PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gerard Esqueda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Santa Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Esqueda's entrance music is Cant del Barça. A fine choice. Santa Cruz has chosen 50 cent P.I.M.P as his entrance music. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Esqueda
vs
Santa Cruz

179 cm
36
155 lbs
34 - 19 - 2

180 cm
35
170 lbs
29 - 23 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Namunamu Clothing
Bullet Proof System

GREEN!160
Mohito Fightwear

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 34 - 19 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Gerard Esqueda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Rafael Santa Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Esqueda, as that shot connected.
Santa Cruz lands a leg kick that knocks Esqueda off balance momentarily.
Esqueda throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Esqueda looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Esqueda has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz fails in his attempt to clinch.
Esqueda sizes up Santa Cruz with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Santa Cruz blocks a jab.
The fighters circling - Esqueda throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A good leg kick by Esqueda.
Esqueda scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Santa Cruz doesn't seem bothered though.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick but Esqueda sees it coming and moves out of range.
Santa Cruz is looking to slow Esqueda down with leg kicks.
Santa Cruz throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
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!
Esqueda checks a leg kick nicely.
Esqueda throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Santa Cruz counters with a shoot takedown. Esqueda fights it but they end up in guard.
Santa Cruz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz looking to sit in guard and control but Esqueda gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Esqueda wants to control from the top but Santa Cruz keeps moving.
Esqueda cracks Santa Cruz with a solid left hand.
Esqueda throws a big right hand that misses.
Esqueda postures up.
Esqueda throws a big elbow that misses.

Santa Cruz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esqueda trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Esqueda has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Santa Cruz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Santa Cruz being controlled here, momentarily.
Santa Cruz is trying to keep Esqueda in close.
Esqueda pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Santa Cruz is keeping the position for now.
Santa Cruz working a defensive guard but Esqueda manages to pass into side control anyway.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz is looking to regain half guard here but Esqueda keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Esqueda wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santa Cruz keeps working.
Santa Cruz gets back to half guard.
Santa Cruz wants to improve his position but Esqueda is controlling well.
Esqueda lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz wants to control but Esqueda is keeping busy and won't allow it.
We've been hearing that Esqueda has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Santa Cruz is staying active underneath Esqueda, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Esqueda scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Santa Cruz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Santa Cruz wants to improve his position but Esqueda is controlling well.
Esqueda working over Santa Cruz with some ground and pound. Santa Cruz looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Santa Cruz is looking to control Esqueda's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Santa Cruz avoid being mounted?
Esqueda working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerard Esqueda dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Santa Cruz looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Esqueda scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Esqueda clobbers Santa Cruz with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Esqueda wants to slow Santa Cruz down by chopping away at his legs.
Esqueda misses with a wild body shot.
Esqueda with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick

and Esqueda decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Santa Cruz's guard.
Santa Cruz has his hands on Esqueda's head, controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santa Cruz trying to keep a closed guard but Esqueda is proving a slippery customer.
Esqueda throws a big right hand that misses.
Santa Cruz looking to control.
Esqueda throwing strikes from guard but Santa Cruz blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Esqueda content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Esqueda in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Santa Cruz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Esqueda is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Santa Cruz can do to turn this around?
Esqueda throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santa Cruz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Esqueda got a little sloppy there for a moment and Santa Cruz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Esqueda has managed to get both his arms back between Santa Cruz's legs - danger averted.
Santa Cruz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Esqueda postures up in Santa Cruz's guard and throws a big left but Santa Cruz blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esqueda throwing strikes from guard but Santa Cruz blocks nicely.
Esqueda trying to control the position from guard on top but Santa Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Esqueda with a flurry of punches that miss.
Santa Cruz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Esqueda thows a left - swing and a miss!
Esqueda will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Esqueda lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch up.
Santa Cruz has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Santa Cruz there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esqueda slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Santa Cruz fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Esqueda, pushing him back against the cage.
Esqueda misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Esqueda misses with a hook to the ribs.
Esqueda scores with a shot to the side of Santa Cruz's head.
Santa Cruz swings wildly with an uppercut but Esqueda uses good head movement to avoid it.
Santa Cruz prevents a body shot from Esqueda.
Santa Cruz blocks a body shot from Esqueda.
Santa Cruz prevents a body shot from Esqueda.
Esqueda misses with a punch to the body.

Santa Cruz pulls guard effortlessly.
Esqueda throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santa Cruz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Esqueda distracts Santa Cruz with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Esqueda throwing strikes from guard but Santa Cruz blocks nicely.
Santa Cruz is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Esqueda won't allow Santa Cruz to get back to his feet.
Esqueda chips away with some ground and pound.
Esqueda throwing strikes from guard but Santa Cruz blocks nicely.

Santa Cruz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Esqueda defends well.
Santa Cruz doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Santa Cruz working a defensive guard here.
Esqueda throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santa Cruz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerard Esqueda dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Santa Cruz drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Esqueda pulls Santa Cruz in close to prevent any damage.
Santa Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Esqueda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santa Cruz is pushing down on Esqueda's leg trying to pass to half guard. Esqueda is fighting to maintain full guard but Santa Cruz has managed to sneak the leg through.
Esqueda moves into full guard.
Gerard Esqueda overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Santa Cruz not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Esqueda escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Santa Cruz gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Esqueda is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Santa Cruz defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Esqueda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Esqueda is looking for a triangle here but Santa Cruz uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Esqueda tries to bench press Santa Cruz off him but Santa Cruz keeps the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Santa Cruz landing strikes.
Esqueda prevents Santa Cruz from moving into mount.
Esqueda gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Esqueda avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Santa Cruz.
Esqueda is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Santa Cruz is nestled in close to Esqueda, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Esqueda wants to get back to full guard.
Esqueda trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz drops an elbow to the side of Esqueda's head.
Rafael Santa Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gerard Esqueda is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Esqueda controlling the position well.
Santa Cruz seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Santa Cruz looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Esqueda keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Esqueda continues to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Santa Cruz wants to free his trapped foot but Esqueda is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Esqueda wants to control but Santa Cruz is keeping busy.
Santa Cruz seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Esqueda does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Santa Cruz slips under a jab from Esqueda.
Esqueda scores with a jab. Santa Cruz acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Santa Cruz takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Rafael Santa Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santa Cruz wants to clinch up but Esqueda keeps it at a distance.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch there but Esqueda circles away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Santa Cruz is looking to clinch but Esqueda is avoiding it.
Esqueda half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Gerard Esqueda is winning the standup battle so far.
Santa Cruz moves in looking to clinch but Esqueda pushes him off.
Santa Cruz misses with a low kick as Esqueda jumps back.
A shot to the liver by Esqueda. Beautiful body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafael Santa Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Esqueda 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gerard Esqueda!
Gerard Esqueda really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that $300 logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.