PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nick Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hank Hill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cruz's entrance music is T.I - Big Shit Poppin. A fine choice. Hill has chosen King of the Hill - The Refreshments as his entrance music. 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
Hill

187 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

220 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nick Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hank Hill!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Alec Ball and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz throws a push kick but Hill slaps the foot to one side.
Hill misses with a few strikes there.
Hill tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Hill tries to bum rush Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A punch combination from Cruz misses.
Cruz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hill misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hill throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cruz makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Hill really felt that one!
Hill misses with a hook.
Hill pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Cruz back to the cage. Hill follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Cruz tries to clinch
letting Hill counter with a right hand.
Hill is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Hill fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hill rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cruz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cruz fails to land with a series of punches.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
Hank Hill seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hill throws a combination that misses
and Cruz counters with a one-two to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz shoots for a double leg takedown but Hill sprawls well. He's pushed Cruz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hill takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Some wild striking there from Cruz.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hill as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz thows a body shot but no joy.
Cruz slips a jab and a cross from Hill.
Hill misses with a straight right.
Hill misses with a combination
enabling Cruz to counter with a crisp jab.
Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hill.
Cruz tries to clinch there but Hill circles away.
Cruz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hill fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz tries to clinch up.
Hill will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cruz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hill tries to avoid it but Cruz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hill to the ground. Hill escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses.
Hill misses with the combination.
Hill throws a right and a left that Cruz avoids nicely.
Hill looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Hill throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cruz counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Hill looks winded!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hill misses with a jab, cross combination.
A head kick misses from Cruz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hill misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hill throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hill swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Cruz counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cruz.
Cruz tries to score a body lock takedown but Hill shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Cruz working hard to break the clinch.
Cruz wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cruz is looking to control Hill's arms but Hill gets an underhook and turns him. Now Cruz has his back to the cage.
Hill tries to break free but Cruz pushes him back against the cage.
Cruz is looking for a takedown.
Cruz fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hill wants to break free but Cruz has control.
Cruz keeps control of Hill as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hill wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
Hill has had enough of the clinch but Cruz keeps him there for the moment.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Hill wants to get back to striking at distance but Cruz won't allow it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hill as Cruz tries to tie him up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hill blocks a body shot from Cruz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hill tries to bum rush Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cruz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hill is fending him off so far but Cruz persists. Nope, Hill circles away and we're back to standing.
Hill keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Cruz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hill misses with a series of wild punches.
Cruz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hill circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hill misses with a two punch combination.
Hill looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Hill lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Hill.

It looks like Nick Cruz has been cut.
Hill connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hill swats away the attempt to clinch by Cruz.
Some wild striking there from Hill.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hill throws a right and a left that Cruz avoids nicely.
Hill throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cruz.
Hill fails to land with a series of punches.
Hill moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Hill keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Hill lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.
Hill blocks a head kick by Cruz.
Cruz tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hill swivels and escapes.
Cruz looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Cruz lands with a cross.
Cruz shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hill pinned against the cage. Hill gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Hill, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hank Hill is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hill throws a series of punches but Cruz avoids them all with ease.
Cruz takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Hill swinging wildly here.
Hill misses with a double jab
and Cruz counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Hill is lucky that one didn't land flush.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters circling - Hill throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cruz dodges the punch combination from Hill.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cruz moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

It looks like Hank Hill has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hill circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sloppy strikes from Hill. Those never looked like landing.
Hill lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.
Hill misses with the combination.
Hill misses with a wild combination.
Hill throws a combination that misses
and Cruz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Cruz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hill takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hill misses with a wild combination.
Hill throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hill misses with a double jab
and Cruz makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hill falls off balance throwing a combination
and Cruz counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Cruz shoots in for a double leg but Hill sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hill scores with a three punch combo!
That kick from Cruz tenderised Hill's leg. Hill is trying to keep his angry face on.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hill throws a right hand that Cruz ducks under and follows up with a left that Cruz also avoids with ease.
Cruz fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hill avoids it really well and circles away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hill looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Hank Hill will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Hill slaps away a takedown attempt from Cruz, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Cruz avoids the body shot from Hill.
Hill misses with a series of wild punches.
Cruz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cruz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hill throws a right hand that Cruz ducks under and follows up with a left that Cruz also avoids with ease.
Cruz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hill circles away.
Cruz moves to clinch but Hill breaks away
and Hill counters with a left and a right that stings Cruz.
Nick Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruz tries to clinch but Hill is having none of it.
Cruz slips a jab and a cross from Hill.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz dodges the punch combination from Hill.
Hill takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Cruz shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Hill napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Cruz trying to control the position but Hill is working away.
Hill really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cruz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Cruz is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Hill has escaped the position, nice work there.
Hill pushes Cruz away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Cruz gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Cruz.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hill can do anything to dispel that myth.
Hill pushes Cruz away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Cruz gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Cruz passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Hill!
Cruz sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Cruz looking to control but Hill is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is looking to work his way around to Hill's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Cruz wants to control the pace but Hill is squirming around nicely.

Cruz has control of Hill's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Hill regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Cruz looking to ground and pound but Hill is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruz looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Cruz misses with a head shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nick Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cruz has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Cruz!
During a confident post fight interview, Nick Cruz thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.