PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Andres Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chris Cross has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Santos
vs
Cross

175 cm
18
147 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

174 cm
18
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Andres Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Chris Cross!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Jeff Smith and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cross closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Santos to the mat! Santos manages to get full guard.
Santos is trying to keep Cross in close.
Cross is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Cross trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Cross postures up in Santos's guard and throws a big left but Santos blocks it.
Santos striking off his back but it's not causing Cross any problems.
Cross controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Chris Cross hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Sloppy strikes from Cross. Those never looked like landing.
Cross is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A head kick misses from Cross.

Cross closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Santos to the mat! Santos manages to get full guard.
Santos keeping full guard, as Cross tries to pass.
Cross trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chris Cross was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Some wild striking there from Cross.
Cross throws a right hand that Santos ducks under and follows up with a left that Santos also avoids with ease.

Cross gets the takedown into side control.
Cross tries to move into full mount but can't pass Santos's legs.

Cross stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross throws a wild body kick that Santos sees coming a mile off.
Santos pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Santos is breathing heavily.

Cross moves into the clinch.

Cross escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cross tries to clinch up but Santos circles away and keeps his distance.

Cross shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Santos napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Cross staying calm.
Santos is not content to let Cross control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cross decides to stand up, so the ref orders Santos to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cross throws a head kick that misses.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Cross tries to clinch there but Santos circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cross drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Cross looks up at the clock and then as Santos takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Cross smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Cross throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Santos is not content to let Cross control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Santos's face as Cross controls the position.
Cross is looking to take a break and control but Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Santos definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chris Cross was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Cross tries to close the distance and clinch but Santos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Santos slips a jab and a cross from Cross.
Cross misses with a head kick.

Santos tries to sprawl but Cross drives through with a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross slows the pace down in half guard.
Cross wants to free his trapped foot but Santos is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cross is looking to take a break and control but Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Santos won't allow Cross to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chris Cross was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Cross throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Santos.
Santos avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cross throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Andres Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cross avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cross misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Cross feints and as Santos raises his hands in defense, Cross changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cross trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cross!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos controlling from the full mount.
Cross regains half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cross is positioning himself well to prevent Santos advancing to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Cross showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cross goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Cross tries to clinch up but Santos circles away and keeps his distance.
Cross tries to move into range but Santos moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Cross swings for the body but Santos moves out of range.
Cross throws a combination that misses
enabling Santos to counter with a crisp jab.
Cross scores with a head kick.

Cross darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Cross wants to take a breather but Santos is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross not doing much here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Cross trying to control from half guard but Santos is working away.
Santos wants to get back to his feet.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Chris Cross wasn't active enough on the ground.
Cross misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
No joy there for Cross, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Santos.
Cross pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cross bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Cross throws a right and a left that both miss.

Cross dives in and scores a takedown into Santos's guard.
Cross slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Cross from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Chris Cross has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Cross is looking to clinch.
A head kick misses from Cross.
Cross tries to close the distance and clinch up but Santos swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cross tries a head kick but it misses.
Santos is looking to clinch but Cross is avoiding it.
Sloppy strikes from Cross. Those never looked like landing.
Cross fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Santos blocks a head kick by Cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Santos moves out of range as Cross throws a body kick.
Santos tries to clinch but Cross is having none of it.
Cross dodges the punch combination from Santos.
Santos misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Cross gets the takedown into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cross working the ground and pound from side control.
Andres Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Chris Cross is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cross has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Santos wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Cross comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cross 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight for Chris Cross!
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight for Chris Cross!
Judge Josh West scores the fight for Chris Cross!

Chris Cross wins by unanimous decision!
The defeated Andres Santos had this to say: 'I'll get it next time!'.