PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Santana (ranked 23417 p4p, 373 weight class) and Samak Ruenroeng (ranked 23949 p4p, 387 weight class). Santana comes to the cage accompanied by Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still. Samak Ruenroeng will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Santana
vs
Ruenroeng

155 cm
20
142 lbs
0 - 2 - 1

170 cm
20
144 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Fanatic Inc.

IniTech Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Marcus Santana!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Samak Ruenroeng!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Wesley Smith and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ruenroeng thows a body kick. Santana tries to catch it but that hurt him.

Ruenroeng closes the distance and clinches.
Santana misses with a body punch.
The referee calls for Santana to work.
Santana controlling the action here for a moment.
Santana gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Ruenroeng misses with a knee strike.
Santana misses with a punch on the inside.
Santana doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A knee to the head by Ruenroeng.
Santana taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Ruenroeng missing with knees to the body.
Santana misses with a short punch on the inside.
Santana misses with the head strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruenroeng using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Santana has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ruenroeng throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Santana lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Ruenroeng.
Santana with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ruenroeng avoiding damage as Santana throws knees to the body.
Ruenroeng being controlled against the cage.
Santana swings wildly with an uppercut but Ruenroeng uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Santana.
Santana lands with a light punch inside.
Ruenroeng working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ruenroeng lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Santana.
Santana misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Santana missing with knees to the body.
Ruenroeng missing with knees to the body.
Ruenroeng lands an elbow just above Santana 's eye.
Ruenroeng with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ruenroeng misses with a punch on the inside.
Santana lands with a short shot to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Santana misses with a body punch.
Stalling in the clinch from Santana.
Ruenroeng tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Santana managing to block the knees to the body from Ruenroeng.
Santana struggles to land a body shot inside as Ruenroeng controls his hands.
Santana stalling the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruenroeng tries to land a knee to the head but Santana blocks with his arms.
Santana misses with a punch on the inside.
Santana taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Ruenroeng missing with knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Ruenroeng throws an elbow but misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Santana.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Santana.
Santana tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Santana fails to land.
Santana lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Santana blocks the elbow strike.
Santana lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ruenroeng backwards.
Santana manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruenroeng pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ruenroeng blocks an uppercut.
Ruenroeng blocks an uppercut.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Santana tries to throw a body punch but Ruenroeng avoids it by throwing Santana back against the cage.
Ruenroeng throws an elbow but it misses.
Santana misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Santana lands a right hand that snaps the head of Ruenroeng backwards.
Santana pushes Ruenroeng back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Marcus Santana will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A head kick misses from Ruenroeng.
Santana was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Ruenroeng takes the fight into the clinch.
Ruenroeng pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Santana misses with a punch on the inside.
Ruenroeng tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Santana avoids it.
Santana throws a head punch that misses.
Ruenroeng unloads a knee to the mid-section. Santana lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ruenroeng lands a knee to the body.
Santana misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruenroeng looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ruenroeng is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Santana is defending well for now.
Ruenroeng blocking some punches.
Ruenroeng connects with a knee to the head.
Ruenroeng pushes off an throws an elbow but Santana leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santana using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ruenroeng has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ruenroeng landing knees to the head.
Santana goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ruenroeng misses with a knee to the head.
Ruenroeng lands a damaging elbow.
The referee calls for Santana to work.
Santana managing to block the knees to the body from Ruenroeng.
Ruenroeng lands a knee to the body.
Ruenroeng prevents a body shot from Santana.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Santana.
Santana working aggressively here.
Ruenroeng blocks the elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruenroeng lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Santana pressing his opponent against the cage.
Ruenroeng misses with a knee to the head.
Santana misses with some punches.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Santana.
Samak Ruenroeng seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A short right from Santana.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruenroeng working aggressively here.
Santana has Ruenroeng pushed against the cage.
Santana takes a knee right on the jaw!
Ruenroeng with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Santana is trying to pull guard but Ruenroeng turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santana lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Santana fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ruenroeng tries to land a knee to the head but Santana blocks with his arms.
Ruenroeng struggles to land a body shot inside as Santana controls his hands.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Santana is leaning against Ruenroeng and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ruenroeng with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ruenroeng misses with a knee to the head.
Santana fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ruenroeng looking to throw knees to the head but Santana is blocking nicely.
Santana lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruenroeng with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ruenroeng tries to work over Santana's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Santana's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ruenroeng.
Santana slowing the pace effectively.
Ruenroeng misses with a knee to the head.
Ruenroeng blocks a body shot from Santana.
Santana blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ruenroeng with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Santana misses with some punches.
Santana misses with a hook from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samak Ruenroeng showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Santana keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Santana cracks Ruenroeng with an open hand slap.
Santana misses the jab.
Santana tries to close the distance and clinch but Ruenroeng swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Ruenroeng gets a clinch.
Ruenroeng blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Santana lands a body punch.
Ruenroeng connects with a nasty looking knee right to Santana's face.
Santana throws a head punch that misses.
A right handed body shot lands from Ruenroeng.
Santana blocks a punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ruenroeng missing with knees to the body.
Santana will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ruenroeng up against the cage.
Ruenroeng misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santana fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ruenroeng working aggressively here.
Ruenroeng throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Ruenroeng throws an elbow but it misses.
Ruenroeng throws an elbow but it misses.
Santana makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Ruenroeng throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Ruenroeng tries to land a knee to the head but Santana blocks with his arms.
Ruenroeng blocks an uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Santana scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ruenroeng blocks an uppercut.
Santana misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Santana.
Ruenroeng lands a nice elbow.
Santana stalling.
Santana pushes off an throws an elbow but Ruenroeng leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
A hook to the body from Santana.
Santana lands with a right to the head.
Santana is leaning against Ruenroeng and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Santana misses with some punches.
Ruenroeng tries to land knees in the clinch but Santana avoids the damage to the body.
Santana misses with a short punch on the inside.
Santana tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Santana takes an elbow to the forehead.
Santana will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ruenroeng up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santana gets through Ruenroeng's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Santana goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Santana controlling the action here for a moment.
Santana has Ruenroeng pressed against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ruenroeng.
Ruenroeng throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ruenroeng pushes off an throws an elbow but Santana leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ruenroeng has a couple of punches blocked by Santana.
Ruenroeng misses with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santana lands a good knee to the midsection. Ruenroeng won't want to take too many of those.
Santana doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ruenroeng is pressed up against the cage. Santana has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ruenroeng down to the mat. Ruenroeng avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Ruenroeng gets in close and instigates a clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Ruenroeng throws an elbow but misses.
Santana avoids the elbow strike from Ruenroeng, against the cage.
Santana stalling.
Santana tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Santana misses with the head strike.
Ruenroeng lands a knee to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Santana.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruenroeng misses with a punch to the body.
Ruenroeng throws an elbow but it misses.

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 Marcus Santana.
I think Santana has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!