PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Paolo Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ramberto Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ramberto Cruz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Souza
vs
Cruz

193 cm
19
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
229 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paolo Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ramberto Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Alexandre Firmino and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Souza shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Souza was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Cruz working to try and regain half guard.
Cruz regains half guard.
Cruz manages to get to full guard.
Cruz looking for a sweep. Not yet Cruz, not yet.
Souza passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Cruz is trying to control Souza's posture but Souza avoids it.
Cruz is looking to reverse the position.
Souza controls the position.
Cruz is trying to control Souza's posture but Souza avoids it.
Souza creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza controlling from side mount.
Cruz can't do much from the bottom here.
Souza has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Cruz bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Souza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cruz wants to stand but Souza is controlling his posture from full guard.
Cruz preventing the sweep.

Souza uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Cruz avoids the body shot from Souza.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Souza gets a takedown into half guard.
Souza is breathing heavily.
Souza lands with a punch from half guard.
Cruz should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Cruz makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cruz.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Souza's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Souza is stalling in the full guard.

Souza avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Souza sitting in guard here, content to control.
Souza postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Cruz wants to get back to his feet but Souza is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Souza gets to his feet. Cruz looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Souza throws a series of punches but Cruz moves out of range.
Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cruz with a poor takedown

and Souza decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Cruz's guard.
Cruz controls Souza momentarily but Souza frees himself.
Souza is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Souza is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Cruz has momentary wrist control but Souza slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza wants to stand but Cruz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cruz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Souza wants to pass the guard but Cruz is keeping the position.
Souza landing with the ground and pound.
Souza postures up.
Cruz has momentary wrist control but Souza slips an elbow through the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Souza trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Souza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cruz looking for a sweep. Not yet Cruz, not yet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Souza wanted to stand there but Cruz had control of the position.

Cruz looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Cruz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paolo Souza dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Souza bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cruz is looking for a sweep.
Souza landing a few strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz wants to control but Souza postures up.
Cruz manages to get back to half guard.
Souza winds up and cracks Cruz with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Souza working Cruz over with strikes.
Cruz is trying to get back to full guard.

Souza stands up and beckons Cruz to join him on the feet.
Souza pivots, looking for a leg kick but Cruz is out of range and Souza settles back down.
Cruz shoots and misses

and Souza counters by moving into the clinch.

Souza has picked Cruz up - he's going for a ride! Souza dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cruz is trying to control but can't.
Souza tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Cruz makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cruz.
Souza scoring with some ground and pound.
Souza wants to pass the guard but Cruz is keeping the position.
Souza is working hard here to advance position.
Souza lands a couple of elbows.
Souza knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cruz on the ground.
Souza lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Souza sitting in guard here, content to control.
Paolo Souza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Souza postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Souza chips away with some ground and pound.
Souza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Souza postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Souza connects with a couple of short punches.

It looks like Ramberto Cruz has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza stands up over Cruz, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Souza makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Souza working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Cruz is rocked!

Cruz has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Souza can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Souza looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cruz is on top in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Souza keeps moving.
Cruz passes Souza's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Souza is refusing to be controlled, as Cruz sits in half guard.

Cruz is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Souza is doing well to control the position and prevent Cruz from advancing to side control.

Cruz is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Souza is refusing to be controlled, as Cruz sits in half guard.
Souza is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Cruz jumps into side control!
Cruz advances to full mount.
Souza is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Souza defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Cruz.
Souza wants to control but Cruz is having none of it.
Cruz is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Souza bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Souza tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.
Cruz looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Souza puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Souza keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Cruz moves into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paolo Souza dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ramberto Cruz's cut.
That's time! Souza's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Souza misses with an uppercut.
Souza misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.

Souza closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Souza is nestled in close to Cruz, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Souza scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Souza wants to control but Cruz is keeping him busy.
Cruz regains full guard. Nicely done.
Cruz trying to control the position.
Cruz wants to sweep here but Souza controlling him for the moment.
Souza postures up.
Souza has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Cruz is proving hard to escape from.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz trying to keep a closed guard but Souza is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Souza wants to clinch up but Cruz keeps it at a distance.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt

and Souza counters by moving into the clinch.
Souza slows down the pace here.

Souza gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Cruz moves into full guard.
Souza is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Souza working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Cruz's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza landing with the ground and pound.
Souza is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Souza controls from within his opponent's guard.
Souza has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Souza working some strikes from top position.
Souza stands up over Cruz, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Souza not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza connects with a couple of short punches.
Souza looking to pass the guard.

Cruz isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Souza stacks 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 Souza!
Souza laying and praying for a moment but Cruz takes advantage and regains half guard.
Cruz manages to get to full guard.

Cruz has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Souza can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Souza won't allow Cruz to get back to his feet.

Cruz is looking for a triangle but Souza pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Cruz's head.
Souza lands a couple of elbows.
Souza chips away with some ground and pound.
Souza looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Souza working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Cruz's head.

Souza decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Cruz, up you get!
Souza digs a good hook to Cruz's body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Souza is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Souza has Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Ramberto Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cruz trying to land knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paolo Souza showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Souza has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paolo Souza!