PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Lourd Cenia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cross comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Caught in a Hustle kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Cenia
vs
Cross

185 cm
19
154 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

185 cm
20
159 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lourd Cenia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Michael Cross!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Alec Ball and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cross has managed to clinch.
Cross unloads a knee to the mid-section. Cenia lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Cenia has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cross avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Cenia looking for a takedown.
Cenia will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Cross up against the cage.

Cenia decides to pull guard.
Cross with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cross throws a strike but Cenia rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Cenia postures up.
Cross tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cross is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Cenia has gone for a leg lock! Cross slips out almost immediately though and dives into Cenia's guard.
Cross with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross landing some decent shots from guard.
Cenia wants to stand and escape but Cross is having none of it.
Cross postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Cross lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cross must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cenia is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cross with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cross loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cross chips away with some ground and pound.
Cenia is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cross is controlling him.
Cross scoring with punches to the head and body.
Cenia utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Cross is in close to Cenia's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Cross won't allow Cenia to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cenia is breathing heavily.
Cross throwing strikes but missing.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cenia wants to stand and escape but Cross is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross scoring with punches to the head and body.
Cenia working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cross.
Cross content to stall in guard here.
Cross thows a big elbow that misses.

Cenia is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Cross with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Cenia is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lourd Cenia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cenia looking for a takedown.
Cenia takes an elbow to the temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cross just leaning against Cenia, taking a breather.
Cross continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Cross landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Cross lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Cross stalling.
Cross lands an elbow that stopped Cenia in his tracks for a moment.
Stalling in the clinch from Cross.
Cross lands a nice elbow.
A nice left hand lands by Cross.

Cross breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cross scores with a nice strike.
Good exchange - Cross coming out on top.

Cross shoots in and bounces Cenia off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Cross content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Cross dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cross closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cross makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Cross is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Cross lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Cenia wants a takedown.
Cenia lands a nice elbow.
Cenia being controlled against the cage.
Cenia lands a nice elbow.
Cross leaning against his opponent.
Cenia connects with a nasty looking knee right to Cross's face.
Cross pushes off an throws an elbow but Cenia leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Cross controlling the action here for a moment.
Cross scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cenia throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Cenia tries to pull guard but Cross holds him up against the cage and eventually Cenia drops back down to his feet.
Cross works on Cenia's body with a couple of short punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cenia takes a knee right on the jaw!
Cross is struggling to control the position.
Cross gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Cenia fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lourd Cenia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cross tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cenia avoids it.
Cenia tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Cross lands a damaging elbow.
Cross looking to stall.
The referee is keeping an eye on Cenia - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Cenia goes for a takedown attempt but Cross pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Cross drives through and clinches with Cenia against the cage.
Cenia drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cross is pressed up against the cage. Cenia has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Cross down to the mat. Cross avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cross clinches up with Cenia and pushes him back against the cage.
Cross utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Cross lands a knee to the body.
Cross lands an elbow inside.
Cross stalls.
Cenia takes an elbow to the forehead.
Cross lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Cenia is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Cross pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Cross lands a damaging elbow.
Cross lands a damaging elbow.
Cross scores a nice knee to the body.
Cross leaning against his opponent.
Cross gets through Cenia's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Cross lands an elbow inside.
Cenia really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cross is pushing Cenia up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cenia takes an elbow to the forehead.
Cenia has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cross avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Cross connects with a nasty looking knee right to Cenia's face.
Cenia jumps guard but Cross stands there with Cenia around his waist. Cenia gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Cross effectively controlling the action here.
Cross receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Cross landing knees to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Michael Cross.
Cross throws a head kick that misses
and Cenia connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cross stuffs the takedown attempt from Cenia. Cenia gets slowly back to his feet.
A head kick from Cross lands but Cenia takes it in his stride.
Cross is looking to land body kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Cenia shoots in and gets a takedown into Cross's guard.
Cenia tries to free his leg and advance position but Cross is retaining full guard.
Cenia keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cross's head.
Cenia slips nicely into half guard.
Cross preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Cenia is nestled in close to Cross, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Cenia trying to pass the guard but Cross defending well.
Cenia thows a huge punch but Cross dodges it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Cross showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Cross gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Cenia looking for a takedown.
Cross lands a nice knee to the body.
Cenia drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cross pulls his leg out and moves away.

Cenia gets tackled into the cage by Cross. Cross maintains the clinch.
Cross lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Nice elbow from Cross.
Cross tries to land a knee to the head but Cenia blocks with his arms.
Cross effectively controlling the action here.
Cross landing knees to the body.
Cross creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cenia's defenses.
Cross pressing his opponent against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cross trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross avoids the elbow strike from Cenia, against the cage.
Cross tries to stall but Cenia uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Cross gets underhooks to prevent Cenia's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lourd Cenia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Cross lands a damaging elbow.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Michael Cross.

Cross pushes Cenia up against the cage in a clinch.
Cenia blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Cenia dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Cenia being controlled against the cage.
Michael Cross seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Cenia takes an elbow to the temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Cross pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cross tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Cenia clinches with his opponent.
Cross pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Cenia pulls Cross into guard.
Cenia wants to stand but Cross is controlling the position.
Cross missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cenia preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cenia wants to stand but Cross is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross connects with a couple of short punches.
Cenia is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cross is controlling him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cross accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cross postures up in Cenia's guard and throws a big left but Cenia blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cenia is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cross landing with the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cross prevents Cenia from getting back to his feet.
Cross landing with the ground and pound.
Cenia preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Michael Cross is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cenia is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Cross is controlling him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lourd Cenia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cenia keeping moving, preventing Cross from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Cross comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cross 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Cross!