PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Santa Cruz (ranked 2553 p4p, 3914 weight class) and Yusuf Sapi (ranked 301 p4p, 414 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cruz
vs
Sapi

180 cm
25
180
3 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
169
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

BANZAI COMBAT NUTRITION

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Santa Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yusuf Sapi!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Hirohito Nitta and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big left from Cruz misses.
Sapi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A combination from Sapi does no damage.
Cruz misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Sapi counters with a nice uppercut.
Sapi takes one on the button.
Sapi just misses with a punch to the body.
Cruz sizes up Sapi with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Cruz uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Sapi has time to react.

Sapi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cruz, pushing him back against the cage.

Sapi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Good standup being displayed there by Cruz as he connects with a hook.
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!
Sapi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sapi takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Sapi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cruz.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Cruz!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Cruz moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Cruz throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Sapi on the side of the head.
Cruz misses the jab.
Sapi scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Santa Cruz has been cut.
Sapi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cruz moves out of range of the strikes.
It looked like Cruz wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A telegraphed right hand from Cruz misses the target.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sapi digs a good body shot into Cruz's ribs.
Cruz tries to bum rush Sapi with a series of wild strikes but Sapi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Sapi instigates a clinch.
Sapi manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Sapi tries to throw a body punch but Cruz avoids it by throwing Sapi back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sapi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fighters circling - Cruz throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cruz scores with a punch to the head.
Sapi ducks under a wild hook from Cruz.
Cruz misses with a left hand

and Sapi holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Sapi dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Cruz wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sapi keeps control of Cruz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sapi is struggling to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sapi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cruz is trying to break the clinch but Sapi is controlling him.
Sapi stalling the fight.
Sapi drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sapi slowing the pace effectively.
Sapi has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Cruz seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Sapi can turn it around.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Sapi stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sapi controlling the action here for a moment.
Sapi continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Cruz wants to get back to striking at distance but Sapi won't allow it.
Sapi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cruz is trying to break free.
Sapi wants a takedown but no success here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Santa Cruz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Santa Cruz's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cruz loads up on a big right hand but Sapi slips the punch.
Cruz looks to land a left hand but Sapi moved out of range nicely.
Nice body punch from Cruz.
Sapi looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Cruz is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Donk. Cruz catches Sapi right on the button with a cross.
Cruz connects with a nice looking jab.
Sapi scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Cruz bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Cruz throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Sapi counters by moving into the clinch.
Cruz tries to break free but Sapi pushes him back against the cage.
Sapi has Cruz pressed against the cage, preventing Cruz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Sapi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Santa Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cruz's jab looks to have found its range, popping Sapi under the eye.
Cruz misses with a lunging right hand
and Sapi counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sapi throws out a loose jab but Cruz uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sapi dodges the punch combination from Cruz.
Cruz with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sapi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sapi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cruz misses with a wild body shot.
Sapi takes one to the chin there.
Cruz throws a looping overhand right but Sapi ducks down to avoid it.
Cruz throws a hook to the side of Sapi's head but Sapi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sapi staying out of range there.
Cruz misses with a left hand
and Sapi counters with a stiff right hand.
Cruz rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Cruz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Santa Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cruz bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Sapi's head.
Cruz scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A big right from Cruz misses.
Cruz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sapi can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sapi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Sapi works Cruz's body with a nice hook.
Cruz looks to score with a jab to the body but Sapi is just out of range.
Cruz throws a right and a left that Sapi avoids nicely.
Sapi steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Cruz.
Santa Cruz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sapi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Sapi drops his hands momentarily and Cruz takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Cruz connects with the punch.
Sapi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
Cruz throws a poor cross that misses
and Sapi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cruz moves out of range as Sapi strikes.
Sapi's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Cruz connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sapi scrambles back to his feet.
Cruz scores with a jab. Sapi acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Sapi drops his hands momentarily and Cruz takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Cruz connects with a body shot.
Jab, jab by Cruz - just one landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz misses with a straight right.
Santa Cruz is winning the standup battle so far.
A slow jab from Cruz misses its intended target.
As Cruz backs off Sapi throws a huge counter combo but Cruz manages to avoid it all.
Sapi shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Sapi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Sapi is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cruz.
Cruz throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sapi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cruz listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Cruz lunges at Sapi with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Sapi's hand.
Sapi shoots in and drives through. Cruz sprawls well.
Cruz cracks Sapi with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Sapi with a body punch. A glancing blow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cruz jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

Sapi is rocked!
Sloppy strikes from Cruz. Those never looked like landing.
A little jabbing left from Sapi on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Sapi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sapi throws a body shot but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Sapi on the side of the head.
Sapi looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Cruz misses the shot to the body.
Sapi moves out of range as Cruz strikes.
Sapi is looking for the big counter here.
Sapi has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Cruz swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Sapi counters with a nice body shot.
Cruz looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A little jabbing left from Sapi on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Cruz connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Sapi momentarily.
Sapi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Sapi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
Sapi blocks a jab.
Nice body punch from Cruz.
Cruz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sapi is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Cruz with a body shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sapi swings for the body but Cruz moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Cruz.
Cruz lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sapi backs up against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Santa Cruz dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Santa Cruz's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Cruz catches Sapi with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
A jab from Cruz misses.
Cruz misses with an uppercut. Sapi saw that one coming.
Cruz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sapi is looking for the big counter here.
Sapi slips under a jab from Cruz.
Cruz with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Sapi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cruz.
Cruz lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Good work by Cruz as he checks the leg kick.
Cruz is looking for a counter combo.
Cruz connects with a right hand. Sapi shakes it off.
Sapi is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Cruz rather than just go for the knockout.
Sapi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cruz lands with an uppercut that bounces Sapi off the cage and back into range.
Cruz throws the left hand but Sapi avoids the punch easily.
Cruz throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sapi uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cruz.
Sapi looks to land a combination but Cruz avoids it well.
Cruz was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sapi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cruz's jab looks to have found its range, popping Sapi under the eye.

Sapi gets a clinch.
Sapi dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Sapi manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Cruz managing to block the knees to the body from Sapi.
Cruz wants to break free but Sapi has control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sapi is struggling to control the position.
Sapi displaying some good clinch control by pressing Cruz up against the cage.
Cruz is trying to push Sapi away but Sapi has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Sapi stalling against the cage.
Cruz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sapi has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Sapi keeps control of Cruz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sapi is pushing Cruz up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A frustrated look appears on Cruz's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Sapi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Cruz misses with a hook to the body

and Sapi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sapi.
The referee is keeping an eye on Sapi - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Sapi gets control of Cruz's arms and successfully pulls guard. Sapi will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Sapi looking for a sweep. Not yet Sapi, not yet.
Yusuf Sapi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cruz wants to stand and escape but instead Sapi has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Cruz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sapi manages to get himself to full guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sapi is trying to keep Cruz in close.

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 Santa Cruz.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cruz, 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Santa Cruz!