PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ernesto Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sakari Sammio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ernesto Cruz could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Sakari Sammio's chin.

Cruz
vs
Sammio

185 cm
23
195 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
194 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Elite Canadian Threads
The Big Kabosh

Perkele!
Elite Canadian Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ernesto Cruz!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sakari Sammio!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Joseph Jones and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cruz wants to clinch.
Cruz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cruz tries to clinch but Sammio is having none of it.
Cruz tries to clinch up
and Sammio counters with a good low kick that Cruz was not able to check.
Sammio uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cruz has time to react.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sammio paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
Sammio lands a body shot.
Sammio fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cruz.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ernesto Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Sammio to counter with a crisp jab.
Sammio connects with a nice looking jab.
Cruz closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sammio counters with a nice low kick that buckles Cruz's knee momentarily.
Cruz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sammio's waist but Sammio gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cruz off to one side.
Sammio slaps away a takedown attempt from Cruz, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sammio connects with a leg kick. Cruz looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sammio defends it nicely.
Cruz looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
Cruz looks to clinch

and Sammio counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Sammio misses with a short punch on the inside.
A right hook to the body lands for Sammio.
Sammio misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sammio tries a body shot but Cruz blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sammio works on Cruz's body with a couple of short punches.
Cruz prevents a body shot from Sammio.
Sammio stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Sammio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Sammio clinches up against the cage.
Sammio misses with some punches.
Sammio throws a punch but it's blocked by Cruz.
Sammio misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cruz blocks a body shot from Sammio.
Sammio lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Sammio lands a shot to the body.
Cruz tries to land a knee to the head but Sammio blocks with his arms.
Sammio misses with the head strike.
Sammio avoids a wild elbow strike from Cruz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sammio working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Cruz prevents a body shot from Sammio.
Sammio softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Sammio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sammio sizes up Cruz with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Sammio swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cruz fails with a takedown attempt.
Cruz shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sammio sprawls well. Sammio wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cruz gets slowly back to his feet.
Sakari Sammio is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz moves to clinch but Sammio breaks away
and Sammio connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cruz tries to clinch but Sammio moves away
and Sammio counters with a body kick that stops Cruz in his tracks momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sammio defends it nicely.
Sammio scores with a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sammio lands with a shot to the body.
Cruz stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Sammio.
A head kick misses from Cruz.
Sammio bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Cruz takes one on the button.

It looks like Ernesto Cruz has been cut.
Sammio looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Sammio bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Cruz's head.

Cruz is rocked!
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
The crowd cheers as Sammio lands an impressive looking overhand right. Cruz doesn't seem phased though.
Oh Cruz is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sammio is looking to slow Cruz down with leg kicks.
Ernesto Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sammio.
Cruz seems to have got his legs back now.
Sammio lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Sammio fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cruz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sakari Sammio dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ernesto Cruz's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sammio fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch but Sammio swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sammio blocks the body kick.
Sammio lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Cruz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sammio scores with a hook to the body. Cruz takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Cruz tries to clinch but Sammio moves away

and Sammio counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sammio.
Sammio tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sammio misses with a hook to the ribs.

Sammio manages to break the clinch.
Sammio throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sammio has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sammio scoring well with a low kick there.
Cruz takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Cruz takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Cruz clinches up with Sammio and pushes him back against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sammio lands with a right to the head.
Sammio is working Cruz over against the cage.
Sammio has Cruz pushed against the cage.
Sammio lands with a short shot to the head.
Sammio struggles to land a body shot inside as Cruz controls his hands.
Sammio tries to work over Cruz's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cruz with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sammio lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Sammio lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Sammio breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cruz wants to clinch up but Sammio keeps it at a distance.
Sammio throws a leg kick which misses Cruz's front leg but catches the back leg as Cruz tries to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Sammio with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sammio lands with a good body shot.
Sammio scores with a leg kick.
Cruz takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Sammio is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Sammio cracks Cruz with a nasty uppercut that draws ooohs from the crowd and sends Cruz tumbling backwards onto the mat. He tries to recover but Sammio pounces and lands a hail of unanswered strikes that forces the referee to step in to end the fight! Cruz is not happy but he gave the referee no choice!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Sakari Sammio! Sakari Sammio retains his middleweight title!