PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Corey Cormier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raul Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cormier kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says. This should be a great matchup!

Cormier
vs
Santiago

179 cm
29
161 lbs
17 - 17 - 0

179 cm
24
169 lbs
9 - 3 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Corey Cormier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Raul Santiago!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, William Peck and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cormier misses with a double jab.
Cormier tries to bum rush Santiago with a series of wild strikes but Santiago uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cormier misses with a few strikes there.
Cormier digs a good body shot into Santiago's ribs.
Cormier throws a poor cross that misses
and Santiago connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

It looks like Corey Cormier has been cut.
Cormier steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Santiago.
Cormier misses with a right hand

and Santiago counters with a crisp one two that drops Cormier! Santiago thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Cormier to his feet! Cormier is in big trouble!
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!
Santiago walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Santiago ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cormier throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Santiago counter with a right hand.
Cormier lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Cormier throws a leg kick that is checked
and Santiago makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Cormier is breathing heavily.
Cormier connects with an inside leg kick.
Cormier misses with a left hand
and Santiago counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Santiago lands a right hook to the body.
Santiago misses with a takedown attempt - Cormier sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Cormier misses with a double jab
and Santiago counters with a one-two to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cormier throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Santiago makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Santiago misses with a two punch combination.
Cormier throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Santiago counters with a straight right hand.
Santiago connects with a body shot that sends Cormier's belly button to the back.
Santiago scores with a body shot.
Good shot there by Santiago.
Santiago connects with a good right hand that stumbles Cormier. Cormier circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Cormier walks into a jab.
Cormier on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Cormier throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling Santiago to counter with a crisp jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Santiago cracks Cormier with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Santiago feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Cormiers jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Santiago digs a good hook to Cormier's body.
Cormier moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Corey Cormier seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Santiago shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Cormier trying to keep a closed guard but Santiago is proving a slippery customer.
Cormier keeping moving, preventing Santiago from controlling successfully.
Cormier looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Santiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Cormier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santiago slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Santiago is standing up over Cormier. Cormier looks to escape but Santiago dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago works to advance to full mount. Cormier defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

Santiago jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Cormier is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Cormier and Santiago has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Santiago working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Cormier is looking for a sweep.
Cormier is working hard here to advance position.
Cormier is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Santiago asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cormier tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Santiago wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Santiago goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Cormier rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Santiago's guard! Nice work there by Cormier!

Cormier decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Nice body punch from Santiago.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cormier throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Santiago connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cormier tries to move into range but Santiago moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Santiago scores with a hook to the body. Cormier takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Santiago dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Corey Cormier's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Santiago closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cormier to the mat! Cormier manages to get full guard.
Santiago in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Santiago controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Cormier lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Santiago!

Santiago bucks up and throws Cormier to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Cormier throws out a leg kick but Santiago moves out of range and Cormier only half commits.
Cormier throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Santiago to counter with a crisp jab.
Cormier throws a lazy uppercut
and Santiago counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Corey Cormier is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santiago looks to land a right hand but Cormier moved out of range.
Cormier lands with an uppercut that bounces Santiago off the cage and back into rage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cormier scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cormier throws a combination that misses
and Santiago counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Santiago misses with the combination.
Santiago throws a looping overhand right but Cormier ducks down to avoid it.
A combination from Cormier does no damage.
Cormier misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Santiago.
Santiago connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Cormier's hands.
Cormier rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Santiago counters with a nice uppercut.
Santiago fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Cormier on the side of the head.
Cormier misses with a double jab
and Cormier takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Santiago lands a nice looking body shot.
Raul Santiago seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A leg kick checked by Santiago.
Cormier looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago shoots in for a double leg but Cormier sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cormier throws a right hand that misses
and Santiago counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A punch lands to the side of Cormier 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Cormier.
Cormier misses with a body shot
and Santiago counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cormier throws a body punch but Santiago moves out of range.
Santiago 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.
Cormier looks to clinch
and Santiago counters with a right hand to the body.
Cormier walks into a straight right hand from Santiago.
Cormier takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Cormier throws an off balance right hand
letting Santiago counter with a right hand.
A punch combination from Cormier misses.
Nice shot by Santiago.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cormier misses with a right hand
and Santiago counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago lands a slapping body shot.
Santiago is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cormier.
Santiago moves into range and connects with a jab.
Santiago comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Santiago dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Santiago looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Nice strikes from Santiago there.
Cormier is trying to stand.
Cormier trying to hold on to Santiago's head to control him but Santiago postures up.
Santiago working Cormier over with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Cormier trying to hold on to Santiago's head to control him but Santiago postures up.
Santiago is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Cormier blocking the ground and pound attempt from Santiago.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santiago working Cormier over with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Santiago showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Corey Cormier's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Cormier ducks under a wild hook from Santiago.
Cormier throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cormier lands a slapping body shot.
Some wild striking there from Cormier.
Cormier throws a left and a right that both miss

and Santiago counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cormier is looking to stand up but Santiago isn't so interested in that idea.
Santiago advances position into side control!
Raul Santiago has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
You can see the frustration on Cormier's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago wants to control but Cormier is keeping him busy.
Cormier wants to get back to his feet but Santiago drags him back down.
Santiago tries to move to mount but Cormier blocks the move with his legs.
You can see the frustration on Cormier's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cormier pushes Santiago away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Santiago gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Corey Cormier has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cormier is trying to control Santiago's posture but Santiago avoids it.
Santiago wants to control but Cormier is keeping him busy.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Santiago working the body and head with strikes.
The referee asks Santiago politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Santiago prefers to stall for the moment though.
Santiago trying to control the action but Cormier is working from the bottom.
Cormier is pushing Santiago's head away, looking to escape. Santiago manages to hold on to the position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cormier avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Santiago.
Santiago tries to advance to mount but can't.

Santiago working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Santiago has hold of Cormier's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Cormier seems comfortable defending it but Santiago has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Cormier is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Cormier is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Santiago couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Raul Santiago!