PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Renoa Gracie (ranked 137 p4p, 335 weight class) and Pablo Cruz (ranked 20 p4p, 44 weight class). Cruz has chosen Daddy Yankee / Gasolina as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gracie
vs
Cruz

166 cm
26
145
8 - 2 - 1

178 cm
26
150
10 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

HELLBENT
Carnage Clothing

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Renoa Gracie!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pablo Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Anthony Taglia and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cruz.
Cruz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gracie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cruz avoids it really well and circles away.
Cruz looks to land a left hand but Gracie moved out of range nicely.
Cruz digs a good body shot into Gracie's ribs.
Cruz throws a low kick but Gracie moves out of range easily.
Gracie tries to counter with a takedown but Cruz is quick to defend against it.
Cruz misses with a hook. Gracie ducked under it nicely.
Cruz lands with an uppercut that bounces Gracie off the cage and back into range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Cruz.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Gracie seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Cruz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Cruz.
A big left from Cruz misses.
Cruz lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz works Gracie's body with a nice hook.
Pablo Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
A big left from Cruz misses.
Cruz swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gracie drops down looking for a counter takedown but Cruz sprawls and moves away.
Cruz has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Gracie is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Donk. Cruz catches Gracie right on the button with a cross.
Cruz throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Cruz thows a left - swing and a miss!
A jab from Cruz misses.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cruz is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Cruz circles away and we're back to standing.
Cruz throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
Cruz slips a straight right by Gracie.

Gracie moves into the clinch.
Gracie blocks an uppercut.
Cruz has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Gracie tries to throw a body punch but Cruz avoids it by throwing Gracie back against the cage.
Gracie scores with a nice hook to the head.
Gracie lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Gracie has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Cruz uses from the top position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Cruz has his hands clasped together but Gracie extends and breaks Cruz's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Gracie.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:44 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Renoa Gracie!
Renoa Gracie retains his featherweight title!
A victorious Renoa Gracie thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.