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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Santa Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shawn Wexler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santa Cruz's entrance music is 50 cent P.I.M.P. A fine choice. Wexler has chosen Go To Sleep - Eminem as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!
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| 180 cm
31
175 lbs
18 - 11 - 0 |
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182 cm
34
178 lbs
24 - 12 - 0 |
Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin |
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BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Good gas tank |
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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
18 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rafael Santa Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
24 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shawn Wexler!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Russell Pearce and Jonathan Paton.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wexler digs a good hook to Santa Cruz's body.
Santa Cruz throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Wexler cracks Santa Cruz with a good jab.
Santa Cruz misses with a leg kick.
Wexler fails with an attempt to clinch.
Santa Cruz feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Wexler's calf.
Santa Cruz turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Santa Cruz wants to land a leg kick but Wexler is out of range.
Wexler darts in looking for a takedown but Santa Cruz gets double underhooks and turns Wexler into the cage.
Santa Cruz has Wexler pushed against the cage.
Wexler manages to pull guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wexler is controlling Santa Cruz's posture.
Wexler is trying to control the position but Santa Cruz postures up.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Wexler wants to sweep but no luck.
Wexler looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Santa Cruz has picked Wexler up and slammed him! Wexler can't keep hold of the triangle and Santa Cruz manages to pass to side control!
Wexler on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Wexler tries to improve position but can't.
Wexler wants to control but Santa Cruz postures up.
Wexler might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Santa Cruz haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Santa Cruz working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Santa Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Wexler is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Santa Cruz controlling from side mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wexler tries to improve position but can't.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wexler is trying to control Santa Cruz's posture but Santa Cruz avoids it.
Wexler 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.
Santa Cruz wants to control but Wexler is keeping him busy.
Santa Cruz advances to mount.
Santa Cruz avoids the attempt from Wexler to control.
Wexler is squirming around, avoiding Santa Cruz's attempts to control the action.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wexler wants to get back to his feet.
Wexler working to try and regain half guard.
Santa Cruz in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Santa Cruz lands a big shot there that rocks Wexler but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Wexler bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santa Cruz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Wexler stays in close to Santa Cruz's body and controls the position.
Wexler wants to control from the top but Santa Cruz keeps moving.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Santa Cruz keeping moving, preventing Wexler from controlling successfully.
Santa Cruz wants to sweep but no luck.
Wexler pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Santa Cruz is keeping the position for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Santa Cruz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Wexler manages to get himself to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Rafael Santa Cruz dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.
Wexler misses with a right hand
and Santa Cruz counters by clinching up.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Wexler.
Wexler digs a right hand into Santa Cruz's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Santa Cruz's gas tank.
Wexler tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Santa Cruz just stands there and leans against the cage.
Santa Cruz misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Santa Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Wexler misses with a hook. Santa Cruz ducked under it nicely.
Santa Cruz misses with an uppercut. Wexler saw that one coming.
Santa Cruz takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
A slow jab from Wexler misses its intended target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wexler swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice straight punches there by Wexler. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Wexler.
Santa Cruz tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Wexler is able to avoid easily.
Wexler misses the shot to the body.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Wexler blocks a low kick nicely.
Santa Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wexler with a lazy takedown attempt
and Santa Cruz counters with a slapping leg kick.
Santa Cruz takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Santa Cruz misses with a leg kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz thows a body kick. Wexler tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick that misses.
Wexler throws a hook to the side of Santa Cruz's head but Santa Cruz sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Wexler throws a hook but Santa Cruz avoids it easily.
Santa Cruz tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Wexler is able to avoid easily.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz throws a front kick aimed at Wexler's knee but Wexler avoids it well.
A looping hook to the body misses from Santa Cruz. Wexler does a little dance to reset his feet.
Santa Cruz throws a wild body kick that Wexler sees coming a mile off.
Wexler checks a leg kick.
Santa Cruz buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Santa Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Wexler is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Wexler misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rafael Santa Cruz is winning the standup battle so far.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick that misses.
Wexler takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Wexler throws a sloppy body shot
and Santa Cruz counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good exchange - Wexler coming out on top.
Wexler misses the shot to the body.
Shawn Wexler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Santa Cruz throws a wild body kick that Wexler sees coming a mile off.
Wexler fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wexler throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Santa Cruz takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Wexler digs a good body shot into Santa Cruz's ribs.
Nice defenses there by Wexler.
Wexler checks a leg kick.
Wexler shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Santa Cruz as he jumps to the side.
Rafael Santa Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shawn Wexler.
Wexler ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Santa Cruz moves away.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz throws a wild body kick that Wexler sees coming a mile off.
Santa Cruz is looking to land body kicks.
Wexler is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Santa Cruz rather than just go for the knockout.
Wexler looks to score with a jab to the body but Santa Cruz is just out of range.
A clash of legs there as Wexler blocks the low kick.
Santa Cruz lands a leg kick that knocks Wexler off balance momentarily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Wexler.
Santa Cruz is looking to slow Wexler down with leg kicks.
Wexler fails with a takedown attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A jab lands there for Santa Cruz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Rafael Santa Cruz dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!
Santa Cruz looks to land a body kick but Wexler moved away.
A punch lands to the side of Santa Cruz 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Wexler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Santa Cruz.
Wexler moves out of range of the body kick from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Wexler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Wexler throws out a powerful jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santa Cruz attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Wexler throws a body shot but no joy.
Santa Cruz ducks right into an uppercut from Wexler.
Wexler fails to land the takedown.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Wexler misses with a right hand
and Santa Cruz counters by clinching up.
Wexler misses with a body punch.
Wexler blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Santa Cruz is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Wexler is keeping busy.
Wexler lands a body shot.
A bit of stalling here from Wexler.
Santa Cruz misses with a body punch.
A right hook to the body lands for Wexler.
Wexler is leaning against Santa Cruz and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Wexler slows down the pace here.
Wexler tries for a takedown. No joy.
Wexler breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Santa Cruz cracks the inside of Wexler's front leg.
Wexler is trying hard to land a takedown here. Santa Cruz sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Shawn Wexler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rafael Santa Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shawn Wexler.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Santa Cruz lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Wexler has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Wexler and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Wexler throws a body shot but no joy.
Wexler lands with a good body shot.
Santa Cruz throws a lazy body kick
and Wexler moves into the clinch.
Santa Cruz throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Wexler prevents a body shot from Santa Cruz.
Wexler tries a body shot but Santa Cruz blocks it.
Santa Cruz lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Santa Cruz tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Wexler's elbow.
Wexler's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Wexler misses the shot to the body.
Wexler shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Santa Cruz but Santa Cruz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Some bone on bone action there as Wexler checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz avoids the body shot from Wexler.
Wexler takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Wexler shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Santa Cruz defends it nicely.
Rafael Santa Cruz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rafael Santa Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Wexler misses with a looping left.
An inside leg kick from Santa Cruz misses.
Santa Cruz lands with an overhand left.
Wexler fails with the takedown
and Santa Cruz finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Santa Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Santa Cruz throws a quick inside leg kick.
Santa Cruz lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Wexler fails with the takedown
and Santa Cruz counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Wexler throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Santa Cruz attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Wexler missing with a left hand there. Santa Cruz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Wexler's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Santa Cruz wants to land a leg kick but Wexler is out of range.
Crunch! Santa Cruz slams his shin into Wexler's torso.
Wexler lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Santa Cruz circles away quickly and effectively.
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 Rafael Santa Cruz.
Well Santa 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafael Santa Cruz!
Rafael Santa Cruz took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'I'm fucking good aren't I? Been a pleasure. Coming for the title.'.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
23% |
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