PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juan Jimenez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jimenez has chosen Twinz as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cruz
vs
Jimenez

172 cm
23
145 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

178 cm
20
155 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Paulo Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Juan Jimenez!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jimenez misses with a hook. Cruz ducked under it nicely.
Cruz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jimenez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cruz lands with a nice body kick.
Cruz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cruz swinging wildly here.
Cruz throws a low kick but Jimenez avoids it.
Cruz slips under a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Cruz, right into the meat.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Cruz, right into the meat.
Cruz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cruz throws a right and a left that Jimenez avoids nicely.
Nice takedown defense from Cruz. No joy for Jimenez on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jimenez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Jimenez shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cruz is trying to defend but Jimenez finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Jimenez wants to pass to mount but Cruz is defending the position.
Cruz avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Jimenez.
Jimenez stops Cruz from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jimenez content to control rather than advance.

Jimenez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Cruz sees it coming and defends easily.
Jimenez looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jimenez is keen to just control but Cruz is a slippery customer.
Jimenez throwing shots but Cruz is blocking nicely.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Jimenez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cruz scores with a three punch combo!
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Jimenez checks a leg kick.
Cruz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Jimenez blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Cruz tests Jimenez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Jimenez swinging wildly here.

Jimenez shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jimenez is looking to stall here but Cruz recovers full guard.
Cruz wants to stand up but Jimenez is controlling him.
Jimenez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cruz is keeping the position for now.
Cruz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jimenez.
Cruz can't keep his opponent in guard - Jimenez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Jimenez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Cruz has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cruz is trying to stand.
Cruz knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Jimenez on the ground.
Cruz is staying active underneath Jimenez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Jimenez is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Jimenez wants to pass the guard but Cruz is keeping the position.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Jimenez from controlling successfully.
Jimenez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paulo Cruz will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Cruz scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Cruz throws a right and a left that Jimenez avoids nicely.
Cruz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Jimenez walks forward, straight into a front kick from Cruz.
Jimenez throws a jab when Cruz was well out of range.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jimenez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cruz but Cruz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cruz will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Jimenez takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A head kick from Cruz lands but Jimenez takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz is looking to land body kicks.
Jimenez is breathing heavily.
Cruz misses with a few strikes there.
Paulo Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz looks to score with a jab to the body but Jimenez is just out of range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cruz.
Cruz tries to bum rush Jimenez with a series of wild strikes but Jimenez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cruz misses with a double jab
and Jimenez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cruz looks for the body kick but Jimenez saw that one coming.
Jimenez on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Cruz throws a head kick but Jimenez moves out of range.
Cruz stuffs the takedown.
Cruz throws a front kick that sends Jimenez stumbling back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jimenez takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Paulo Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice uppercut there from Cruz.
Cruz lands with a slapping head kick.
Cruz looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Cruz tests Jimenez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Jimenez takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A bone on bone clash there as Jimenez blocks the leg kick.
A solid body kick from Cruz.
Cruz connects with a high kick.
Cruz lands a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Jimenez.
Cruz plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Jimenez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cruz.
Cruz connects with a high kick.
Cruz misses with a series of wild punches.
Jimenez swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cruz misses with a two punch combination.
Cruz throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Cruz misses with a kick to the body.
Jimenez swings for the body but Cruz moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz looks to land a combination but Jimenez avoids it well.
Cruz misses with a combination

and Jimenez counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Jimenez controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jimenez wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jimenez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Cruz dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jimenez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cruz but Cruz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Jimenez crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Cruz - the referee stops the clock and Jimenez gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Cruz. Jimenez manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A head kick misses from Cruz.
Some wild striking there from Cruz.
Cruz throws a shot to the body.
Cruz throws a head kick but Jimenez moves out of range.
Jimenez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cruz looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Cruz throws a head kick but Jimenez moves out of range.
Jimenez ducks right into an uppercut from Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Jimenez crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Cruz - the referee stops the clock and Jimenez gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Cruz. Jimenez manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Cruz misses with a double jab.
Jimenez falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cruz finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Cruz lands a head shot.
Cruz lands a nice looking kick to the body. Jimenez takes a step back to recover.
Cruz feints and then cracks Jimenez's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Jimenez down.
Cruz tries to land a front kick but Jimenez steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Jimenez takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Cruz throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Jimenez's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jimenez has a takedown stuffed.
Cruz misses with a head kick.
Cruz goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Jimenez dodges the punch combination from Cruz.
Jimenez avoids a kick to the body.
Jimenez has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Cruz.
Jimenez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cruz but Cruz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Paulo Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juan Jimenez.
Cruz misses with a wild combination.
Cruz stalks Jimenez and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Jimenez's face. Jimenez staggers backwards, shaken.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands with a thumping leg kick.
Cruz misses with a body kick.
Cruz stalks Jimenez and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Jimenez's face. Jimenez staggers backwards, shaken.
A telegraphed right hand from Jimenez misses the target.
Paulo Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz throws a right and a left that both miss.
Jimenez misses with a looping right.
Cruz swinging wildly here.
Paulo Cruz is winning the standup battle so far.
Cruz scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Jimenez goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a leg kick
and Jimenez counters with a series of strikes. Cruz will be more careful next time no doubt.
Cruz lands with a kick to the ribs.
Cruz connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Jimenez avoids the head kick by Cruz.
Cruz turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Jimenez walks forward, straight into a front kick from Cruz.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Juan Jimenez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cruz displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Cruz goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Cruz lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Paulo Cruz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Jimenez's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Jimenez has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paulo Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cruz, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Cruz!