PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Jones (ranked 6494 p4p, 529 weight class) and Taka Cruise (ranked 7280 p4p, 549 weight class). Taka Cruise told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Jones
vs
Cruise

183 cm
21
178 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

173 cm
22
176 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ricky Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taka Cruise!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Bruno Lombardi and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cruise looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Jones shoots in for a takedown but Cruise shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Jones.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jones changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cruise tries to avoid it but Jones manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cruise to the ground. Cruise escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Jones.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Cruise defends well and Jones ends up having to push Cruise into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Jones has a takedown stuffed.
Cruise is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Jones with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cruise. Jones does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cruise will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Jones blocks a low kick nicely.
Jones has a takedown stuffed.
Cruise looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A punch lands to the side of Jones 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt.
Jones shoots and misses
and Cruise counters with a nice body shot.
Cruise fails to land with a series of punches.
Taka Cruise is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cruise paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cruise lands with an overhand left.
Jones avoids the head kick by Cruise.
Jones tries to counter with a takedown but Cruise is quick to defend against it.
Jones shoots in for a takedown but Cruise shows good takedown defense.
Jones dives in for a single leg takedown but Cruise sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Cruise now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Jones takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cruise misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
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!
Cruise throws a head kick but Jones moves out of range.
Cruise misses with a body kick.
Jones avoids the head kick by Cruise.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cruise as he jumps to the side.
Cruise tries a head kick but it misses.

Jones throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Cruise was covering up waiting for the punch and Jones finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Cruise is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Jones makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Jones trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruise keeping moving, preventing Jones from controlling successfully.
Cruise avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones sitting in guard here, content to control.
Jones throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cruise works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cruise really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Jones. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Jones loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Jones definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Jones makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Jones trying to control but Cruise is working from the bottom.

Jones thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Jones trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruise is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jones with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jones throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taka Cruise 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.

Nice jab there from Cruise.
Jones goes for a double leg but Cruise avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Cruise continues to drive forward.
Jones fails to land the takedown.
Despite the aggression on Cruise's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Taka Cruise seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruise lands a body shot.
Cruise tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Jones misses with a takedown attempt
and Jones takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruise scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Taka Cruise seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cruise stalks Jones and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Jones's face. Jones staggers backwards, shaken.
Cruise misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones blocks a head kick by Cruise.

Jones shoots in and gets a takedown into Cruise's guard.
Cruise is wriggling around but Jones manages to pass to half guard.

Jones thows a huge punch but Cruise dodges it nicely.
Jones takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Cruise tries to kick Jones off but Jones keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Jones throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Jones is looking to advance position but Cruise won't allow it.
Jones 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.
Jones controlling the pace.

Jones looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruise avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Jones.
Cruise felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Jones working over Cruise with some ground and pound. Cruise looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Jones looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Cruise with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Jones is nestled in close to Cruise, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Jones is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jones landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Jones working Cruise over with strikes.
Ricky Jones overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruise has hold of Jones's hands but Jones slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Jones trying to mount his opponent but Cruise defends it.
Jones drops an elbow to the side of Cruise's head.
Jones wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cruise keeps working.
Jones keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Jones scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Jones looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Jones lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Jones stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruise is trying to stand back up but Jones is controlling him
Cruise has hold of Jones's hands but Jones slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruise taking some punishment here, with Jones in his half guard.
Jones slows the pace down in half guard.
Jones working Cruise over with strikes.
Jones wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cruise keeps working.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Jones in particular looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Jones dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Jones shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Cruise counters with a three punch combo that has Jones backing up. Jones nods at Cruise to acknowledge the strikes.
Cruise throws a wild body kick that Jones sees coming a mile off.
Jones tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Cruise defends well and Jones ends up having to push Cruise into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Taka Cruise is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruise misses with a straight right.
Jones tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Cruise defends well and Jones ends up having to push Cruise into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruise displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Jones.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones darts in looking for a takedown but Cruise gets double underhooks and turns Jones into the cage.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Jones.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruise misses with a head kick.
Cruise works the jab nicely.
Jones goes for a double leg but Cruise avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Cruise continues to drive forward.
Jones closes the distance and clinches up with Cruise, looking for a takedown. Jones pushes Cruise against the cage but Cruise circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cruise stuffs the takedown.
Cruise slaps away a takedown attempt from Jones, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruise scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Cruise lands a jab to the nose.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cruise looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Cruise throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Cruise leaves Jones with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Cruise doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Cruise connects with a crisp jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruise bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Jones's head backwards.

Cruise drops Jones with a beautiful combination! Jones stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Cruise is looking for the KO!

Jones is rocked!

It looks like Ricky Jones has been cut.
Jones shoots in for a takedown but Cruise shows good takedown defense.
Cruise lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Oh Jones is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Jones shoots in for a takedown but Cruise shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cruise tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones takes a jab right on the kisser.
Jones takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Cruise drops Jones with a big left hand! Jones is injured, injured bad! Cruise jumps in and finished him with strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Taka Cruise!