PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Benedict Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel La Fleur (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Cruz
vs
La Fleur

193 cm
23
222 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

185 cm
23
210 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

STEEL PENN'S SKIN SHOP

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Benedict Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gabriel La Fleur!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Joseph Jones and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
La Fleur connects with a leg kick. Cruz looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Decent striking displayed by La Fleur there.
Cruz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from La Fleur.
La Fleur misses with a hook. Cruz ducked under it nicely.
Gabriel La Fleur seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from La Fleur.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Cruz.
La Fleur feints and then cracks Cruz's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Cruz down.
Cruz tries to clinch there but La Fleur circles away.
A nice inside leg kick there by Cruz. That's going to slow La Fleur down.
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 slips a jab and a cross from La Fleur.
La Fleur looks to land a left hand but Cruz moved out of range nicely.
La Fleur misses with a hook.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from La Fleur.
La Fleur throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Cruz takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Cruz smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Cruz blocks a jab.
La Fleur misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circle momentarily. Cruz darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
La Fleur throws a poor cross that misses
and Cruz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts La Fleur, as that shot connected.
Cruz checks the leg kick.
La Fleur throws a looping overhand right but Cruz ducks down to avoid it.
La Fleur misses with a straight left.
A swing and a miss from La Fleur.
Cruz throws a combination but it was largely blocked by La Fleur.
Cruz gets off balance looking for a body kick
and La Fleur counters with a left to the body.
La Fleur ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
La Fleur misses with an uppercut. Cruz saw that one coming.
La Fleur throws out a loose jab but Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.
La Fleur shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
La Fleur throws a right hand that Cruz ducks under and follows up with a left that Cruz also avoids with ease.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
La Fleur scores with a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A jab from La Fleur misses.
La Fleur misses with a body shot.
La Fleur ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
La Fleur throws a hook but Cruz avoids it easily.
La Fleur slips a straight right by Cruz.
La Fleur lands a jab to the nose.
La Fleur lands a nice shot to the body.
Cruz is breathing heavily.

Cruz gets a clinch.
Cruz throws a punch but it's blocked by La Fleur.
La Fleur wants to break free but Cruz has control.
Come on Cruz - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
La Fleur tries to circle away but Cruz has him pinned against the cage.
La Fleur is looking to break free of the clinch but Cruz has double underhooks.
La Fleur wants to get back to striking at distance but Cruz won't allow it.
La Fleur wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Cruz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
La Fleur fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Cruz on the side of the head.
La Fleur throws a lazy uppercut
and Cruz counters with a head kick.
La Fleur takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
La Fleur lands with a shot to the body.
Cruz is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
La Fleur misses with a straight right.
La Fleur swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
La Fleur scores with a jab to the head.
La Fleur uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cruz.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz takes one on the button.
La Fleur with a hook.
La Fleur waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cruz.
La Fleur tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cruz was well out of range. Poor timing from La Fleur.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
La Fleur buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
La Fleur lands a jab to the head.
A leg kick checked by La Fleur.
La Fleur misses the jab.
La Fleur takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
La Fleur throws a poor cross that misses
and Cruz counters with a nice body kick.
La Fleur throws a right and a left that both miss.
La Fleur waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cruz.
Cruz avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from La Fleur.
Cruz slips under a jab.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cruz scoring well with a low kick there.
La Fleur pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
La Fleur throws a jab but it's blocked by Cruz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel La Fleur dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

La Fleur on the wrong end of a nice jab.
La Fleur misses with a body shot.
A low kick from La Fleur misses
and Cruz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
La Fleur pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
La Fleur misses with a hook to the body
and Cruz counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
La Fleur jabbing away but nothing is landing.
La Fleur lands a nice leg kick that just misses Cruz's sensitive parts.
Cruz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from La Fleur.
Cruz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
La Fleur throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.
La Fleur throws a poor cross that misses
and Cruz counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps La Fleur thinking.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice body kick there by Cruz.

Cruz rushes La Fleur and presses him up against the cage.
La Fleur is breathing heavily.
La Fleur wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cruz lands a left hand.
La Fleur wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz keeps control of La Fleur as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cruz lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of La Fleur backwards.
Cruz lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Cruz is struggling to control the position.
La Fleur wants to break the clinch but can't.

La Fleur's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
La Fleur throws a big shot that misses.
Some bone on bone action there as Cruz checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from La Fleur.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but La Fleur paws at him with a jab and circles away.
La Fleur lands with a straight right. Cruz didn't see that one coming.
Cruz moves out of range of the leg kick from La Fleur.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz takes a jab right on the kisser.
Cruz is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
La Fleur throws a poor cross that misses
and Cruz counters with a slapping leg kick.
La Fleur throws a jab when Cruz was well out of range.
La Fleur throws a leg kick but Cruz sees it coming and moves out of range.
La Fleur listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
La Fleur throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cruz defending well as La Fleur loads up on a big left hand.
Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from La Fleur.
A slapping body kick lands there for Cruz.
La Fleur throws a hook to the side of Cruz's head but Cruz sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cruz's jab looks to have found its range, popping La Fleur under the eye.
La Fleur takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Cruz tried to score with a low kick but La Fleur checks it.
Cruz lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Cruz has closed the distance and engaged La Fleur in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz prevents La Fleur from breaking the clinch.
La Fleur is trying to break the clinch but Cruz is controlling him.
Cruz avoiding damage.
Cruz lands a right hand.
Cruz lands a hook to the side of the head.
Cruz keeps control of La Fleur as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
La Fleur wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
Cruz lands a shoulder strike.
Cruz has La Fleur pressed against the cage, preventing La Fleur from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cruz digs a right hand into La Fleur's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on La Fleur's gas tank.
La Fleur wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cruz has La Fleur pressed against the cage.
La Fleur wants to break free but Cruz has control.
Cruz is stalling here.
Cruz lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
La Fleur wants to break free but Cruz has control.
Cruz keeps control of La Fleur as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
La Fleur is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cruz lands with a left to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
La Fleur is trying to force a seperation but Cruz has the dominant position.
A short right from Cruz on the inside.
Cruz is pushing La Fleur up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Cruz lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A right hook to the body lands for Cruz.
La Fleur is trying to break free.
Cruz lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Cruz taking a breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benedict Cruz dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Cruz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
La Fleur rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Cruz counters by clinching up.
Cruz keeps control of La Fleur as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cruz is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Cruz is looking to control La Fleur's arms but La Fleur gets an underhook and turns him. Now Cruz has his back to the cage.
La Fleur tries to circle away but Cruz has him pinned against the cage.
Cruz using the Thai plumb to throw knees but La Fleur has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cruz has La Fleur pressed against the cage, preventing La Fleur from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
La Fleur has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cruz dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Cruz struggles to land a body shot inside as La Fleur controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
La Fleur blocks a body shot from Cruz.
La Fleur wants to break free but Cruz has control.
Cruz will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning La Fleur up against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Benedict Cruz.
La Fleur misses with an uppercut.
La Fleur scores with a jab.
La Fleur throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Cruz counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Cruz fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and La Fleur has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but La Fleur swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Good exchange - Cruz coming out on top.
La Fleur takes a body punch but keeps moving.
La Fleur takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scores with a hook to the body. La Fleur takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from La Fleur.
Cruz scores with a jab to the body.
Cruz dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on La Fleur. That did some damage!
La Fleur ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
La Fleur tries to move into range but Cruz moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A slapping body kick lands there for Cruz.
Cruz lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
La Fleur misses with a looping left.
Cruz fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt La Fleur.
Cruz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from La Fleur.
La Fleur waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cruz.
A punch combination from La Fleur misses.
La Fleur misses with a hook
and Cruz counters with a thumping low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz lands a really nice looking cross but La Fleur seems unphased.

Cruz closes the distance and pushes La Fleur back into the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
La Fleur is trying to force a seperation but Cruz has the dominant position.
Cruz lands a shoulder strike.
La Fleur wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
La Fleur wants to break the clinch but can't.
La Fleur wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cruz has La Fleur pressed against the cage, preventing La Fleur from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
La Fleur is trying to break the clinch but Cruz is controlling him.
La Fleur's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Cruz lands an uppercut.
Benedict Cruz has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A short body shot lands from Cruz as the two fighters clinch.
Cruz works on La Fleur's body with a couple of short punches.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Cruz.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cruz lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of La Fleur backwards.

La Fleur is rocked!
Cruz lands an elbow inside that La Fleur shrugs off.
La Fleur is still on wobbly legs! Can Cruz finish him?
Cruz mutters something to La Fleur before pushing him back against the cage. As La Fleur comes back towards him, Cruz unloads a hook from the very depths of hell that knocks La Fleur clean out! Oh. My. God. That is some seriously brutal stuff right there! What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:16 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Benedict Cruz!