PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Santa Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Melvin Manhoef (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santa Cruz comes to the cage accompanied by 50 cent P.I.M.P. Manhoef is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by The Prodigy - Take Me To The Hospital . Rafael Santa Cruz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Santa Cruz
vs
Manhoef

180 cm
33
175 lbs
26 - 19 - 1

184 cm
38
182 lbs
35 - 20 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

V-Mask Clothing (10%)

GREEN!160
Pearson Specter Litt

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 1 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 19 - 1, 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 35 - 20 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Melvin Manhoef!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Reed Andrews and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manhoef fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Manhoef misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Manhoef lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Manhoef misses with a head kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Santa Cruz, right into the meat.
Santa Cruz cracks Manhoef with a good jab.
Santa Cruz blocks the body kick.
Santa Cruz appears to be looking for a big counter.
Santa Cruz 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.
Santa Cruz avoids a kick to the body.
Santa Cruz throws a nice outside leg kick.
A head kick misses from Manhoef.
Santa Cruz tried to counter with a leg kick but Manhoef avoided it.
Santa Cruz keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Santa Cruz throws a hook but Manhoef blocks it.
Santa Cruz digs a good body shot into Manhoef's ribs.
Santa Cruz lands a glancing blow to the side of Manhoef's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Manhoef looks to land a body kick but Santa Cruz moved away.
An inside leg kick lands from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Santa Cruz looks for the body kick but Manhoef saw that one coming.
Santa Cruz pivots, looking for a leg kick but Manhoef is out of range and Santa Cruz settles back down.
Santa Cruz looks to land a body kick but Manhoef moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manhoef feints and then cracks Santa Cruz's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Santa Cruz down.
Manhoef throws out a leg kick but Santa Cruz moves out of range and Manhoef only half commits.
Santa Cruz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Manhoef.
Melvin Manhoef is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Santa Cruz lands with a straight right. Manhoef didn't see that one coming.
Good exchange - Santa Cruz coming out on top.
A chopping leg kick lands by Santa Cruz.
Manhoef throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Santa Cruz, right into the meat.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Santa Cruz checks a leg kick.
Manhoef checks the leg kick.
Manhoef 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.
Santa Cruz jabs Manhoef right on the nose. Manhoef blinks but takes it well.
Santa Cruz connects with an inside leg kick.
Santa Cruz throws a body shot but no joy.
Santa Cruz walks forward, straight into a front kick from Manhoef.
Melvin Manhoef seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Manhoef fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Santa Cruz on the side of the head.
Manhoef 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.
Manhoef feints and then cracks Santa Cruz's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Santa Cruz down.
Manhoef lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef throws a leg kick
and Santa Cruz counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Manhoef looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Manhoef moves away from the strike by Santa Cruz.
A nice inside leg kick there by Manhoef. That's going to slow Santa Cruz down.
Santa Cruz connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A jab from Manhoef finds it's way through Santa Cruz's defenses.
Manhoef ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Santa Cruz moves away.
Some bone on bone action there as Manhoef checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Manhoef looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Manhoef takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Santa Cruz lands a leg kick that knocks Manhoef off balance momentarily.
Santa Cruz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Manhoef throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Santa Cruz explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Santa Cruz loads up on a big right hand but Manhoef slips the punch.
Manhoef's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Santa Cruz takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Manhoef throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Manhoef throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Santa Cruz lands with a kick to the ribs.
Santa Cruz lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Manhoef at a distance.
Manhoef pivots, looking for a leg kick but Santa Cruz is out of range and Manhoef settles back down.
A looping hook to the body misses from Santa Cruz. Manhoef does a little dance to reset his feet.
Santa Cruz digs a good body shot into Manhoef's ribs.
Manhoef connects with a body shot.
Manhoef lands with a hook. Santa Cruz tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Santa Cruz avoids the head kick by Manhoef.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick but Manhoef sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Santa Cruz swings for the body but Manhoef moves out of range.
Manhoef was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Santa Cruz moves out of range of the leg kick from Manhoef.
Santa Cruz fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Manhoef is out of range.
Santa Cruz needs to keep his hands up - Manhoef had a free shot at his head there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Manhoef scores with a leg kick.
Manhoef throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef throws a head kick that misses.
Santa Cruz lands a nice leg kick that just misses Manhoef's sensitive parts.
Santa Cruz throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A clash of legs there as Manhoef blocks the low kick.
A punch lands to the side of Manhoef 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Manhoef lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Manhoef walks into a jab.
Manhoef moves out of range as Santa Cruz strikes.
Santa Cruz takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Santa Cruz.
Manhoef connects with a solid leg kick.
Manhoef misses with a leg kick
enabling Santa Cruz to counter with a crisp jab.
Manhoef throws a leg kick but Santa Cruz checks it.
Manhoef looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Santa Cruz is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Manhoef looks for the body kick but Santa Cruz saw that one coming.
Santa Cruz throws a series of punches but Manhoef moves out of range.
Nice body kick there by Manhoef.
A left lands for Manhoef.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef is looking to land body kicks.
Santa Cruz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Santa Cruz is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
A jab from Manhoef misses.
Manhoef tries a low kick but Santa Cruz avoids it.
Santa Cruz moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Santa Cruz throws a body shot but no joy.
Santa Cruz throws a low kick, looking for Manhoef's leg but Manhoef calmly moves out of range.
Santa Cruz moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Santa Cruz scores with the left hand. Manhoef knows he should have avoided that one.
Manhoef misses with a body kick.
It looked like Santa Cruz was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Manhoef.
Manhoef attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Manhoef misses with an uppercut.
Manhoef cracks Santa Cruz with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A solid leg kick lands there for Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Santa Cruz misses with a head kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Santa Cruz.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Santa Cruz is looking to slow Manhoef down with leg kicks.
Manhoef looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Santa Cruz throws a hook to the side of Manhoef's head but Manhoef sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Santa Cruz throws a hook but Manhoef avoids it easily.
Santa Cruz looks to score with a jab to the body but Manhoef is just out of range.
Manhoef throws a half hearted mid kick.
Santa Cruz swings for the body but Manhoef moves out of range.
Manhoef tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Santa Cruz has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Manhoef.
Manhoef throws a head kick that misses.
Manhoef uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Santa Cruz.
Manhoef ducks under a wild hook from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Manhoef misses with a low kick.
Santa Cruz lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Manhoef's jab looks to have found its range, popping Santa Cruz under the eye.
Manhoef throws a lazy body kick
and Santa Cruz counters with an inside leg kick.
Manhoef clobbers Santa Cruz with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef throws a head kick but Santa Cruz moves out of range.
Manhoef tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Santa Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Santa Cruz swings for the body but Manhoef moves out of range.
Manhoef appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Santa Cruz has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Manhoef.
Manhoef throws a low kick but Santa Cruz avoids it.
Santa Cruz throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Manhoef lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Santa Cruz cracks Manhoef with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Manhoef looks to land a left hand but Santa Cruz moved out of range nicely.
Manhoef walks into a straight right hand from Santa Cruz.
A big right from Manhoef misses.
Manhoef takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
A low kick from Manhoef is predictable there
and Santa Cruz makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Santa Cruz throws a series of punches but Manhoef avoids them all with ease.
A big right from Santa Cruz misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A solid leg kick lands there for Manhoef.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Santa Cruz appears to be looking for a big counter.
Santa Cruz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Manhoef manages to avoid it.
Manhoef has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Santa Cruz.
Manhoef pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Santa Cruz fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Santa Cruz takes one to the side of the head.
Manhoef tries to land a front kick but Santa Cruz steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Manhoef lands a lovely overhand right.
Manhoef scores with a leg kick.
Manhoef finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Santa Cruz looks to land a left hand but Manhoef moved out of range nicely.
Santa Cruz checks a low kick from Manhoef.

Santa Cruz bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Santa Cruz working the head and body with strikes.
Sloppy strikes there by Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Manhoef is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Santa Cruz is keen to just control but Manhoef is a slippery customer.
Santa Cruz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Santa Cruz is working for a submission of some sort.
Manhoef is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santa Cruz working the head and body with strikes.

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 1 round of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 9:10
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 10:9
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 10:9

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Rafael Santa Cruz!
As Rafael Santa Cruz got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: thank fuck for that, I have been sooo shit.'.