PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Donald Delacruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Borys Maniek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Borys Maniek will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Delacruz
vs
Maniek

156 cm
20
193 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
180 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Donald Delacruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Borys Maniek!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Ivan Kurochkin and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Delacruz closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Maniek looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Delacruz tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Delacruz has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Maniek is being controlled here.

Delacruz working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Delacruz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Maniek keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Delacruz controlling the position from side mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Delacruz's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Delacruz wants to stand but Maniek has his arm trapped.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Delacruz wants to control but Maniek is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Delacruz throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Maniek was covering up waiting for the punch and Delacruz finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Delacruz looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Delacruz seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Maniek for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Delacruz trying to control but Maniek is working from the bottom.
Delacruz advances position into side control!
A lull in the action here as Delacruz stalls from top position.

Delacruz is trying to get an arm triangle but Maniek is defending well.

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

Delacruz is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Maniek knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Delacruz tries to stand but Maniek is controlling his head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Delacruz creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Maniek sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donald Delacruz dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Maniek goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Delacruz shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Maniek defends it nicely.
Maniek shoots in looking for a takedown. Delacruz tries to sprawl out of it but Maniek keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Delacruz manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice takedown defense from Maniek. No joy for Delacruz on that attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Delacruz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Maniek as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Donald Delacruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Maniek tries to sprawl but Delacruz drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Donald Delacruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maniek is breathing heavily.
Still in half guard, Delacruz seems content to control.
Delacruz continues to stall.
Delacruz really is a fat lump.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Delacruz is looking for a kimura but Maniek is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Delacruz to get the leverage.
Delacruz perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Delacruz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Maniek is just riding it out for now. Delacruz eventually gives up the hold.

Delacruz is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

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.
Delacruz is trying to control the action in half guard but Maniek is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Delacruz closes the distance and pushes Maniek back into the cage.
Maniek wants a takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Delacruz goes for a takedown attempt but Maniek pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Delacruz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Maniek sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Maniek changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Delacruz tries to avoid it but Maniek manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Delacruz to the ground. Delacruz escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Delacruz is defended easily by Maniek.
Maniek changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Delacruz closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Maniek's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Delacruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Maniek is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Delacruz showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Maniek keeping moving, preventing Delacruz from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Delacruz drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Delacruz jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donald Delacruz dominated that second round.
That's time! Delacruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Delacruz tries for a takedown but Maniek sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Delacruz shoots in for a takedown but Maniek shows good takedown defense.
Delacruz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Donald Delacruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Delacruz is trying hard to land a takedown here. Maniek sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
And Maniek tries to counter it with a takedown but Delacruz pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Maniek shoots in but no luck this time.
Delacruz looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Maniek.
Delacruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maniek can do to turn this around?
Delacruz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Maniek circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Delacruz has taken the fight to the clinch.
Maniek wants to take the fight to the mat but Delacruz manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Maniek blocks an elbow strike from Delacruz.
Delacruz just leaning against Maniek, taking a breather.
Maniek is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Delacruz is defending well.
Delacruz is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Maniek to keep the fight standing.
Delacruz goes for a takedown attempt but Maniek pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Delacruz or perhaps it was just good defense by Maniek, which made it look bad.

Maniek dives in and scores a takedown into Delacruz's guard.
Maniek preventing the sweep.
Delacruz wants to stand and escape but Maniek is having none of it.
Maniek tries to free his leg and advance position but Delacruz is retaining full guard.
Maniek is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Delacruz tries to strike from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maniek tries to stand but Delacruz is controlling from the bottom.
Delacruz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Maniek's guard.

Delacruz is stalling in the full guard.
Delacruz stops Maniek from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Delacruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Maniek is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Donald Delacruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Delacruz feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Delacruz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Delacruz stopping the sweep attempt from Maniek.
Delacruz trying to control but Maniek is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maniek is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Delacruz is controlling him.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Donald Delacruz.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Delacruz, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:26
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Donald Delacruz!