PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Santana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Howard Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santana comes into the arena with Check My Swag blaring out of the sound system. Howard Li struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 158.0lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Santana
vs
Li

173 cm
27
158 lbs
17 - 8 - 0

174 cm
30
173 lbs
8 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Antonio Santana!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Howard Li!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Li throws a series of punches but Santana moves out of range.
Li tries to land a front kick but Santana steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Li misses with a body shot
and Santana counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Santana feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Li's calf.
Li throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Santana sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Li loads up on a big right hand but Santana slips the punch.
Li throws a hook but Santana blocks it.
Santana tries to move into range but Li moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A punch lands to the side of Santana 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Santana ducks under a wild hook from Li.
Santana tried to counter with a leg kick but Li avoided it.
Li throws a sloppy head kick and Santana moves out of range easily.
Li swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Santana pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Santana sets himself, and Li steps forward looking for the clinch! Santana avoids it this time.
A looping hook to the body misses from Li. Santana does a little dance to reset his feet.
As Li backs away, Santana returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santana buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Santana lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Li looks to score with a jab to the body but Santana is just out of range.
Li thuds his shin into the meat of Santana's side.
Santana connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Li momentarily.
Li swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Li looks to land a right hand but Santana moved out of range.
Li avoids a kick to the body.
Li looks to land a combination but Santana avoids it well.
Santana lands with a nice body punch.
Some wild striking there from Li.
Santana throws a head kick but Li moves out of range.
Santana lands a head kick. Li smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Santana seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Santana lands a glancing blow to the side of Li's head.
Li misses with a double jab.
Santana takes a swing at Li's ribcage but misses.
Li misses with a hook. Santana ducked under it nicely.

Li tries to keep at a distance but Santana has taken the fight into the clinch.
Li working hard to break the clinch.
Santana fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Santana doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Santana lands a right hand.
Santana lands a body shot.
Li avoids a wild elbow strike from Santana.
A body shot lands from Santana.
Santana works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Santana lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Santana makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Li manages to break the clinch.
Santana misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Li.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santana tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Li manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Santana scores with a leg kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Santana.
Li throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Li swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Santana slips a straight right by Li.
Li throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Santana fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Li looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Santana showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Li.
Li looks winded!
Good standup being displayed there by Santana as he connects with a hook.
Santana slips a jab and a cross from Li.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santana lets loose with a powerful body kick. Li will feel that in the morning.
Santana thumps Li with a low kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Santana fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Li manages to avoid it.
Santana dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Li throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Santana misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A slow jab from Li misses its intended target.
Li walks forward, straight into a front kick from Santana.
Santana moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Santana avoids the body shot from Li.
Li throws a shot from downtown. Santana moves away and avoids it.
Santana is looking to wear down Li with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Santana pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Santana fails in his attempt to clinch.
Santana throws a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Santana dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Santana throws a body punch but Li moves out of range.
Li steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Santana.
Li swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Santana has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Li misses with a jab, cross combination.
Santana turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Santana takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Antonio Santana is winning the standup battle so far.
Santana looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Santana darts in and clinches Li up against the cage.

Li breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Santana lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Santana lands a nice leg kick that just misses Li's sensitive parts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Li rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Santana makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Li lands with a hook. Santana tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Li waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Santana.
Li's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A head kick from Santana lands but Li takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Li, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Li missing with a left hand there. Santana was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Santana digs a good hook to Li's body.
Santana feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Li's calf.
Santana throws the left hand but Li avoids the punch easily.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Li! But no joy.
Li throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Santana lands with a thumping leg kick.
A left and a right from Santana both land. Nice combination.
Li throws a head kick but Santana moves out of range.
A slapping body kick lands there for Santana.
Li stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Santana.
A punch combination from Li misses.
Santana appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Li is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Santana. Li does a little dance to reset his feet.
Li is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
The crowd cheers as Santana lands an impressive looking overhand right. Li doesn't seem phased though.
Li on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Santana. Santana obviously looking to wear him down.
A swing and a miss from Santana.
Li lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Santana circles away quickly and effectively.
Santana throws a big counter combination but Li scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Li misses with a hook
and Santana cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Li is rocked!

Santana pushes Li up against the cage in a clinch.
Li is still on wobbly legs! Can Santana finish him?
Santana misses with a hook to the ribs.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Santana.
A nice left hand lands by Santana.
With the fighters up against the cage, Santana throws an elbow but misses.
Li wants to get back to striking at distance but Santana won't allow it.
Li is trying to maintain a safe position but Santana gets an underhook and turns Li into the cage.
Li is trying to break the clinch but Santana is controlling him.
Santana is working Li over against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santana misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Li wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Li wants to break free but Santana has control.
Li seems to have recovered his senses.
Li blocks an uppercut.
Santana lands a nice uppercut.
Li struggles to land a body shot inside as Santana controls his hands.
Santana lands a hook to the side of the head.
Li can't break the clinch.
Santana tries a body shot but Li blocks it.

Santana drops Li onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! Li is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!
Li blocks a body shot from Santana.

Li breaks the clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Li misses the target.
Santana throws a nasty head kick that just misses. He throws another kick to the head of his opponent and almost takes it off! Li crumples to the floor and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Antonio Santana!
Antonio Santana thanked the fans post fight for their support.