruz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mendez tries to avoid it but Cruz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mendez to the ground. Mendez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendez lands with an overhand left.
Cruz throws a looping overhand right but Mendez ducks down to avoid it.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt
and Mendez counters with a nice body shot.
Cruz throws a hook but Mendez blocks it.
Rafael Cruz is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Mendez.
Mendez throws a nice looking combination but Cruz bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cruz throws a hook but Mendez blocks it.
Mendez unleashes a big counter combination but Cruz bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Cruz rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Cruz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mendez can do to turn this around?

Cruz has managed to clinch.
Cruz misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cruz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mendez's efforts to push away.
Still in the clinch, Cruz scores with a nice short uppercut.
Mendez is trying to push Cruz away but Cruz has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Mendez wants to get back to striking at distance but Cruz won't allow it.
Cruz tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cruz misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Mendez breaks the clinch.
Mendez lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Cruz moves into the clinch successfully.
Cruz being controlled against the cage.
Mendez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mendez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Cruz walks away with a smile on his face. Mendez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Cruz is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mendez moves out of range as Cruz strikes.
Cruz feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Mendezs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Mendez throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rafael Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rafael Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Mendez to counter with a crisp jab.
Mendez misses with a jab, cross combination.
A little feinted left hand from Cruz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Cruz misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cruz has Mendez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Mendez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Cruz is trying to trip Mendez. He has hold of a leg but Mendez is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Cruz persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Cruz prevents Mendez from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mendez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cruz is controlling him.
Mendez is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Cruz dives into side control.
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.
Mendez is trying to get back to his feet.
Cruz tries to advance to mount but can't.
Mendez tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Mendez is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Cruz can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mendez is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Cruz dominated that second round.
That's time! Cruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Cruz throws a looping overhand right but Mendez ducks down to avoid it.
Mendez throws a body kick that misses
and Cruz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cruz misses with a hook.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mendez looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Cruz throws a lazy uppercut
and Mendez counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Cruz misses with a right hand
and Mendez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mendez closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Cruz quickly recovers to half guard.
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!
Mendez wants to get back to his feet.

Mendez is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez trying to advance position but Cruz counters by regaining guard.
Mendez throws a big elbow that misses.
Mendez postures up in Cruz's guard and throws a big left but Cruz blocks it.
Cruz has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Mendez wants to pass the guard but Cruz is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Mendez throws a big elbow that misses.
Rafael Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mendez wants to pass the guard but Cruz is keeping the position.

Mendez drops back, looking for a kneebar! Cruz looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Cruz looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Cruz!

Cruz trying to control the action but Mendez is working from the bottom.
Cruz controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez is not content to let Cruz control the position.
Mendez wants to get back to his feet.
Mendez can't do much from the bottom here.
Mendez is not content to let Cruz control the position.
Mendez is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Cruz has just dragged him back down to the mat.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Mendez is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mendez throws a combination. Cruz tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Cruz misses with a hook. Mendez ducked under it nicely.
Mendez unleashes a big counter combination but Cruz bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Mendez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cruz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mendez defending well as Cruz loads up on a big left hand.
Mendez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
An attempted straight right counter from Cruz misses the target.
Mendez has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Mendez looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Cruz misses the jab.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz scores with the left hand. Mendez knows he should have avoided that one.
Cruz looks to land a right hand but Mendez moved out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Guillermo Mendez.
I think Cruz has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafael Cruz!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Rafael Cruz made sure he mentioned Sun-Tzu, along with how happy he was to win his fight.