PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nichi Hong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Santa Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santa Cruz comes into a darkened arena with his song building. 50 cent P.I.M.P kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Rafael Santa Cruz is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Hong
vs
Santa Cruz

175 cm
24
160 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
175 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nichi Hong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rafael Santa Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Bruno Lombardi and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice jab there from Hong.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch up but Hong circles away and keeps his distance.
Hong connects with a solid leg kick.
Santa Cruz throws a head kick that Hong semi-blocks.
Hong thuds his right hand into Santa Cruz's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Hong takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Santa Cruz slips under a jab.

Hong gets caught napping as Santa Cruz dives in and scores a takedown. Hong manages to retain guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hong looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hong wants to improve his position but instead Santa Cruz has moved into half guard.
Santa Cruz trying to control the action but Hong is working from the bottom.
Hong regains full guard. Nicely done.
Santa Cruz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hong is keeping the position for now.
Santa Cruz wants to control from the top but Hong keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz wants to pass the guard but Hong is keeping the position.
Hong avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hong is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Santa Cruz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Santa Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Hong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santa Cruz pushes down on Hong's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Santa Cruz with the ground and pound but Hong uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz wants to control from the top but Hong keeps moving.
Santa Cruz is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Hong is controlling Santa Cruz's posture.
Hong manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hong controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Santa Cruz bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Santa Cruz pushing down on Hong's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Santa Cruz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Santa Cruz seems to be looking for submissions.
Santa Cruz is pressing down on Hong's thigh, looking to free his foot. Hong is holding on for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hong is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Santa Cruz is looking to advance position but Hong won't allow it.
Santa Cruz passes to full mount!

Santa Cruz is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Hong has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Hong!

Santa Cruz has an active guard here but Hong has managed to pass into half guard.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hong wants to stand but Santa Cruz has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Santa Cruz dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hong misses the shot to the body.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Hong checks a leg kick.

Santa Cruz drives through and clinches with Hong against the cage.
Santa Cruz is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Santa Cruz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hong misses with a wild combination.
Santa Cruz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hong.
Hong drops his hands momentarily and Santa Cruz takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Santa Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hong.
Santa Cruz is looking to clinch.
Decent striking displayed by Hong there.
Hong swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Santa Cruz misses with an uppercut.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Hong manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hong throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hong as he avoids it easily.
Hong is looking to land body kicks.

Santa Cruz is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Hong's half guard.
Rafael Santa Cruz has got the better of the ground game so far.

Santa Cruz is working for a submission of some sort.

Santa Cruz looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Hong blocking the ground and pound attempt from Santa Cruz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz trying to control the action but Hong is working from the bottom.

Santa Cruz looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Santa Cruz is trying to work for a kimura but Hong is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hong tries to roll over but Santa Cruz keeps him under control.
Hong makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hong.
Santa Cruz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hong swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Santa Cruz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Santa Cruz stays in close to Hong's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hong wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Santa Cruz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hong swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Santa Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Hong has wrist control.
Santa Cruz sitting in guard here, content to control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Santa Cruz checks a leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hong slaps away a takedown attempt from Santa Cruz, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jab, jab by Santa Cruz - just one landing.
A shot to the body from Hong misses
and Santa Cruz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Santa Cruz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hong goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Hong takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Hong throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick but Hong sees it coming and moves out of range.
Hong misses with a wild body shot.
Hong on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Santa Cruz scores with a leg kick.
Santa Cruz moves to clinch but Hong breaks away
letting Hong counter with a right hand.
Santa Cruz wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Santa Cruz misses with the body kick
and Hong counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Santa Cruz fails to land the takedown.
Hong throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Santa Cruz shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Hong napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Santa Cruz working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Hong tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Santa Cruz wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz in side control, throwing shots but Hong defends.

Santa Cruz goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Hong rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Santa Cruz's guard! Nice work there by Hong!
Santa Cruz controls Hong momentarily but Hong frees himself.
Hong controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Hong trying to control the position from guard on top but Santa Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hong wants to pass the guard but Santa Cruz is keeping the position.

Hong got a little sloppy there for a moment and Santa Cruz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hong has managed to get both his arms back between Santa Cruz's legs - danger averted.
Hong trying to control the position from guard on top but Santa Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Nichi Hong just wasn't active enough.

Santa Cruz closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Hong manages to get to full guard.

Santa Cruz drops back, looking for a kneebar! Hong looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Hong looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Hong!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Santa Cruz is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hong stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch up.
Rafael Santa Cruz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Hong misses with a low kick.
Santa Cruz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hong.
Rafael Santa Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hong swats away the attempt to clinch by Santa Cruz.
Hong scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Hong takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Hong misses with a two punch combination.
Hong throws out a loose jab but Santa Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hong fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Santa Cruz tries to work over Hong's front leg with a kick but Hong checks it.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch but Hong moves out of range.
Nichi Hong has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hong. Santa Cruz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hong smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Santa Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hong paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Hong. No joy for Santa Cruz on that attempt.
A jab lands there for Santa Cruz.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Santa Cruz darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Santa Cruz lunges at Hong with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Hong's hand.
Hong lands a nice leg kick that just misses Santa Cruz's sensitive parts.
Hong misses with a hook. Santa Cruz ducked under it nicely.
Santa Cruz is looking to clinch.
Santa Cruz blocks a jab.
Santa Cruz scores with a hook to the body. Hong takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santa Cruz digs a good body shot into Hong's ribs.
Santa Cruz connects with an inside leg kick.
Santa Cruz is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Hong.
Nichi Hong is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hong throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

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 Nichi Hong.
I think Santa Cruz has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafael Santa Cruz!
Rafael Santa Cruz really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that [IMMA] DTK Designs (Laundry) logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.