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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Santa Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tari Cunha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santa Cruz comes into the arena with 50 cent P.I.M.P blaring out of the sound system. Cunha has chosen Chains as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.
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| 180 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0 |
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182 cm
18
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin |
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Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Santa Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tari Cunha!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Reed Andrews and Jorge Garcia.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santa Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cunha chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Santa Cruz can pounce on him.
Santa Cruz gets a clinch.
Cunha prevents Santa Cruz from breaking the clinch.
Cunha turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Cunha manages to end up in side control.
Santa Cruz on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Cunha in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Cunha wants to control for a moment but Santa Cruz uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cunha is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Cunha wants to take a breather but Santa Cruz is having none of it.
Santa Cruz is trying to stand up here but Cunha is controlling him well.
Santa Cruz wants to get back to full guard.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunha missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Santa Cruz trying to control from the bottom.
Cunha is working for a kimura but Santa Cruz is defending it quite comfortably.
Santa Cruz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Santa Cruz has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cunha is working away from the top position though.
Santa Cruz has hold of Cunha's hands but Cunha slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cunha tries to pass to full mount but Santa Cruz defends it.
Cunha throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cunha looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Santa Cruz with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Cunha landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Cunha is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Santa Cruz doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Cunha.
Cunha wants to work for an arm triangle but Santa Cruz is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Santa Cruz pushes Cunha off looking to stand but Cunha dives back in and keeps control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz trying to hold on to Cunha's head to control him but Cunha postures up.
Cunha is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Cunha is controlling the pace.
Cunha has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Santa Cruz is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Cunha landing strikes from the mount and Santa Cruz is in trouble!
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cunha is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Santa Cruz has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Santa Cruz!
Cunha wants to sweep but no luck.
Santa Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Cunha has wrist control.
Santa Cruz wants to stand but Cunha has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cunha is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cunha with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santa Cruz is not content to let Cunha control the position.
Santa Cruz controlling the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Tari Cunha dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!
Cunha throws a leg kick but Santa Cruz moved away.
Cunha wants to land a leg kick but Santa Cruz is out of range.
Cunha throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Santa Cruz tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Cunha is in Santa Cruz's guard.
Santa Cruz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Cunha trying to control but Santa Cruz is working from the bottom.
Santa Cruz trying to control the position.
Cunha trying to control the position from guard on top but Santa Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cunha is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Santa Cruz is looking to slow Cunha down with leg kicks.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Cunha walks into a stiff left hand from Santa Cruz.
Cunha shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Santa Cruz is trying to defend but Cunha finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Cunha is trying to control. Santa Cruz wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cunha stalling.
Cunha working Santa Cruz over with strikes.
Santa Cruz wants to stand back up but Cunha manages to pass into side control.
Santa Cruz is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cunha trying to control the action but Santa Cruz is working from the bottom.
Santa Cruz takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Cunha is chipping away with strikes.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunha working the head and body with strikes.
Cunha goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Santa Cruz has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Cunha but great work by Santa Cruz.
Cunha tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Santa Cruz presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Cunha tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Santa Cruz landing strikes from the mount and Cunha is in trouble!
Cunha tries to lock up and control but Santa Cruz gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Santa Cruz is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Cunha is surviving well by controlling Santa Cruz's body position as best he can.
Santa Cruz lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Cunha working to try and regain half guard.
Cunha sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cunha moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Santa Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Cunha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cunha looking to control but Santa Cruz passes into half guard.
Santa Cruz seems to be looking for submissions.
Cunha tries to roll over but Santa Cruz keeps him under control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santa Cruz wants to pass to mount but Cunha is defending the position.
Cunha is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Tari Cunha 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!
Santa Cruz throws a low kick but it's checked well by Cunha.
Cunha uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Santa Cruz.
Cunha fails with a takedown attempt.
Cunha scores a takedown into full mount!
Santa Cruz in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Cunha lands a big shot there that rocks Santa Cruz but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The referee warns Santa Cruz that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cunha prevents Santa Cruz from getting the reversal.
Tari Cunha has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cunha takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Cunha postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Santa Cruz looks a forlorn figure.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunha lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Cunha landing strikes from the mount.
Cunha is landing with some decent strikes but Santa Cruz is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Santa Cruz wants to control but Cunha is having none of it.
Cunha landing punches.
Santa Cruz tries to reverse the position but Cunha maintains control.
Santa Cruz is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santa Cruz is in a horrible position here. Cunha smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Tari Cunha is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cunha takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Cunha won't let Santa Cruz get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Cunha looking to control and managing it successfully.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tari Cunha.
Cunha 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.
Rafael Santa Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santa Cruz lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Rafael Santa Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Santa Cruz fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Cunha is out of range.
Santa Cruz throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cunha sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cunha misses with a takedown attempt - Santa Cruz sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Cunha throws a leg kick but Santa Cruz moved away.
Santa Cruz gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Santa Cruz fails to land.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz is looking to control Cunha's arms but Cunha gets an underhook and turns him. Now Santa Cruz has his back to the cage.
Santa Cruz is pressed up against the cage. Cunha has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Santa Cruz down to the mat. Santa Cruz avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Rafael Santa Cruz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tari Cunha.
Cunha throws a leg kick that is checked
and Santa Cruz counters with an inside leg kick.
Santa Cruz clinches.
Santa Cruz tries to break the clinch but Cunha is controlling the position.
Santa Cruz tries to circle away but Cunha has him pinned against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Santa Cruz misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that's the end of the fight!
Tari Cunha comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cunha winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tari Cunha!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Tari Cunha waved his t-shirt featuring [JMFC] Arashi Fighting Nutrition Q160 Recovery's logo in front of the cameras.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
73% |
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