PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bobby Cruz (ranked 6129 p4p, 5015 weight class) and Archie Laird (ranked 627 p4p, 563 weight class). The key to victory for Bobby Cruz has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Cruz
vs
Laird

193 cm
25
218
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
211
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Bobby Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Archie Laird!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Dirk Anderson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Laird closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Cruz quickly recovers to half guard.

Cruz kicks off Laird and gets to his feet.
Laird slips under a jab from Cruz.
Cruz thuds a left hand into Laird's body.
Cruz definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Laird misses with a straight left.
A shot to the body from Cruz misses

and Laird counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Laird throwing strikes from guard but Cruz blocks nicely.
Laird has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cruz is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Laird controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cruz is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Laird from controlling successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Laird is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Laird displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cruz throws out the jab.
Cruz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cruz sets himself, and Laird steps forward looking for the clinch! Cruz avoids it this time.
Laird tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cruz swivels and escapes.
Laird keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cruz misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laird takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A jab from Laird misses.
Laird is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cruz.
Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Laird finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Cruz misses with a body shot.
Cruz listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Laird fails with a takedown attempt.
Laird uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cruz.
Laird misses with a low kick.
Laird tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cruz swivels and escapes.
Cruz went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Bobby Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Archie Laird.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Laird uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cruz.
Bobby Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Laird fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cruz manages to avoid it.
Archie Laird seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Cruz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cruz throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cruz is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Laird gets a takedown into half guard.
Laird is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Cruz trying to control from the bottom.
Laird is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Laird lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Laird lands a nice short elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is looking to improve his position.
Laird throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Laird throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Laird is trying to control. Cruz wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Laird works his way into full mount!
Cruz in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby 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.

Cruz misses with a double jab.
Laird darts in looking for a takedown but Cruz gets double underhooks and turns Laird into the cage.
Laird defending well as Cruz loads up on a big left hand.
Bobby Cruz is winning the standup battle so far.
Sloppy strikes from Cruz. Those never looked like landing.
Cruz is looking to wear down Laird with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Laird shoots in but no luck this time.
Cruz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Laird manages to avoid it.
Laird avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Laird changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Laird shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cruz sprawls well. Cruz wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Laird gets slowly back to his feet.
Bobby Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Archie Laird.
Cruz misses with a two punch combination.
Laird feints the counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laird tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cruz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A counter left hand to the body from Cruz misses its target.

Laird looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Laird is controlling the pace.
Cruz on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Cruz tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laird working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Laird is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ground and pound from Laird.

Laird is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Cruz has managed to free his arm - good work.
Cruz pushes Laird off looking to stand but Laird dives back in and keeps control.

That's two 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.
Laird content to control rather than advance.
Cruz wants to improve his position but Laird is controlling well.
Laird passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Cruz!
Laird is landing with some decent strikes but Cruz is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Archie Laird has got the better of the ground game so far.
BOOM! Laird connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Laird scoring with strikes but Cruz is staying in there.

Laird looking for a guillotine from mount but Cruz is having none of it.
Laird with good strikes from the mount here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laird content just to control the position here.
Cruz keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Laird landing strikes from the mount.
Laird lands with some strikes.
Laird controlling from mount.
Laird putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Cruz knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Laird on the ground.
Laird lands a heavy elbow.
Laird lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laird landing shots from mount.
Cruz in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

It looks like Bobby Cruz has been cut.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Laird scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cruz taking shots to the head.

Cruz is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Laird postures up and throws a couple of big shots that have Cruz in real trouble here! The ref calls for Cruz to improve his position which he doesn't do, so the referee has no choice but to end the fight due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Archie Laird!
During a confident post fight interview, Archie Laird thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Bobby Cruz was interviewed post fight and said 'Shame on me losing in my own home'.