PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Albert Kane (ranked 4760 p4p, 4879 weight class) and Jason Cruz (ranked 564 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kane
vs
Cruz

187 cm
25
170
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
174
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Albert Kane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jason Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Russell Pearce and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kane shoots in and bounces Cruz off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Kane wants to stand but Cruz is controlling his posture from full guard.
Cruz has his hands on Kane's head, controlling the position.
Kane trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz has Kane pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kane won't allow Cruz to get back to his feet.
Cruz pulls Kane in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Kane pushes Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Cruz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kane prevents it.
Cruz will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Kane up against the cage.
Kane prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's two 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.
Cruz has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kane is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Albert Kane has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jason Cruz.

Cruz pulls guard successfully.
Cruz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cruz controlling the action here.
Kane trying to control but Cruz postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Kane tries to roll over but Cruz keeps him under control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kane wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kane is trying to stand up here but Cruz is controlling him well.
Kane is trying to get back to full guard.
Cruz is keen to just control but Kane is a slippery customer.
Kane wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Cruz sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Cruz closes the distance and clinches up with Kane, looking for a takedown. Cruz pushes Kane against the cage but Kane circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Kane looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Cruz wants to control the position but Kane says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Kane tries to stand and escape but Cruz is controlling the position.
Kane trying to pass the guard but Cruz defending well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cruz looks like he's trying to stand up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cruz can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kane working over Cruz with some ground and pound. Cruz looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Albert Kane 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.

Kane shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cruz is trying to defend but Kane finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Cruz is staying active underneath Kane, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cruz wants to control but Kane is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz has his hands clasped together around Kane's back. He's all about the action.
Albert Kane overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cruz trying to hold on to Kane's head to control him but Kane postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kane wants to take a breather but Cruz is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Kane is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cruz doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Kane.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Cruz wants to control but Kane is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kane lands a lovely overhand right.
Cruz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Kane is looking to counter the offense by Cruz and move into the clinch.

Kane manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Cruz on his heels. He'll look to pass Cruz's guard now, I'm sure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kane avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Cruz has a closed guard, preventing Kane from standing up.
Kane stands and throws Cruz's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Cruz tries to bench press Kane off him but Kane keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Kane is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cruz can do to turn this around?
Cruz is breathing heavily.
Kane lands a decent elbow from side control.
Kane tries to score with some ground and pound. Cruz controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Kane trying to control the position but Cruz is working away.
Kane is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Cruz is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Cruz struggling a bit here.

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.

Kane stands up.

Kane has managed to clinch.
Kane struggles to land a body shot inside as Cruz controls his hands.
Kane is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Kane is struggling to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Kane breaks the clinch.

Kane drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Albert Kane dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Nice sprawl there from Cruz as Kane shoots in.
Cruz stuffs the takedown attempt from Kane. Kane gets slowly back to his feet.
Kane tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And Cruz tries to counter it with a takedown but Kane pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Cruz shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Kane manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Kane is wriggling around but Cruz manages to pass to half guard.

Cruz passes to side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is continuing to stall.

Cruz swings around for an armbar but Kane sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Cruz's guard.
Kane throwing strikes but missing.
Cruz controlling Kane's posture.
Cruz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kane controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kane is looking to work some ground and pound but Cruz has wrist control.
Kane working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Cruz has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Kane trying to stand up but can't free himself from Cruz's guard.
Kane keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cruz's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kane loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kane trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Kane postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Kane looks for a takedown but Cruz sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Albert Kane. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kane lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Kane clinches.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Kane.
Kane is trying to pull guard but Cruz turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruz has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Kane clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Cruz slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Cruz struggling to keep hold of the position.
Cruz has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Kane's body.
Cruz is trying to stick to Kane's back but Kane is turning into Cruz. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Cruz's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Kane.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kane manages to get himself to full guard.

Jason Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Albert Kane is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cruz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cruz is fighting to break Kane's control of his arms but Kane is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

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 Albert Kane.
Well Kane 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:28
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Albert Kane!