PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Cruz (ranked 993 p4p, 1371 weight class) and Matthew Fritz (ranked 117 p4p, 157 weight class). Cruz kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Daddy Yankee / Gasolina. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cruz
vs
Fritz

178 cm
28
150
11 - 7 - 0

165 cm
28
155
10 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pablo Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matthew Fritz!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Leandro Rodrigues and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A kick lands to the mid section there for Fritz.
Matthew Fritz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz misses with a left hand
and Fritz counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Fritz looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.
An attempted straight right counter from Cruz misses the target.
A slapping leg kick lands for Fritz.
Fritz takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Fritz throws a nice outside leg kick.
We've been informed that Fritz has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Fritz with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Fritz misses with a low kick.
Cruz slips under a jab.
Cruz throws a counter high kick but Fritz was just alert enough to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fritz misses with an uppercut. Cruz saw that one coming.
Cruz checks a low kick from Fritz.
Cruz is looking to counter with a body kick.
Cruz moves away from the strike by Fritz.
Cruz is looking for a counter combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Fritz.
Fritz uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
Fritz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruz was well out of range. Poor timing from Fritz.
Cruz looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Fritz.
Fritz throws a looping overhand right but Cruz ducks down to avoid it.
A little feinted left hand from Cruz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Fritz misses with a leg kick
and Cruz counters with a stiff right hand.
Cruz looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Fritz comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Fritz. That's going to slow Cruz down.
Cruz slips under a jab.
Fritz with a nice cross.
Fritz is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fritz scores with a spinning back kick!
Cruz tries to land a front kick but Fritz steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Fritz lunges at Cruz with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Cruz's hand.
Cruz gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fritz misses with a low kick.
Cruz has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Fritz.
Fritz throws a right hand that Cruz ducks under and follows up with a left that Cruz also avoids with ease.
A little feinted left hand from Cruz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cruz takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Cruz throws a lazy head kick
and Fritz counters with a straight right hand.
Fritz scores with a crisp jab that stopped Cruz in his tracks.
Fritz throws a looping overhand right but Cruz ducks down to avoid it.
Cruz lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Fritz moves out of range easily.
Cruz on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Cruz blocks a jab.
Cruz throws a lazy uppercut
and Fritz counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Fritz misses with a body punch
enabling Cruz to counter with a crisp jab.
Fritz moves out of range of the strikes.
Fritz throws an overhand right that lands on Cruz's shoulder, as Cruz tries to avoid the shot.
Fritz lands a jab to the head.
Cruz scores with a punch to the head.
Fritz lands with an overhand left.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fritz stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Fritz lands a jab.
Fritz throws a good cross that connects.
Fritz is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Cruz had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Fritz scores with a jab. Cruz acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Fritz moves out of range easily.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Fritz! But no joy.
Fritz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Fritz looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.
Fritz lets loose with a powerful body kick. Cruz will feel that in the morning.
Fritz goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Fritz dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Fritz misses with an uppercut
and Cruz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

It looks like Matthew Fritz has been cut.
Matthew Fritz seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cruz avoids the body shot from Fritz.
Cruz quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Fritz connects with a solid leg kick.
Fritz scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Fritz fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Fritz fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Cruz looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Fritz ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fritz scores with a jab. Cruz acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Cruz drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Cruz throws a head kick but Fritz moves out of range.
Fritz displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cruz throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fritz paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Fritz blocks a jab.
Cruz looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cruz has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Fritz misses with a body punch
and Cruz counters with a straight right hand.
Fritz throws an off balance right hand
letting Cruz counter with a right hand.
Cruz gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Fritz.
Fritz with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Cruz misses with a hook
and Fritz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Cruz might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Fritz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cruz moves away.
Fritz just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromCruz.
Fritz misses with a body kick.
Cruz swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Cruz. Those never looked like landing.
Fritz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cruz staying out of range there.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Fritz.
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!
Cruz misses with a body kick.
Fritz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Fritz fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cruz.
Cruz misses with an uppercut.
Cruz is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Fritz ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Cruz throws a looping overhand right but Fritz ducks down to avoid it.
Fritz throws a right hand that misses
and Fritz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fritz uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Fritz misses the jab.
Fritz punishes Cruz's body with a nice straight punch.
Fritz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Fritz misses with a looping right.
Fritz lands with a nice body kick.
Cruz looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
That kick from Fritz tenderised Cruz's leg. Cruz is trying to keep his angry face on.
Cruz uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Cruz slips a straight right by Fritz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fritz scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Cruz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Fritz.
Fritz waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cruz.
Fritz lands with a kick to the temple. Cruz shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fritz throws a right hand that misses
and Cruz counters with a straight right hand.
Cruz throws a body kick that misses.
Cruz walks into a jab.
Fritz misses with a hook
and Cruz counters with a straight right hand.
Fritz fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Cruz throws a sloppy head kick
letting Fritz counter with a right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Fritz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Matthew Fritz's cut.
That's time! Cruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Cruz blocks a leg kick.
Fritz gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Fritz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A big left from Fritz misses.
Fritz misses with a leg kick
and Cruz counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Fritz darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Cruz tries to land a body kick
and Fritz counters with a stiff right hand.
Fritz lands a body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fritz thows a leg kick but Cruz checks it
and Cruz counters with a nice uppercut.
Fritz lands with a shot to the body.
Fritz throws the left hand but Cruz avoids the punch easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Fritz throws out a loose jab but Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cruz takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Fritz missing with a left hand there. Cruz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Fritz throws out a powerful jab.
Fritz takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Cruz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A big right from Cruz misses.
Fritz scores with a hook.
A head kick misses from Cruz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Fritz.
A leg kick checked by Fritz.
A little jabbing left from Fritz on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Cruz moves out of range of the strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A swing and a miss from Cruz.
Fritz with a jab.
Fritz stuns Cruz with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Jab from Fritz.
Fritz moves out of range of the body kick from Cruz.
Cruz throws a body kick that misses
and Fritz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Fritz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruz was well out of range. Poor timing from Fritz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fritz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cruz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Fritz misses the body punch
and Cruz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Fritz works Cruz's body with a nice hook.
A telegraphed right hand from Cruz misses the target.
Pablo Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cruz sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Cruz tries to land a body kick
and Fritz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cruz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cruz looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cruz moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromFritz.
Fritz uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
Matthew Fritz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz connects with a single shot there.
Cruz checks a leg kick nicely.
Cruz seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Fritz cracks Cruz with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz misses with a right hand
and Fritz counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Fritz connects with a leg kick.
Cruz slips under a jab.
Fritz just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromCruz.
Fritz lands with a kick to the temple. Cruz shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Fritz thows a left - swing and a miss!

And that's the end of the fight!
Matthew Fritz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Fritz has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matthew Fritz!
Matthew Fritz decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.