PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dom Cruz (ranked 648 p4p, 24 weight class) and Kazuka Fuujin (ranked 408 p4p, 15 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Fuujin's choice of entrance music: a lot of Asian swag in this young man. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Kazuka Fuujin enters the cage!

Cruz
vs
Fuujin

172 cm
28
144 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

175 cm
36
146 lbs
18 - 9 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

CAGED CROW Clothings 50$

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dom Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kazuka Fuujin!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Hirohito Nitta and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fuujin does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Cruz seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Cruz on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Cruz swings for the body but Fuujin moves out of range.
Cruz ducks under a wild hook from Fuujin.
Cruz moves away from the strike by Fuujin.
Cruz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fuujin throws a body punch but Cruz moves out of range.
Cruz chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Fuujin can pounce on him.
Fuujin misses with a low kick as Cruz jumps back.
Cruz lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Fuujin backs up against the cage.
A big left from Fuujin misses.
Cruz misses with a looping right.
Cruz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Fuujin with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fuujin just misses with a punch to the body.
Cruz scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Fuujin throws a big shot that misses.
Cruz throws a half hearted mid kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Fuujin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Fuujin.
Cruz is looking for a counter combo.
Fuujin is looking to slow Cruz down with leg kicks.
Fuujin connects with a leg kick. Cruz looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Fuujin misses with a low kick.
Cruz swinging wildly here.
Cruz feints a jab promting Fuujin to slip. Cruz then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Fuujin slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Kazuka Fuujin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Cruz shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Cruz throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Fuujin to regain full guard.
Cruz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Our spies down at at Convicted Fight Club inform us that Fuujin has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Cruz throws a big right hand that misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cruz throwing strikes from guard but Fuujin blocks nicely.
Fuujin keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Fuujin is pulling down on Cruz's head to control his posture.
Cruz working some strikes from top position.
Fuujin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Fuujin looking to control.
Cruz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Cruz postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Cruz won't allow Fuujin to sweep him here.
Cruz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fuujin is keeping the position for now.
Cruz postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Fuujin keeping moving, preventing Cruz from controlling successfully.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Fuujin looking for a sweep. Not yet Fuujin, not yet.
Cruz makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Cruz throws a big elbow that misses.
Cruz postures up in Fuujin's guard and throws a big left but Fuujin blocks it.
Cruz landing some decent shots from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fuujin is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Fuujin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cruz tries to free his leg and advance position but Fuujin is retaining full guard.
Cruz throws a strike but Fuujin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Cruz wants to sweep here but Fuujin controlling him for the moment.
Fuujin is pushing down on Cruz's leg trying to pass to half guard. Cruz is fighting to maintain full guard but Fuujin has managed to sneak the leg through.
Fuujin seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cruz does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Well, if Fuujin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Cruz is trying to control but can't.
Fuujin stalling.
Fuujin's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dom Cruz dominated that round.
That's time! Cruz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nice shot by Fuujin.
Cruz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Fuujin circles away quickly and effectively.
Cruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Fuujin can do to turn this around?
Cruz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cruz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Fuujin on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A thudding body kick lands there by Fuujin!

Cruz shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Fuujin napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Fuujin is trying to control Cruz's posture but Cruz avoids it.
Cruz in side control lands a decent elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cruz tries to score with some ground and pound. Fuujin controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Cruz lands an elbow.
Cruz misses with the ground and pound.
Cruz connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Fuujin some visible discomfort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Cruz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fuujin keeps working.
Cruz postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Fuujin is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Cruz moves into full mount!
Cruz lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Fuujin hang on?

Cruz wants to finish this one by submission but Fuujin is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Cruz.

Cruz is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Fuujin can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Fuujin is bucking up trying to escape but Cruz cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fuujin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Fuujin is in a horrible position here. Cruz smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Fuujin avoids a series of strikes thrown by Cruz.
Cruz working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Cruz is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Fuujin can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Dom Cruz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz throws some wild stikes that Fuujin manages to avoid easily.
Cruz looking to ground and pound but Fuujin is blocking nicely.
Cruz with good strikes from the mount here!
Cruz throws a strike there. Fuujin manages to avoid it well and slips a leg under to get to half guard.

Cruz is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Fuujin doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Cruz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Cruz trying to mount his opponent but Fuujin defends it.
Fuujin trying to hold on to Cruz's head to control him but Cruz postures up.
Fuujin is holding on to half guard well.
Fuujin tries to get to full guard but Cruz has control of the leg.

That's four 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.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Fuujin's head.
Cruz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Fuujin's head.
Cruz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cruz slips a nice elbow through Fuujin's hands, connecting with Fuujin's forehead.
Cruz tries to pass the half guard into mount. Fuujin knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Cruz wants to work for an arm triangle but Fuujin is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Fuujin trying to control from the bottom.

Cruz is looking for a kimura here.
Cruz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dom Cruz dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cruz throws a one two combo.
Fuujin throws a nice inside leg kick.
Fuujin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cruz manages to avoid it.
Dom Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fuujin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cruz.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cruz. Fuujin does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fuujin is looking to chop away at Cruz's legs.
Cruz takes a swing at Fuujin's ribcage but misses.
Cruz takes a swing at Fuujin's ribcage but misses.
Cruz misses with a straight left.
Fuujin only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Fuujin bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cruz's head backwards.
Cruz avoids a kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Cruz duly obliges.
No joy there for Cruz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Fuujin gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cruz to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Fuujin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuujin lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Fuujin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Cruz working for a triangle but Fuujin defends it easily.
Fuujin controls from within his opponent's guard.
Fuujin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Fuujin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Kazuka Fuujin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fuujin advances to half guard.
Cruz gets back to full guard.
Cruz has control of Fuujin's left arm, preventing Fuujin from doing any damage.
Cruz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Cruz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Fuujin is aware though and is defending well.
Dom Cruz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Fuujin trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cruz controlling Fuujin's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fuujin trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fuujin controls from within his opponent's guard.
Fuujin is continuing to stall.

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

Cruz closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Cruz is trying to control the action in half guard but Fuujin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Fuujin is looking for a sweep. Cruz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz trying to mount his opponent but Fuujin defends it.

Cruz is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Fuujin defends it well.

Fuujin looking for submissions off his back.
Cruz is just content to waste time from the top position. Fuujin takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Fuujin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fuujin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cruz is one step ahead there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dom Cruz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cruz has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dom Cruz!
Dom Cruz made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'Ive said it over and over. No one can match my training, my speed, my intelligence. I won this fight before I stepped into the ring.'.