PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tari Cunha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Santa Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cunha comes into the arena with Chains blaring out of the sound system. Santa Cruz is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: 50 cent P.I.M.P. On his way into the cage it seems that Tari Cunha has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Tari Cunha seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Cunha
vs
Santa Cruz

182 cm
19
178 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tari Cunha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Santa Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Chad Campbell and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cunha misses with a takedown
and Santa Cruz counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Cunha shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Santa Cruz as he jumps to the side.

Cunha takes the fight into the clinch.
Santa Cruz misses with a knee to the head.
Santa Cruz has Cunha pressed against the cage.

Cunha pulls guard effortlessly.
Santa Cruz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santa Cruz wants to control from the top but Cunha keeps moving.
Santa Cruz might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Cunha kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Santa Cruz is looking to work some ground and pound but Cunha has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunha keeping moving, preventing Santa Cruz from controlling successfully.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Rafael Santa Cruz hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Santa Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cunha.
Santa Cruz throws a sloppy head kick and Cunha moves out of range easily.
Santa Cruz scores with a push kick.
Danga de danga de dang - Santa Cruz scores with a four punch combination!
Santa Cruz throws a body kick that misses.
Cunha throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Santa Cruz misses with a leg kick.
Cunha misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Santa Cruz.

Cunha drives through with a takedown into Santa Cruz's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Cunha throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santa Cruz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Santa Cruz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Santa Cruz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Santa Cruz is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cunha keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Santa Cruz's head.
Santa Cruz is adopting a defensive guard.
Cunha looking to pass the guard.

Santa Cruz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Cunha doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Cunha manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunha throws a strike but Santa Cruz rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Cunha avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cunha keeping full guard, as Santa Cruz tries to pass.
Cunha lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Santa Cruz!
A nice elbow there by Cunha.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cunha with a couple of short strikes.
Santa Cruz wants to control but Cunha is having none of it.
Santa Cruz squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Cunha is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Santa Cruz can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Santa Cruz tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Cunha with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Santa Cruz tries to hold on but Cunha postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cunha raining down hammerfists from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tari Cunha dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cunha takes a kick to the side of the head.
Cunha fails in his attempt to clinch.
Santa Cruz throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Cunha's head.
Cunha sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Cunha moves away from the strike by Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz throws a nice looking combination but Cunha bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Cunha drives through with a takedown into Santa Cruz's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Cunha with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cunha throws a big elbow that misses.
Cunha pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Santa Cruz is keeping the position for now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cunha postures up.
Cunha working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Santa Cruz's head.
Cunha works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Cunha 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Cunha is looking for a kimura here.
Tari Cunha overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cunha takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Santa Cruz actively working from the bottom here.

Cunha is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Santa Cruz has managed to free his arm - good work.
Cunha thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cunha.
Santa Cruz has hold of Cunha's hands but Cunha slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cunha lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Santa Cruz blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cunha.
Cunha is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Cunha lands with a punch from half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cunha thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Santa Cruz's head.
Cunha scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Santa Cruz blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cunha.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunha lands with a punch from half guard.
Ground and pound from Cunha.
Santa Cruz wants to improve his position but Cunha is controlling well.
Cunha drops an elbow to the side of Santa Cruz's head.
Cunha trying to control the action but Santa Cruz is working from the bottom.

Cunha is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Santa Cruz defends it well.
Santa Cruz trying to control here.
Santa Cruz is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Cunha scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cunha is working for a submission of some sort.
Cunha working Santa Cruz over with strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cunha lands with a punch from half guard.
Santa Cruz wants to improve his position but Cunha is controlling well.
Santa Cruz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cunha is looking to work some ground and pound but Santa Cruz has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tari Cunha dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Santa Cruz gets tackled into the cage by Cunha. Cunha maintains the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Santa Cruz throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cunha blocks it with crossed arms.
Cunha goes for a takedown attempt but Santa Cruz pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Santa Cruz throws a wild body kick that Cunha sees coming a mile off.

Cunha closes the distance and pushes Santa Cruz back into the cage.

Cunha tightens his grip and picks Santa Cruz up, before dumping him to the ground. Santa Cruz manages to land in guard.
Cunha postures up in Santa Cruz's guard and throws a big left but Santa Cruz blocks it.
Cunha stopping the sweep attempt from Santa Cruz.
Cunha lands a couple of elbows.
Cunha trying to control but Santa Cruz is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunha loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cunha lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Cunha in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Santa Cruz controls Cunha momentarily but Cunha frees himself.
Cunha throws a big right hand that misses.
Cunha loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cunha trying to control the position from guard on top but Santa Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santa Cruz working a defensive guard here.

Santa Cruz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rafael Santa Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tari Cunha is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cunha is stalling in the full guard.
Santa Cruz working a defensive guard here.
Cunha stays in close to Santa Cruz's body and controls the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cunha drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Santa Cruz's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunha happy to just control the position for now.
Santa Cruz tries to buck Cunha off but Cunha is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cunha controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Tari Cunha wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Cunha fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Santa Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cunha paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rafael Santa Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cunha shoots in but Santa Cruz avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Cunha shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Santa Cruz had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cunha defends it easily.
Cunha is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Santa Cruz trying to control the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cunha is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tari Cunha showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cunha, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tari Cunha!
An out of breath Tari Cunha thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.