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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sean Rellik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Santa Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santa Cruz is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: 50 cent P.I.M.P. Rafael Santa Cruz told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!
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| 180 cm
24
177 lbs
2 - 2 - 0 |
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180 cm
20
175 lbs
1 - 2 - 0 |
BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart |
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BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin |
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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
2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sean Rellik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rafael Santa Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Dean Styles and Anthony Taglia.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Rellik misses.
Santa Cruz misses with a body punch
enabling Rellik to counter with a crisp jab.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch up but Rellik circles away and keeps his distance.
Santa Cruz lands a high kick!
Rellik tries to bum rush Santa Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Santa Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rellik throws out a loose jab but Santa Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Santa Cruz catches Rellik with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Santa Cruz tries to clinch but Rellik moves away
and Rellik counters with a left and a right that stings Santa Cruz.
Rafael Santa Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Santa Cruz throws a sloppy body shot
and Rellik makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
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!
Rellik takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Rellik drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Santa Cruz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rellik is aware though and is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rellik pushing down on Santa Cruz's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rellik lands strikes from half guard.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz is trying to control but can't.
Rellik wants to control but Santa Cruz is keeping him busy.
Rellik missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Santa Cruz wants to control but Rellik is keeping busy.
Santa Cruz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rellik is looking for submissions but instead, Santa Cruz has regained full guard.
Santa Cruz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Santa Cruz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rellik wants to control from the top but Santa Cruz keeps moving.
Santa Cruz looking for a guillotine here but Rellik defends easily.
Santa Cruz trying to keep a closed guard but Rellik is proving a slippery customer.
Rellik trying to control but Santa Cruz is working from the bottom.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rellik avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Santa Cruz working a defensive guard here.
Rellik trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Santa Cruz working for a triangle but Rellik defends it easily.
Rellik missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rellik throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santa Cruz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Santa Cruz has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rellik can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rellik with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rellik throws a big elbow that misses.
Rellik throwing strikes from guard but Santa Cruz blocks nicely.
Santa Cruz keeping full guard, as Rellik tries to pass.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rellikis looking to pass into half guard but Santa Cruz pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Santa Cruz is in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Rafael Santa Cruz will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!
Santa Cruz throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Santa Cruz tries a low kick but Rellik avoids it.
Santa Cruz slaps away a takedown attempt from Rellik, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rellik tries to bum rush Santa Cruz with a series of wild strikes but Santa Cruz uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rellik misses with a double jab
and Santa Cruz counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rellik looks to land a combination but Santa Cruz avoids it well.
Santa Cruz throws a series of punches but Rellik avoids them all with ease.
Santa Cruz lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Santa Cruz fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rellik.
That kick from Santa Cruz tenderised Rellik's leg. Rellik is trying to keep his angry face on.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Santa Cruz.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santa Cruz throws a body punch but Rellik moves out of range.
Santa Cruz connects with a leg kick. Rellik looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Sloppy strikes from Rellik. Those never looked like landing.
Rafael Santa Cruz seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Santa Cruz cracks Rellik with an open hand slap.
Good standup being displayed there by Santa Cruz as he connects with a hook.
Santa Cruz looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Santa Cruz lands a nice shot to the body.
A right-left combo lands from Santa Cruz.
Rellik is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A left and a right from Santa Cruz both land. Nice combination.
Oh Rellik is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rellik dodges the punch combination from Santa Cruz.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Santa Cruz moves in looking to clinch but Rellik pushes him off.
Rellik avoids the head kick by Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz connects with a leg kick. Rellik looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Santa Cruz throws a head kick that half lands.
Rellik chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Santa Cruz can pounce on him.
Santa Cruz thumps Rellik with a low kick.
Santa Cruz swings for the body but Rellik moves out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Santa Cruz. Those never looked like landing.
Santa Cruz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Santa Cruz takes a swing at Rellik's ribcage but misses.
Rellik seems to have got his legs back now.
Santa Cruz misses with a combination
and Rellik counters with a nice double leg into side control. Santa Cruz won't be happy with that.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Santa Cruz is not content to let Rellik control the position.
Rellik is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Santa Cruz is just riding it out for now. Rellik eventually gives up the hold.
Santa Cruz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rellik 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 is looking to control Rellik's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Santa Cruz avoid being mounted?
Rellik trying to mount his opponent but Santa Cruz defends it.
Rellik misses with a head shot. Santa Cruz uses the momentum to regain guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rellik lands a couple of elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Rafael Santa Cruz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!
Santa Cruz swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Santa Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rellik checks a leg kick.
Santa Cruz takes a swing at Rellik's ribcage but misses.
Santa Cruz is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rellik rather than just go for the knockout.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick that is checked
and Rellik counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Rellik pushes Santa Cruz up against the cage in a clinch.
Rellik tries to land a knee to the head but Santa Cruz blocks with his arms.
Rellik prevents Santa Cruz from breaking the clinch.
Santa Cruz misses with a knee to the head.
Rellik breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Santa Cruz cracks Rellik with a good jab.
Santa Cruz lands with a kick to the temple. Rellik shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
That's one minute gone in the round.
Rellik misses with a double jab
and Santa Cruz counters with a crisp one two that drops Rellik! Santa Cruz thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Rellik to his feet! Rellik is in big trouble!
An inside leg kick from Rellik misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rellik fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Santa Cruz looks to land a combination but Rellik avoids it well.
Rellik throws a series of punches but Santa Cruz moves out of range.
Rellik misses with a jab, cross combination.
Santa Cruz connects with a solid leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch but Rellik is having none of it.
Santa Cruz cracks a nice hook into Rellik's ribs.
Sean Rellik has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rellik shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Santa Cruz as he avoids it easily.
Santa Cruz looks to land a combination but Rellik avoids it well.
Santa Cruz getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch there but Rellik circles away.
Santa Cruz lands with a nice body kick.
Santa Cruz looks to land a combination but Rellik avoids it well.
Rellik on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz obviously looking to wear him down.
Santa Cruz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Santa Cruz avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Santa Cruz lands with a nice combination. Rellik backs away looking to recover.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz lands a leg kick that knocks Rellik off balance momentarily.
Santa Cruz scoring well with a low kick there.
Santa Cruz connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Rellik fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Santa Cruz cracks Rellik with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Rafael Santa Cruz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Rellik takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Rellik swats away the attempt to clinch by Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz feints a jab promting Rellik to slip. Santa Cruz then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Rellik slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Santa Cruz scores with a nice body kick.
Rellik is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rellik takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Santa Cruz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A nice combination there by Santa Cruz.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rellik throws a hook to the side of Santa Cruz's head but Santa Cruz sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Santa Cruz scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Rellik tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Santa Cruz was well out of range. Poor timing from Rellik.
Santa Cruz lands a head shot.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Santa Cruz tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rellik swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rellik misses with a combination
and Santa Cruz counters with an outside leg kick.
And that's the end of the fight!
Rafael Santa Cruz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Santa Cruz 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafael Santa Cruz!
In his post fight interview, Rafael Santa Cruz gave a big smile as he said 'This one was for my boys back home, And a shout out to Arashi Fighting Nutrition, thanks for the help in finishing this bitch!'.
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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
88% |
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