PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Wilkinson (ranked 2198 p4p, 2845 weight class) and Ricardo Cruz (ranked 299 p4p, 366 weight class). Wilkinson's entrance music is The Who - Eminence front. A fine choice. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Ricardo Cruz enters the cage!

Wilkinson
vs
Cruz

185 cm
29
210
12 - 8 - 0

180 cm
22
210
2 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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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 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Josh Wilkinson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Ricardo Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Russell Pearce and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz scores with a nice strike.
Wilkinson looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Wilkinson takes a jab right on the kisser.
Cruz darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Nice body punch from Cruz.
A jab from Cruz does it's job there.
Ricardo Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz lands with a straight right. Wilkinson didn't see that one coming.
Wilkinson needs to keep his hands up - Cruz had a free shot at his head there.

Cruz throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Wilkinson was covering up waiting for the punch and Cruz finishes the takedown easily into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cruz's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Cruz thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Cruz cracks Wilkinson with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wilkinson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cruz gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cruz is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Cruz with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cruz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Cruz with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cruz chips away with some ground and pound.

Wilkinson is rocked!
Cruz showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Oh Wilkinson is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cruz drops back looking for a leg! Wilkinson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Wilkinson manages to kick Cruz off! Cruz jumps back into Wilkinson's guard.
Wilkinson seems to have got his legs back now.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cruz's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Cruz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Cruz wants to control from the top but Wilkinson keeps moving.
Cruz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cruz's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Cruz is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Cruz trying to control but Wilkinson is working from the bottom.
Wilkinson looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Wilkinson wants to sweep but no luck.

Wilkinson looking for a guillotine here but Cruz defends easily.
Cruz slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's four 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.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Cruz has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.

Cruz shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Cruz slows the pace down in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cruz's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Wilkinson actively working from the bottom here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Cruz dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cruz shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Wilkinson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Wilkinson tries to improve position but can't.

Cruz is trying to get an arm triangle but Wilkinson is defending well.
Cruz cracks Wilkinson with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Cruz tries for a kimura but Wilkinson is defending well.
Cruz works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Wilkinson!
Ricardo Cruz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cruz lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Cruz has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Wilkinson's face.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz is landing with some decent strikes but Wilkinson is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz content just to control the position here.
Cruz lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Cruz content just to control the position here.
Cruz postures up and throws a big right hand. BOOM! Right on the button! Wilkinson is out cold - huge knockout for Cruz!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:44 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Ricardo Cruz!