PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jamaal Griffith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stephen Cruz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Griffith
vs
Cruz

162 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

180 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Jamaal Griffith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Stephen Cruz!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Sam Margolis and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cruz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Griffith.
Cruz throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A bone on bone clash there as Griffith blocks the leg kick.

Cruz shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Griffith is trying to defend but Cruz finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Griffith could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Cruz stands up from half guard.

Cruz has managed to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cruz pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Griffith drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Griffith jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Griffith has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Cruz is looking for a triangle but Griffith pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Griffith is looking to stand up but Cruz won't let him.
Griffith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cruz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Griffith postures up in Cruz's guard and throws a big left but Cruz blocks it.
Cruz is trying to keep Griffith in close.
Griffith wants to stand but Cruz is controlling his posture from full guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Cruz gets the takedown into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Cruz passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Griffith!
Cruz controlling from the full mount.
Griffith might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Cruz blocks Griffith's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Griffith throws a strike from the bottom but Cruz uses the opportunity to take his back.
Good control from Cruz.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Griffith is trying to remain composed but Cruz is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Cruz struggling to keep hold of the position.
Cruz has the hooks in. Griffith is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruz looking for the choke but no joy.
Cruz somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.

Griffith is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Cruz gets his way!
Cruz somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cruz biding his time, controlling Griffith.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Griffith tries to clinch up but Cruz circles away and keeps his distance.
Cruz misses with a body kick.
Cruz just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromGriffith.

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

Griffith has his feet on Cruz's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Cruz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Griffith fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Cruz shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Griffith is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Cruz presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
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!

Griffith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Griffith fails to land the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith tries to clinch up.
Cruz appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Griffith enables Cruz to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Griffith manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Griffith can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cruz controls the pace.
Cruz slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Griffith.
Cruz passes to full mount!
Griffith is squirming around, avoiding Cruz's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz controlling from the full mount.
Griffith flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Cruz looking to control and managing it successfully.
Cruz's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Cruz wants to control the pace but Griffith is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz looking to land elbow strikes but Griffith uses the position to regain half guard.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Griffith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Cruz decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

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

Griffith uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Griffith gets caught flat footed, as Cruz shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
Cruz is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Cruz decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Stephen Cruz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Griffith misses with a takedown attempt - Cruz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Griffith fails to land the takedown.
Griffith shoots for a takedown but Cruz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jamaal Griffith. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cruz forces Griffith back against the cage and clinches.

Griffith manages to break the clinch.
Cruz throws a head kick but Griffith moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cruz changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Griffith looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Cruz decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith jumps guard but Cruz turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Cruz has Griffith pressed against the cage.
Cruz is trying to break free.
Griffith is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Cruz pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cruz trying to land knees to the body.
Cruz manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Cruz taking a breather.
Cruz receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Cruz stops a takedown attempt from Griffith.
Griffith wants a takedown but no success here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Griffith wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cruz has him pressed against the cage.
Cruz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Cruz has clasped his hands together around Griffith's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Griffith bucks up and tries to throw Cruz off but instead Cruz has got his back!

Cruz working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Cruz has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Griffith has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Griffith is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Cruz gets his way!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cruz is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Griffith has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Cruz is trying to control but Griffith is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Griffith throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Cruz works his way to his opponent's back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Cruz looking for the RNC.

Cruz looking for the choke from the back.

Griffith showing good submission defense here.
Griffith wants to escape the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Cruz controlling the positon.
Griffith has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Cruz.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cruz has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Cruz!