PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Arturo Ellacuria (ranked 614 p4p, 1356 weight class) and Mario Santos (ranked 69 p4p, 152 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ellacuria
vs
Santos

183 cm
23
155
10 - 1 - 0

173 cm
23
145
8 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Arcticus University: London
Conviction

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Arturo Ellacuria!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mario Santos!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Franklyn Lucas and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big left from Ellacuria misses.
Ellacuria has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Ellacuria thows a leg kick but Santos checks it
and Santos counters with a right hand to the body.
Santos has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Ellacuria is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Ellacuria tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Santos was well out of range. Poor timing from Ellacuria.
Santos throws a hook to the side of Ellacuria's head but Ellacuria sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Santos throws the left hand but Ellacuria avoids the punch easily.
Santos defending well as Ellacuria loads up on a big left hand.
Santos on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A jab from Santos does it's job there.
Ellacuria throws a predictable looking body shot
and Santos counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
An inside leg kick from Ellacuria misses.
Ellacuria misses with a right hand
and Santos counters with a straight right hand.
Santos lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ellacuria at a distance.
Santos ducks under a wild hook from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria misses the jab.
Santos misses with an uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Santos takes a jab right on the kisser.
Santos blocks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ellacuria throws a leg kick
and Santos counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ellacuria throws a series of punches but Santos moves out of range.
Ellacuria misses with a leg kick
and Santos counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Santos throws a right hand that Ellacuria ducks under and follows up with a left that Ellacuria also avoids with ease.
Santos cracks Ellacuria with a good jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Santos looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ellacuria throws a hook to the side of Santos's head but Santos sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Santos bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Ellacuria's head.
Ellacuria staying out of range there.
Santos with a jab.
Santos tests Ellacuria's chin there with a solid looking shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ellacuria swings widly with a right hand
and Santos counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Ellacuria thinking.
Santos throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A quick step to the side and Ellacuria tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Santos is looking to clinch but Ellacuria is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ellacuria misses with a low kick.
Ellacuria swings for the body but Santos moves out of range.
Ellacuria moves out of range as Santos strikes.
Ellacuria with the inside leg kick.
Ellacuria misses with a two punch combination.

Santos clinches with his opponent.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Santos.
Santos blocks an uppercut.
Ellacuria blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Santos lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Ellacuria lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Santos backwards.
Ellacuria lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Santos on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Santos managing to block the knees to the body from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria scores a nice knee to the body.
Santos lands a right hand that snaps the head of Ellacuria backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ellacuria.
Santos blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos has a couple of punches blocked by Ellacuria.
Santos takes a shot to the head.
Ellacuria lands a body shot.
Santos lands with a short shot to the head.
Ellacuria throws a head punch that misses.
Ellacuria misses with a knee to the head.
Ellacuria swings wildly with an uppercut but Santos uses good head movement to avoid it.
Santos lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Ellacuria fails to land.
Ellacuria misses with a punch to the body.
Santos lands with a short shot to the head.
Santos blocking some punches.
Ellacuria has Santos pressed against the cage, preventing Santos from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Santos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Santos looks to land a left hand but Ellacuria moved out of range nicely.
Santos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Santos is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Ellacuria.

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!

Santos gets a clinch.
Ellacuria working aggressively here.
Santos misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ellacuria scores with a nice hook to the head.
Santos can't find room to land a body shot as Ellacuria controls the action.
Santos avoiding damage as Ellacuria throws knees to the body.
Ellacuria blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ellacuria misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria misses with the head strike.
Ellacuria fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Ellacuria goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Santos lands with a short shot to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ellacuria struggles to land a body shot inside as Santos controls his hands.
Ellacuria makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Ellacuria pushes Santos back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Santos makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Ellacuria tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mario Santos will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Santos checks a leg kick.
Ellacuria swings widly with a right hand
and Santos counters with a straight right hand.
Ellacuria lands with a cross.
Santos throws a body shot but no joy.
Ellacuria slips under a jab from Santos.
Ellacuria appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Santos bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Ellacuria's head.
Santos throws a shot from downtown. Ellacuria moves away and avoids it.
Santos uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ellacuria scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Ellacuria is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos stuns Ellacuria with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Ellacuria stuns Santos with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Ellacuria throws a body punch but Santos moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ellacuria pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Ellacuria misses with a looping left.
Santos misses with the combination.
Ellacuria delivers a nice body kick.
Ellacuria slips a straight right by Santos.
Ellacuria shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Santos eats them both and turns towards Ellacuria to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Santos tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ellacuria manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ellacuria avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Santos moves out of range of the strikes.
Santos throws a hook but Ellacuria blocks it.
Ellacuria tried to score with a low kick but Santos checks it.
Ellacuria misses with a lunging right hand
and Santos makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Ellacuria getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Santos throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Ellacuria on the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Santos steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ellacuria.

Santos clinches with his opponent.
Santos misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ellacuria misses with a body punch.
Ellacuria lands a shot to the body.
Ellacuria misses with the head strike.
Santos blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Santos working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Santos lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Santos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Santos throws a body shot but no joy.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ellacuria.
Santos lands with a straight right. Ellacuria didn't see that one coming.
Ellacuria buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ellacuria throws a low kick but it's checked well by Santos.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ellacuria shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Santos is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Ellacuria has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Santos misses with a double jab.
Santos stuns Ellacuria with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Santos swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Santos ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A jab from Santos misses.
Ellacuria is looking to counter punch.
A shot to the body from Ellacuria misses
and Santos counters with a right hand to the body.
Santos misses with a combination
and Ellacuria counters with a slapping leg kick.
Ellacuria finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Ellacuria slips under a jab.
Santos scores with a jab to the jaw.
Ellacuria swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Santos counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd cheers as Ellacuria lands an impressive looking overhand right. Santos doesn't seem phased though.

Santos closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ellacuria digs a right hand underneath Santos's ribcage. Santos let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Ellacuria tries to work over Santos's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Santos misses with a punch on the inside.
Santos throws a head punch that misses.
Ellacuria landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Santos throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ellacurias head.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ellacuria as Santos tries to tie him up.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Santos.
Ellacuria working aggressively here.
Santos lands a hook that snaps the head of Ellacuria backwards.
Ellacuria lands a shot to the body.
Santos lands a body shot in the clinch.
Santos lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Ellacuria lands a nice uppercut.
Ellacuria misses with some punches.
Santos blocks an uppercut.
Santos scores with a hook to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mario Santos will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Santos rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ellacuria moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A chopping leg kick lands by Ellacuria.
Ellacuria keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Santos.
Ellacuria loads up on a big right hand but Santos slips the punch.
Santos lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Ellacuria throws a hook but Santos avoids it easily.
Santos takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Ellacuria uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Ellacuria shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Ellacuria lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Ellacuria throws a leg kick but Santos moved away.
A telegraphed right hand from Santos misses the target.
A good leg kick by Ellacuria.
Ellacuria tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Santos swings for the body but Ellacuria moves out of range.
Ellacuria is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Santos wants to clinch up but Ellacuria keeps it at a distance.
A swing and a miss from Santos.
Jab by Ellacuria.
Ellacuria fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Santos manages to avoid it.
Santos ducks under a wild hook from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria throws a leg kick that misses.
Ellacuria throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Santos stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Ellacuria throws a big shot that misses.
Santos is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Mario Santos seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ellacuria throws a leg kick which misses Santos's front leg but catches the back leg as Santos tries to avoid it.
Santos connects with a looping right hand.
Santos pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Ellacuria back to the cage. Santos follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Santos on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Ellacuria takes a swing at Santos's ribcage but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ellacuria misses with a right hand
and Santos counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
No joy there for Santos, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Santos avoids the body shot from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Santos sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Ellacuria is looking to score with low kicks.
Santos misses the jab.
Nice cross by Santos.
Ellacuria walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Santos checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Santos throws out a counter right but Ellacuria avoids it with no problem.
Ellacuria takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Ellacuria displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Santos throws out the jab.
A left lands for Ellacuria.
Ellacuria lands a head shot.
Ellacuria throws an overhand right that lands on Santos's shoulder, as Santos tries to avoid the shot.
Ellacuria is looking to slow Santos down with leg kicks.
Santos throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos connects with the punch.
Santos tries to clinch
and Ellacuria counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ellacuria motions for Santos to come forward. Ellacuria throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A left lands for Santos.

Ellacuria gets a clinch.
Ellacuria lands a nice knee to the body.
Ellacuria swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nice body punch from Santos.
Santos manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Ellacuria misses with a short punch on the inside.

Santos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ellacuria tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Santos is able to avoid easily.
Santos looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ellacuria. Santos does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santos has closed the distance and engaged Ellacuria in a clinch.
Ellacuria tries to work over Santos's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Ellacuria has a couple of punches blocked by Santos.
Ellacuria lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Santos backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Ellacuria breaks the clinch.
Santos staying out of range there.
Santos's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Ellacuria connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Santos momentarily.
Santos misses with a lunging right hand
and Ellacuria counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ellacuria uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Santos.
Ellacuria looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Ellacuria throws a front kick aimed at Santos's knee but Santos avoids it well.
It seemed like Santos was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Ellacuria scores with a punch to the head.
Santos throws a lazy right hand but Ellacuria sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ellacuria looks to throw the jab but Santos is out of range.
Arturo Ellacuria has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nice shot by Ellacuria.
Ellacuria misses with a body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arturo Ellacuria showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Santos has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mario Santos!