PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cruz White (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hank Lombard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). White comes to the cage accompanied by ASAP Ferg - Dump Dump. Lombard has chosen Shinedown - Sound Of Madness as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

White
vs
Lombard

193 cm
27
209 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

190 cm
26
212 lbs
7 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cruz White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 1, fighting out of London, Hank Lombard!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Robert Douchet and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
White with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Lombard to score with a decent uppercut.
White throws a push kick but Lombard slaps the foot to one side.
White connects with a body shot that sends Lombard's belly button to the back.
Lombard attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Lombard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but White paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lombard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lombard throws a leg kick that is checked
and White cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lombard lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Lombard lands with an overhand left.
White is looking to chop away at Lombard's legs.
Lombard on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by White. White obviously looking to wear him down.
Lombard throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Lombard tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but White was well out of range. Poor timing from Lombard.
Lombard has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Both fighters circling a little - Lombard finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lombard, right into the meat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
White throws the kick towards the body but Lombard avoids it.
Lombard tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Lombard shoots in looking for a takedown but White manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lombard's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from White, right into the meat.
An inside leg kick lands from Lombard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White with a hook.
Lombard loads up on a big right hand but White slips the punch.
White cracks Lombard with an open hand slap.
White drops his hands momentarily and Lombard takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A solid body kick from White.
A low kick from White misses
and Lombard counters with a nice low kick that buckles White's knee momentarily.
White misses with a looping right.
Lombard takes a swing at White's ribcage but misses.
Lombard checks a low kick from White.
Lombard shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Lombard fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt White.
White lunges at Lombard with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Lombard's hand.
White lands with a straight right. Lombard didn't see that one coming.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lombard looks for the body kick but White saw that one coming.
Lombard scoring well with a low kick there.
That kick from Lombard tenderised White's leg. White is trying to keep his angry face on.
White moves out of range as Lombard throws a body kick.
White throws a lazy right hand but Lombard sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Lombard.
White cracks the inside of Lombard's front leg.
White 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.
Lombard stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from White.
Hank Lombard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lombard thows a left - swing and a miss!
Lombard closes this distance looking for a takedown but White circles away.
Lombard will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Lombard digs a good body shot into White's ribs.
White shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
White lands with a good body shot.
Lombard comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
White lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Lombard just misses with a punch to the body.
White takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Lombard takes a swing at White's ribcage but misses.
Lombard throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Lombard checks a leg kick nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Lombard to score with a decent uppercut.
White does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
White throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Lombard takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Lombard looks to score with a jab to the body but White is just out of range.
A slapping body kick lands there for White.
Lombard misses with a looping right.
Lombard thumps White with a low kick.
Lombard misses the shot to the body.
White is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

White pushes Lombard up against the cage in a clinch.
Lombard doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lombard goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Lombard.
White working aggressively here.
A nice right hand lands inside from Lombard.
Lombard blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
White misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lombard blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Lombard misses with some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
White lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Lombard backwards.
Lombard lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of White backwards.
Lombard working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Lombard wants a takedown but no success here.
Cruz White has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hank Lombard.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for White.
White tries a body shot but Lombard blocks it.
White tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A short right from Lombard on the inside.
White doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lombard scores with a hook to the body.
Lombard misses with a punch to the body.
White swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lombard lands a body shot.
White blocks an uppercut.
White is leaning against Lombard and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
White can't find room to land a body shot as Lombard controls the action.
Lombard tried to land a shot to the body but connects with White's elbow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lombard.
Lombard tries to work over White's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Lombard stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hank Lombard 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.

Lombard scores with a jab to the body.
Lombard takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
White blocks a leg kick.
Good shot there by White.
White throws out a leg kick but Lombard moves out of range and White only half commits.
Lombard thumps White with a low kick.
White just misses with a punch to the body.
Lombard misses with a body shot.
As Lombard backs away, White returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Lombard moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Lombard just misses with a punch to the body.
Lombard throws a jab but it's blocked by White.
Good standup being displayed there by Lombard as he connects with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
White chopping away at his opponent's legs.
White tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
White looks to throw the jab but Lombard is out of range.
It seemed like Lombard was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Lombard is looking to slow White down with leg kicks.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lombard, right into the meat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White lands with a nice body punch.
White avoids the body shot from Lombard.
Hank Lombard seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Lombard throws a right hand that White ducks under and follows up with a left that White also avoids with ease.
White is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Lombard swings and misses with a shot to the body
and White counters with an outside leg kick.
Lombard throws a hook but White avoids it easily.
Lombard feints and then cracks White's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow White down.
A nice leg kick lands there from Lombard.
White lands a nice looking body shot.
Lombard misses with a looping left.
Lombard displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as White throws out the jab.
A low kick from Lombard misses
and White counters with a leg kick.
White connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Lombard throws a leg kick
and White counters with a stiff right hand.
White checks the leg kick nicely there.
White throwing a counter right hand but Lombard manages to avoid it.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lombard's hands are dropping dangerously low here and White connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Lombard scrambles back to his feet.
Lombard throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
White takes a swing at Lombard's ribcage but misses.
Lombard let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
White lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by White.

It looks like Hank Lombard has been cut.
Lombard connects with a single shot there.
White throws a lazy right hand but Lombard sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Lombard lands a nice leg kick that just misses White's sensitive parts.
Lombard throws a lazy uppercut
and White counters with a thumping low kick.
White uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lombard.
Lombard turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
White connects with a solid leg kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Lombard, as that shot connected.
Lombard keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
White takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
White stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lombard.
Lombard wants to clinch up but White keeps it at a distance.
White moves out of range as Lombard throws a body kick.
Lombard lands a nice shot that snaps White's head back.
White wants to slow Lombard down by chopping away at his legs.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Lombard! But no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lombard swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
White scoring well with a low kick there.
White misses the shot to the body.
White scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
White throws a leg kick but Lombard checks it.
Lombard checks the leg kick.
White slips under a jab.
White blocks a jab.
White checks a leg kick nicely.
A slapping body kick lands there for Lombard.
Lombard jabs at White's body.
Lombard throws a chopping leg kick but White manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Lombard takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
White lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Lombard comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Lombard takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lombard tries to close the distance and clinch but White swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lombard ducks down and throws a hook to the body but White moves away.
Lombard lunges at White with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by White's hand.
White looks to score with a jab to the body but Lombard is just out of range.
White misses with a body shot.
Lombard lands a leg kick that knocks White off balance momentarily.

Lombard clinches up against the cage.
White blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
White misses with a hook to the ribs.
Lombard misses with some punches.
Lombard throws a head punch that misses.
Lombard tries to work over White's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Lombard goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A short right hand to the side of the head by White.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lombard lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Lombard goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Lombard struggles to land a body shot inside as White controls his hands.
White lands a body punch in the clinch.
White working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hank Lombard will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Hank Lombard's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

White pushes Lombard away with a front kick.
Lombard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but White paws at him with a jab and circles away.
It looked like White wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

White gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
White is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lombard trying to control the position from guard on top but White is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lombard looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White trying to control the position.
White keeping moving, preventing Lombard from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lombard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. White swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lombard is pushing down on White's leg trying to pass to half guard. White is fighting to maintain full guard but Lombard has managed to sneak the leg through.
Lombard is trying to control the action in half guard but White is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
White won't allow Lombard to pass to mount.
Lombard is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
White trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
White is looking to improve his position but Lombard isn't that keen on the idea.
White has given up his back here. Will Lombard look for the submission or keep pounding away?
White just trying to survive but Lombard is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Cruz White has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
White breaks Lombard's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Lombard controlling the position.
White wants to stand but Lombard has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lombard keeping moving, preventing White from controlling successfully.
White pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lombard is keeping the position for now.
White throwing strikes from guard but Lombard blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White passes Lombard's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
White not landing any meaningful shots this time.
White trying to control the pace.
Hank Lombard is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Lombard is controlling White's trapped leg to prevent White from advancing to side control.
Lombard keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lombard blocking the ground and pound attempt from White.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lombard avoiding damage under a succession of punches from White.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
White tries to land a front kick but Lombard steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Lombard tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but White defends well and Lombard ends up having to push White into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Cruz White.
Well Lombard has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Hank Lombard!
Hank Lombard seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
Cruz White spoke after the fight, saying 'Rematch?'.