PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Philip Driver (ranked 1522 p4p, 1459 weight class) and Bobby Cruz (ranked 230 p4p, 222 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Bobby Cruz was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Driver
vs
Cruz

188 cm
26
211
5 - 4 - 0

193 cm
26
218
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Philip Driver!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Bobby Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Bart Greer and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Driver throws a predictable looking body shot
and Cruz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nice jab there from Driver.
Driver looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Cruz avoids the body shot from Driver.
Driver lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A shot to the body from Cruz misses
and Driver counters with a left to the body.
Cruz misses with the combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice defenses there by Driver.
Cruz throws a lazy right hand but Driver sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cruz throws a lazy right hand but Driver sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Driver throws out a loose jab but Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Driver scores with a jab to the jaw.
Driver throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cruz throws a right hand that misses
and Driver counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Cruz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Driver is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Cruz swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Driver counters with a stiff right hand.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Driver throws a hook but Cruz avoids it easily.
Driver thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a sloppy body shot
and Driver counters with a straight right hand.
Cruz misses with a left hand
and Driver makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Driver slips a jab and a cross from Cruz.
Cruz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cruz swings widly with a right hand
and Driver counters with a series of strikes. Cruz will be more careful next time no doubt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sloppy strikes from Driver. Those never looked like landing.
Driver digs a good body shot into Cruz's ribs.
Bobby Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Driver misses with a straight left.
Cruz looks to land a right hand but Driver moved out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Cruz misses its intended target.
Cruz takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Driver avoids the body shot from Cruz.
Driver went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Cruz throws a right and a left that Driver avoids nicely.
Driver lands with a nice body punch.
Cruz misses with a body punch
and Driver counters with a left and a right that stings Cruz.
Driver misses with a straight right.
Cruz moves away from the strike by Driver.
Driver cracks Cruz with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

It looks like Bobby Cruz has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Driver ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Driver scores with a nice strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Driver cracks Cruz with a right hand to the side of the head.
Driver takes a swing at Cruz's ribcage but misses.
Cruz misses with a looping right.
Nice jab there from Driver.
Driver lands a slapping body shot.
Driver looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Philip Driver dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bobby Cruz's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Cruz bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Driver's head.
Driver lands a nice shot to the body.
Driver tests Cruz's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Driver takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Cruz uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Driver has time to react.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Driver lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Cruz at a distance.
Driver throws a lazy uppercut
and Cruz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cruz throws a body punch but Driver moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Driver throws a series of punches but Cruz avoids them all with ease.
Cruz just misses with a punch to the body.
Cruz misses with a right hand
and Driver counters with a straight right hand.
Cruz takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A jab lands there for Driver.
Driver jabs Cruz to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Driver moves away.
It looked like Driver wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Driver takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
We've been informed that Cruz has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Driver.
Cruz misses with a series of wild punches.
Driver is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Driver misses with a body shot.
Cruz falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cruz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Driver misses with a wild body shot.
A big right from Driver misses.
Cruz swinging wildly here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Driver throws a lazy uppercut
and Cruz counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Bobby Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Driver steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
The crowd cheers as Driver lands an impressive looking overhand right. Cruz doesn't seem phased though.

That has opened up Bobby Cruz's cut even more.
Driver bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Driver tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruz was well out of range. Poor timing from Driver.
Driver uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Driver.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Cruz! But no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Driver connects with a body shot that sends Cruz's belly button to the back.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Driver moves away.
Driver throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A countering left hand to the body from Cruz misses.
Driver scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Cruz doesn't seem bothered though.
Driver cracks Cruz with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Cruz fails to land with a series of punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz misses with a straight left.
Cruz misses with a looping left.
Driver appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Philip Driver dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bobby Cruz's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Cruz throws a body shot but no joy.
A shot to the body from Cruz misses
and Driver counters with a nice uppercut.
Driver misses with a lunging right hand
letting Cruz counter with a right hand.
Driver moves out of range of the strikes.
Driver keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cruz uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Driver tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruz was well out of range. Poor timing from Driver.
Cruz throws a body punch but Driver moves out of range.
Cruz swings for the body but Driver moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Driver misses
and Cruz counters with a nice uppercut.
Driver throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Driver connects with a nice looking jab.
Driver lands a slapping body shot.
Cruz connects with the punch.
Cruz throws a combination that misses
letting Driver counter with a right hand.
Cruz throws a poor cross that misses
and Driver counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

The cut above Bobby Cruz's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Cruz throws a left and a right that both miss
and Driver counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Cruz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Driver defending well as Cruz loads up on a big left hand.
Cruz misses with a hook.
A decent looking cross lands there for Cruz.
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!
Driver scores with a shot to the body.
Cruz swings away with a body shot that misses
and Cruz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Driver slips under a jab from Cruz.
Cruz throws a series of punches but Driver avoids them all with ease.
Driver misses with a two punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Driver misses with a wild body shot.
Driver scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Cruz uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Driver.
Cruz takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cruz misses with a straight left.
Driver takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Driver connects with a single shot there.
Driver lunges at Cruz with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Cruz's hand.

Bobby Cruz's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Driver manages to avoid it.
Philip Driver is winning the standup battle so far.
Driver throws a hook to the side of Cruz's head but Cruz sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
It seemed like Cruz was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

Driver cracks Cruz with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Driver has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Cruz to stand back up!
Bobby Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Cruz is rocked!

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Bobby Cruz's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Philip Driver!
During a confident post fight interview, Philip Driver thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
In defeat, Bobby Cruz stepped up to the mic, saying 'Shame on me losing in my own home'.