Round 1 – Cruz light on his feet and fires a high kick that misses. He’s moving well, as usual Munhoz misses on a high kick. jab lands for Munhoz. High kick goes just over the top. Cruz ducks in and lands with a right. Low kick from Munhoz, and Cruz briefly catches it but can’t hold on. Cruz with a low kick and lands a nice right hand. He lands another. Cruz ducks in, and Munhoz clips him. Cruz is hurt. Munhoz sees it and rushes forward with punches. He catches him again. Cruz drops, and they move to the ground. Great scramble from Cruz, and Munhoz tries to latch in an inverted triangle. Cruz battles his way out and back to the feet, where we reset. Munhoz tracks him down and lands another right hand. Munhoz misses a spinning kick. Cruz grabs a low kick and trips Munhoz but can’t keep him there. One minute left. Munhoz misses a huge left hand. Cruz fires back with a barrage of punches but comes up short. They flurry in the pocket at the end. MMA Junkie gives the round to Munhoz, 10-9.
Round 2 – Cruz catches an early low kick and then counters with a flurry, but Munhoz evades well. Cruz trying to stay mobile, but he’s tagged by another left hand. Cruz the one pressing the action, and he lands with a jab. Two punches score. Munhoz kicks the leg. Cruz again finds some success with his hands. Munhoz shoots from range, but Cruz defends it well. Two punches for Cruz. Munhoz answers with a few jabs. Cruz finding a rhythm and rifles off three punches. Munhoz content to counter, but Cruz is scoring more now. Left scores. Right lands. Munhoz cut near his hairline, and blood starting to stream down. Cruz volume high. Punches lands. Knee comes up the middle. Munhoz answers back, but it’s with less volume. Munhoz wiping away the blood. Cruz lands with a low kick. Right hand scores.They end on the feet, and MMA Junkie gives it to Cruz, 10-9.
Round 3 – Cruz rishes forward, but Munhoz is there to strike. Cruz ducks down, but Munhoz defends. Cruz misses on a charge, and Munhoz kicks to the body. Cruz still keeping the volume high with punches. His movement remains steady. Right hand for Munhoz lands, but he’s scoring with single shots. Munhoz with a right hand. Cruz with a knee up the middle. Munhoz rushes forward but ends up defending a takedown. Munhoz jab lands. Munhoz misses a spinning kick. Cruz thinks takedown again, but it’s not there. Back and forth with the strikes. Cruz landing with the jab. Cruz again short on a takedown. Munhoz with a low kick. Right hands misses. Cruz with some damage around his left eye. Cruz catches a kick and trips Munhoz but can’t keep him down. Cruz slipping and ripping. Lol kicks traded. Knee tap for Cruz and then a flurry up top. They trade until the end. Fun fight. MMA Junkie gives the final round to Cruz, 10-9, and awards him the fight 29-28.
Result: Dominick Cruz def. Pedro Munhoz via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Recap: Dominick Cruz survives early adversity, puts on clinic in win vs. Pedro Munhoz
Photos: Dominick Cruz def. Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269: Best photos
Records: Dominick Cruz (24-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) vs. Pedro Munhoz (19-7 MMA, 9-7 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN2/ESPN+
Referee: Marc Goddard
Judging: Mike Bell (29-28, giving Cruz rounds 2 and 3), Derek Cleary (29-28, giving Cruz rounds 2 and 3), Sal D’Amato (29-28, giving Cruz rounds 2 and 3)
