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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vinny Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Santa Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Russo's entrance music is Volbeat - The Human Instrument. A fine choice. Santa Cruz has chosen 50 cent P.I.M.P as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.
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| 181 cm
37
186 lbs
41 - 20 - 2 |
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180 cm
29
175 lbs
15 - 8 - 0 |
Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin |
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Olympic wrestler
World class MT
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
41 - 20 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Vinny Russo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rafael Santa Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santa Cruz connects with an inside leg kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Russo blocks the leg kick.
Russo blocks the body kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Russo blocks the leg kick.
Russo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Santa Cruz throws a low kick but Russo avoids it.
Santa Cruz connects with a single shot there.
Russo fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Santa Cruz on the side of the head.
Russo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz avoids the body shot from Russo.
Russo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Russo swings for the body but Santa Cruz moves out of range.
Russo is looking to chop away at Santa Cruz's legs.
Russo scores with a leg kick.
Russo swings away with a body shot that misses
and Santa Cruz counters with a thumping low kick.
Russo checks a leg kick.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Santa Cruz momentarily.
Vinny Russo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Santa Cruz.
Russo misses with a body punch
and Santa Cruz counters with a big head kick but Russo shrugs it off.
Some bone on bone action there as Russo checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Russo.
Russo misses with a straight left.
Santa Cruz thumps Russo with a low kick.
Russo throws a hook but Santa Cruz blocks it.
Russo tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Santa Cruz is able to avoid easily.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Santa Cruz. Russo shrugs it off though.
Russo lands a nice shot to the body.
Russo has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Original Nemesis Gym in the buildup to the fight.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Santa Cruz fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Russo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo lands a jab to the head.
A solid leg kick lands there for Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz blocks a leg kick.
A low kick from Russo is predictable there
and Santa Cruz counters with a thumping low kick.
Russo lands a nice hook to Santa Cruz's body. Santa Cruz takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Russo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Santa Cruz takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Russo throws a series of punches but Santa Cruz avoids them all with ease.
Russo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Russo misses the jab.
Santa Cruz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Russo walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Santa Cruz checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Santa Cruz misses with a low kick.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
That kick from Santa Cruz tenderised Russo's leg. Russo is trying to keep his angry face on.
Russo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Santa Cruz moves away from the strike by Russo.
Santa Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Santa Cruz fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A leg kick checked by Russo.
Russo gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Russo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Santa Cruz can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Santa Cruz throwing strikes from guard but Russo blocks nicely.
Santa Cruz content to stall in guard here.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Santa Cruz landing with the ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Russo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Santa Cruz is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Santa Cruz pushes down on Russo's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Russo manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Santa Cruz is stalling in the full guard.
Russo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
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 the kick towards the body but Russo avoids it.
Russo thows a body shot but no joy.
Santa Cruz wants to land a leg kick but Russo is out of range.
Russo throws a nice looking combination but Santa Cruz bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Santa Cruz chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Russo can pounce on him.
Russo 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.
Russo shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Santa Cruz connects with an inside leg kick.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick but Russo sees it coming and moves out of range.
Russo throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Santa Cruz stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Russo throws a low kick but Santa Cruz avoids it.
Russo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A leg kick checked by Russo.
That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Russo digs a good body shot into Santa Cruz's ribs.
Santa Cruz shoots in for a takedown but Russo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Russo stuns Santa Cruz with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A head kick misses from Russo.
Santa Cruz scores with a sloppy right hand. Russo should have avoided that one.
Santa Cruz has a takedown stuffed.
Russo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Santa Cruz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nice straight punches there by Russo. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Russo.
A telegraphed right hand from Santa Cruz misses the target.
Russo checks a low kick from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz is looking to clinch but Russo is avoiding it.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Santa Cruz's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Santa Cruz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Russo won't allow Santa Cruz to sweep him here.
Santa Cruz is trying to control the position but Russo postures up.
Santa Cruz throws his legs up looking for a submission but Russo uses it to pass to side control.
Russo goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Santa Cruz rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Russo's guard! Nice work there by Santa Cruz!
Russo trying to control the position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Russo has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Santa Cruz has managed to get both his arms back between Russo's legs - danger averted.
Santa Cruz wants to control from the top but Russo keeps moving.
Russo wants to sweep here but Santa Cruz controlling him for the moment.
Santa Cruz trying to control the position from guard on top but Russo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Russo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Russo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Santa Cruz lands a couple of elbows.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Santa Cruz chips away with some ground and pound.
Santa Cruz is stalling in the full guard.
Santa Cruz wants to control from the top but Russo keeps moving.
Russo has an active guard here but Santa Cruz has managed to pass into half guard.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Russo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Santa Cruz takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close second round but I would say that Vinny Russo will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!
Russo scores with the left hand. Santa Cruz knows he should have avoided that one.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick that misses.
Santa Cruz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Russo.
Santa Cruz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Russo.
The fight stays on the outside here - Santa Cruz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Santa Cruz misses with a head kick.
Santa Cruz moves out of range as Russo strikes.
Russo missing with a left hand there. Santa Cruz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Santa Cruz doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Russo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Santa Cruz.
Russo throws a front kick aimed at Santa Cruz's knee but Santa Cruz avoids it well.
Russo throws a low kick, looking for Santa Cruz's leg but Santa Cruz calmly moves out of range.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo shoots in but no luck this time.
Santa Cruz scores with a leg kick.
Russo misses with a wild body shot.
Vinny Russo is winning the standup battle so far.
Russo connects with a right hand. Santa Cruz shakes it off.
A clash of legs there as Russo blocks the low kick.
Santa Cruz feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Russo's calf.
A clash of legs there as Russo blocks the low kick.
Russo swings away with a leg kick that misses.
An inside leg kick lands from Santa Cruz.
Russo blocks a leg kick.
Santa Cruz avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Russo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Russo throws a good cross that connects.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Russo is looking to wear down Santa Cruz with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Santa Cruz scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Santa Cruz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Russo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Santa Cruz will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Santa Cruz is looking to score with low kicks.
Russo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Santa Cruz looking to control.
Santa Cruz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Santa Cruz is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Santa Cruz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Santa Cruz has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Russo is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Santa Cruz.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Santa Cruz's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Russo wants to control but Santa Cruz is keeping him busy.
Santa Cruz manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Santa Cruz wants to control but Russo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Santa Cruz's head.
Santa Cruz keeping control of the position.
Santa Cruz blocking the ground and pound attempt from Russo.
Santa Cruz manages to get to full guard.
Russo passes into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Russo winds up and cracks Santa Cruz with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Vinny Russo.
I think Russo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by split decision... Vinny Russo!
In his post fight interview, Vinny Russo gave a big smile as he said 'Wow, 37 years old and finally feeling good. Maybe I have that old man strength my Dad always talked about. I don't know. '.
The defeated Rafael Santa Cruz had this to say: 'That bullshit, I'm going to appeal that decision it sucks balls, fuck it!'.
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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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