PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jacques St Croix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Saguro Takada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). St Croix kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Erasure - A Little Respect. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

St Croix
vs
Takada

168 cm
25
144 lbs
19 - 6 - 0

165 cm
30
155 lbs
19 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jacques St Croix!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Saguro Takada!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takada throws a shot from downtown. St Croix moves away and avoids it.
Takada throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Takada lunges at St Croix with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by St Croix's hand.

It looks like Jacques St Croix has been cut.
Good exchange - St Croix coming out on top.
Takada misses with a hook.
St Croix throws out a loose jab but Takada uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takada swings widly with a right hand
and Takada takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
St Croix lands with a hook. Takada tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Saguro Takada seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Takada moves out of range as St Croix strikes.
Takada throws an off balance right hand
and St Croix counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
St Croix swats away the attempt to clinch by Takada.
St Croix throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
St Croix feints and then cracks Takada's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Takada down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takada throws a jab when St Croix was well out of range.
Takada thows a leg kick but St Croix checks it
and St Croix counters with a good low kick that Takada was not able to check.
St Croix throws a lazy right hand but Takada sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Takada's jab looks to have found its range, popping St Croix under the eye.
St Croix dips to his left and cracks Takada with an uppercut!
St Croix misses with a wild body shot.
St Croix avoids a punch combination nicely.
Takada throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
St Croix loads up on a big right hand but Takada slips the punch.
Takada throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
St Croix lands a jab to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takada takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Takada misses with a straight right.
St Croix moves away from the strike by Takada.
Takada throws a hook but St Croix blocks it.
Takada needs to keep his hands up - St Croix had a free shot at his head there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takada swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
St Croix moves away from the strike by Takada.
St Croix uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Takada.
Takada throws a leg kick but St Croix sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Takada throws a right hand that misses
and St Croix counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
St Croix dips to his left and cracks Takada with an uppercut!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Croix swats away the attempt to clinch by Takada.
Takada wants to clinch up but St Croix keeps it at a distance.
St Croix lands a really nice looking cross but Takada seems unphased.
St Croix throws an overhand right that lands on Takada's shoulder, as Takada tries to avoid the shot.
St Croix tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Takada was well out of range. Poor timing from St Croix.
St Croix lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
St Croix lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
St Croix moves into range and connects with a jab.
Takada throws a leg kick
and St Croix counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
St Croix's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Takada connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! St Croix scrambles back to his feet.
Takada misses with an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Takada is predictable there
and St Croix counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
St Croix takes a shot to the body in his stride.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Takada misses with an uppercut
and St Croix counters with a nice low kick that buckles Takada's knee momentarily.
A cross from St Croix lands.
Takada misses with a hook. St Croix ducked under it nicely.
Takada scores with a jab.
St Croix 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.
Takada doesn't manage to clinch there - St Croix circles away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Takada has taken the fight to the clinch.

Takada breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Takada is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by St Croix.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Saguro Takada will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jacques St Croix's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

St Croix avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Takada defending well as St Croix loads up on a big left hand.
St Croix moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Takada looks to land a right hand but St Croix moved out of range.

St Croix gets tackled into the cage by Takada. Takada maintains the clinch.
Takada tries a body shot but St Croix blocks it.
Takada tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Takada lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down St Croix.
Takada misses with a body punch.
Takada tries to throw a body punch but St Croix avoids it by throwing Takada back against the cage.
Takada misses with a shot to the kidneys.
St Croix misses with a punch to the body.
Takada struggles to land a body shot inside as St Croix controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Takada's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
St Croix misses the shot to the body.
St Croix slips a jab from Takada.
Takada throws a right hand that misses
and St Croix counters with a leg kick.
St Croix defending well as Takada loads up on a big left hand.
St Croix avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Jacques St Croix is winning the standup battle so far.
Takada dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
St Croix connects with a solid leg kick.
Takada takes a body punch but keeps moving.
St Croix scores with a body shot.
St Croix throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Takada.
Takada misses with an uppercut
and St Croix counters with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big right from St Croix misses.
Takada throws a hook but St Croix avoids it easily.
Takada lands with an overhand left.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A big right from Takada misses.
Takada throws a lazy right hand but St Croix sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Takada takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Takada closes the distance and clinches up with St Croix, looking for a takedown. Takada pushes St Croix against the cage but St Croix circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Takada misses the jab.
Takada fails with a takedown attempt.
Takada is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by St Croix.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Croix avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Takada lands a nice hook to St Croix's body. St Croix takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Takada throws a hook to the side of St Croix's head but St Croix sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
St Croix stuffs the takedown attempt from Takada. Takada gets slowly back to his feet.
Jacques St Croix has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saguro Takada.
St Croix is looking to slow Takada down with leg kicks.
The fighters circling - St Croix throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
St Croix attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
St Croix cracks the inside of Takada's front leg.
St Croix blocks a head kick by Takada.
St Croix lands a nice leg kick that just misses Takada's sensitive parts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Croix ducks under a wild hook from Takada.
Takada looks to land a right hand but St Croix moved out of range.
A swing and a miss from Takada.
St Croix jabs at Takada's body.
Takada's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Takada throws a lazy uppercut
and St Croix counters with a leg kick.
Takada is breathing heavily.
Takada tries to clinch but St Croix is having none of it.
Takada wants to slow St Croix down by chopping away at his legs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
St Croix throws a hook to the side of Takada's head but Takada sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A swing and a miss from Takada.
St Croix walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Takada closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saguro Takada showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jacques St Croix's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Takada looks to land a left hand but St Croix moved out of range nicely.
The fighters circling - Takada throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A jab from Takada misses.
St Croix takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
A jab from Takada misses.
Takada throws a head kick that misses.
Takada tries to clinch but St Croix is having none of it.
That kick from St Croix tenderised Takada's leg. Takada is trying to keep his angry face on.
St Croix takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Takada throws a leg kick but St Croix sees it coming and checks it nicely.
St Croix misses with a leg kick.
Takada misses with a looping right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takada displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as St Croix throws out the jab.
Takada fails in his attempt to clinch.
St Croix lands a nice looking body shot.
Takada misses with a lunging right hand
and St Croix cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
St Croix lands a nice leg kick that just misses Takada's sensitive parts.
Takada walks into a left hand.
Takada tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
St Croix scores with a punch to the head.
Takada has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from St Croix.
St Croix moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Takada keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from St Croix.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takada is looking to clinch.
Takada misses with a looping left.
St Croix uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Takada.
Takada misses with an uppercut.
Takada showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from St Croix.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Takada looks to land a combination but St Croix avoids it well.
Takada looks to land a combination but St Croix avoids it well.
Takada takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Takada ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Takada tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and St Croix counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takada's corner calls for a 1-2. Takada obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
St Croix dodges the punch combination from Takada.
St Croix misses with a jab, cross combination.
Takada throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
St Croix scores with the left hand. Takada knows he should have avoided that one.
St Croix checks the leg kick.
Takada takes a swing at St Croix's ribcage but misses.
St Croix wants to slow Takada down by chopping away at his legs.
St Croix lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Croix uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Takada.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by St Croix.
A left and a right from St Croix both land. Nice combination.
St Croix misses the jab.
St Croix avoids the head kick by Takada.
Takada sizes up St Croix with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
St Croix throws a left and a right that both miss

and Takada counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Takada.
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!
Takada is looking to work some ground and pound but St Croix has wrist control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

St Croix has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Takada should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, St Croix has tightened it up now! Takada should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Jacques St Croix!
Jacques St Croix retains his featherweight title!