PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Knight (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felix De La Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Felix De La Cruz is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Knight
vs
De La Cruz

165 cm
22
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

167 cm
23
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aaron Knight!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Felix De La Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

De La Cruz looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Knight!
Knight is not content to let De La Cruz control the position.
Knight tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but De La Cruz wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
De La Cruz laying and praying for a moment but Knight takes advantage and regains half guard.
Knight keeps control of the position for the meantime.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
De La Cruz is trying to control. Knight wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knight has a hand on De La Cruz's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. De La Cruz takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Knight reaches up and holds on to De La Cruz to control the position.
Knight avoids a series of strikes thrown by De La Cruz.
Knight is looking to get to half guard.
Knight wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by De La Cruz.
Knight is squirming around, avoiding De La Cruz's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
De La Cruz throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
De La Cruz thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Knight is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
De La Cruz wants to control the pace but Knight is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De La Cruz is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Knight tries to get back to half guard but can't.
De La Cruz manages to capitalize on a mistake by Knight to take his back!
A lull in the action here.
De La Cruz keeps control of the position as Knight tries to break free.

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.
De La Cruz biding his time, looking for the opening.

De La Cruz looking to break Knight's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Knight remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise De La Cruz will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

Knight defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.

De La Cruz isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Knight stacks De La Cruz on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Knight!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
De La Cruz manages to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felix De La Cruz dominated that 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.

De La Cruz tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Knight defends well and De La Cruz ends up having to push Knight into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Knight is looking to counter punch.
Knight lands a high kick!
De La Cruz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
De La Cruz tries for a takedown but Knight sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
De La Cruz swats away the attempt to clinch by Knight.

De La Cruz moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knight holding his opponent close, against the cage.

De La Cruz breaks the clinch.
De La Cruz scores with a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from De La Cruz.
Knight is looking to counter the offense by De La Cruz and move into the clinch.
Aaron Knight has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felix De La Cruz.
Knight misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Felix De La Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Knight stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Knight wants it to stay on the feet.
De La Cruz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Knight sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Knight changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
De La Cruz shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Knight but Knight pushes him off and we're back to square one.
De La Cruz looks for a takedown but Knight sprawls well.
A counter left hand to the body from Knight misses its target.
De La Cruz is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
De La Cruz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Knight takes the fight into the clinch.
Knight tries to pull guard but De La Cruz won't allow it.
De La Cruz jumps guard but Knight stands there with De La Cruz around his waist. De La Cruz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Knight jumps into guard, dragging De La Cruz to the mat.
De La Cruz tries to free his leg and advance position but Knight is retaining full guard.
De La Cruz controls from within his opponent's guard.
Knight has his hands on De La Cruz's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De La Cruz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Knight controlling the position.
De La Cruz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
De La Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Knight is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Knight keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
De La Cruz tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Knight defends well and De La Cruz ends up having to push Knight into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
De La Cruz tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Knight counters with a stiff right hand.
Knight lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
De La Cruz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
De La Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
De La Cruz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
De La Cruz with a lazy takedown attempt
and Knight counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps De La Cruz thinking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Knight dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Knight throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Aaron Knight is winning the standup battle so far.
Knight keeps the fight on the outside.

De La Cruz looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
De La Cruz trying to control but Knight is working from the bottom.

Knight looking for submissions from the bottom but instead De La Cruz passes into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knight keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

De La Cruz is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Knight wants to improve his position but De La Cruz is controlling well.
Knight is positioning himself well to prevent De La Cruz advancing to mount.
De La Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Knight is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
De La Cruz looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
De La Cruz is looking to advance position but Knight won't allow it.
Knight desperately trying to maintain half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

De La Cruz throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Knight tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. De La Cruz is in Knight's guard.

Knight has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes De La Cruz off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

De La Cruz feints and as Knight raises his hands in defense, De La Cruz changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
De La Cruz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Knight keeping moving, preventing De La Cruz from controlling successfully.
Knight looking to hit a scissor sweep but De La Cruz is one step ahead there.
Knight is pulling down on De La Cruz's head to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De La Cruz controlling from the top position.
De La Cruz wants to pass the guard but Knight is keeping the position.
Felix De La Cruz has got the better of the ground game so far.
De La Cruz is looking to stand up but Knight won't let him.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
De La Cruz won't allow Knight to sweep him here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

And that's the end of the fight!
Felix De La Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think De La Cruz has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Felix De La Cruz!