PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jose Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Connor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cruz
vs
Connor

166 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
23
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jose Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, John Connor!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Eliza Hachem and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz moves forwards but Connor connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Nice sprawl there from Connor as Cruz shoots in.

Cruz rushes Connor and presses him up against the cage.
Connor tries to pull guard but Cruz won't allow it.

Cruz manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Connor landing with the ground and pound.
Connor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Connor accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Connor throwing strikes but missing.
Connor is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Connor in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Connor from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz wants to stand up but Connor is controlling him.
Connor postures up and lands a big shot to Cruz's brow.

Connor has gone for a leg lock! Cruz slips out almost immediately though and dives into Connor's guard.
Connor keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
Cruz preventing the sweep.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Connor can do anything to dispel that myth.

Connor has an active guard here but Cruz has managed to pass into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Connor tries to get to full guard but Cruz has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connor slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Connor is trying to keep Cruz in close.
Connor wants to sweep but no luck.
Cruz trying to control but Connor is working from the bottom.
Connor tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Connor is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cruz is aware though and is defending well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cruz slips nicely into half guard.
Connor wants to control but Cruz is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Connor manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Connor looking for a sweep. Not yet Connor, not yet.
Connor pulls Cruz in close to prevent any damage.
Cruz stopping the sweep attempt from Connor.
Cruz could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Connor bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cruz's guard.
Connor is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Connor wants to pass the guard but Cruz is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Connor trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.

Connor has gone for a leg lock! Cruz slips out almost immediately though and dives into Connor's guard.
Connor looking for a sweep. Not yet Connor, not yet.

Connor looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Cruz passes into half guard.
Connor wants to get back to full guard but Cruz has passed into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Connor manages to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nice sprawl there from Cruz as Connor shoots in.
Cruz looks to land a left hand but Connor moved out of range nicely.
Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cruz doesn't manage to clinch there - Connor circles away.
Connor throws a big shot that misses.

Cruz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cruz goes for a takedown in the clinch but Connor prevents it.
Connor tries for a takedown. No joy.
Connor trying to land knees to the body.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Connor is trying to trip Cruz. He has hold of a leg but Cruz is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Connor persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Connor must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Connor accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Connor wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Cruz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Connor.
Connor trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Cruz manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Connor manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Connor breaks from Cruz's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connor putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Connor lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Cruz taking shots to the head.
Cruz takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Connor breaks from Cruz's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Connor putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Connor postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cruz looks a forlorn figure.
Connor controlling the pace for now.
Connor punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connor in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Connor with a couple of short strikes.
Connor connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
A nice elbow there by Connor.
Connor trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Connor lands a heavy elbow.
The referee warns Cruz that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Connor has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Cruz's face.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Connor sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Connor scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cruz?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Connor with the ground and pound from mount.
Connor with a couple of short strikes.
Cruz is squirming around, avoiding Connor's attempts to control the action.
Connor lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Connor raining down shots from the mount!
Connor scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cruz?

Cruz is rocked!
Connor has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Connor working for a submission but Cruz is keeping him at bay.
Cruz takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Connor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Cruz gets clipped by a big right hand and goes down spinning to the canvas! Connor gets the back mount and begins to drop bombs on his rocked foe! Cruz is too out of it to defend against the strikes and the referee jumps in to save him from the beatdown!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). John Connor!