PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ziggy Cliff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Santa Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Cliff might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to GANJA FARMER. Santa Cruz has chosen 50 cent P.I.M.P as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cliff
vs
Santa Cruz

182 cm
27
176 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

180 cm
27
175 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

TWGC Champion
World class MT
Granite chin

Convicted Trap House
Conviction

KO Clothing

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ziggy Cliff!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rafael Santa Cruz!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Dean Styles and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santa Cruz misses with a leg kick

and Cliff counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Cliff tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Santa Cruz lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Cliff or not.
Cliff lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Santa Cruz swings wildly with an uppercut but Cliff uses good head movement to avoid it.
Santa Cruz misses with a punch on the inside.
Santa Cruz tries to break free but Cliff pushes him back against the cage.
Cliff tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cliff scores with a shot to the side of Santa Cruz's head.
Cliff misses with a punch to the body.
Santa Cruz blocks a body shot from Cliff.
Santa Cruz has a couple of punches blocked by Cliff.
Cliff tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Santa Cruz's elbow.
Santa Cruz lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cliff backwards.
Cliff misses with a punch on the inside.
Cliff has a couple of punches blocked by Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Santa Cruz throws a push kick but Cliff slaps the foot to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Cliff misses.
Santa Cruz chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Cliff can pounce on him.
Cliff displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cliff takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Santa Cruz throws a chopping leg kick but Cliff manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Santa Cruz pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cliff showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Santa Cruz.
An inside leg kick lands from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Cliff backs up against the cage.
Cliff drops his hands momentarily and Santa Cruz takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Cliff shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Santa Cruz misses.
Santa Cruz swings for the body but Cliff moves out of range.
Rafael Santa Cruz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Santa Cruz uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cliff.
Santa Cruz thuds a left hand into Cliff's body.
Santa Cruz tries to bum rush Cliff with a series of wild strikes but Cliff uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Santa Cruz throws a leg kick but Cliff checks it.

Santa Cruz gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cliff lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Santa Cruz or not.
Cliff misses with a body punch.
Santa Cruz blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Santa Cruz blocks a body shot from Cliff.
Cliff lands a body punch.
Cliff doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Santa Cruz lands a shoulder strike.
Santa Cruz is trying to stall.
Santa Cruz's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cliff taking a breather.
Cliff lands a left hand.
Cliff struggles to land a body shot inside as Santa Cruz controls his hands.
Cliff misses with a body punch.
Cliff lands a body shot.
Santa Cruz takes a shot to the head.
Cliff tries a body shot but Santa Cruz blocks it.
Cliff lands with a left to the head.
Nice body punch from Cliff.
Cliff misses with a punch to the body.
Santa Cruz blocks a punch to the side of the head.
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!
Cliff misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cliff has Santa Cruz pressed against the cage, preventing Santa Cruz from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cliff misses with some punches.
Cliff is working Santa Cruz over against the cage.
Cliff lands a body punch.
Santa Cruz looks winded!
Santa Cruz wants to get back to striking at distance but Cliff won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by Cliff.
Cliff lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Santa Cruz backwards.
Santa Cruz tries to break free but Cliff pushes him back against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cliff.
Santa Cruz is trying to drag Cliff to the mat but Cliff just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Cliff misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cliff taking a breather.
Nice elbow from Cliff.
Santa Cruz struggles to land a body shot inside as Cliff controls his hands.
Cliff misses with a hook to the ribs.
Santa Cruz tries a body shot but Cliff blocks it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cliff misses with the head strike.
Still in the clinch, Cliff scores with a nice short uppercut.
Santa Cruz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cliff has him pressed against the cage.
Santa Cruz misses with some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Santa Cruz misses with a body shot.
Santa Cruz throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Santa Cruz has Cliff up against the cage in a clinch.
Cliff throws a punch but it's blocked by Santa Cruz.
Good body shot from Santa Cruz.
Nice body punch from Cliff - that landed with a thud.
Cliff scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Good body shot from Cliff.
Santa Cruz tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cliff's elbow.
Santa Cruz lands a shoulder strike.
Cliff doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cliff.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz struggles to land a body shot inside as Cliff controls his hands.
Santa Cruz presses Cliff against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Santa Cruz lands a body punch in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Cliff fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cliff misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Santa Cruz fails to land.
Cliff is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Santa Cruz.
Cliff scores with a nice hook to the head.
Cliff tries a body shot but Santa Cruz blocks it.
Santa Cruz fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Santa Cruz can't find room to land a body shot as Cliff controls the action.

Santa Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Santa Cruz throws a body kick that misses.
Good work by Cliff as he checks the leg kick.

Cliff gets tackled into the cage by Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz maintains the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Cliff misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz fails to pull guard.

Santa Cruz manages to break the clinch.
Cliff throws out a leg kick but Santa Cruz moves out of range and Cliff only half commits.
Cliff misses the shot to the body.
Santa Cruz finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Cliff misses with the combination.
Santa Cruz is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Cliff rather than just go for the knockout.
Santa Cruz connects with a leg kick. Cliff looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Santa Cruz attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Santa Cruz misses with a head kick.
Santa Cruz tries a head kick but it misses.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Cliff!
Santa Cruz throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Santa Cruz misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Santa Cruz throws a lazy body kick

and Cliff counters by moving into the clinch.
Cliff tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cliff misses with the head strike.
Santa Cruz is trying to maintain a safe position but Cliff gets an underhook and turns Santa Cruz into the cage.
Santa Cruz tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ziggy Cliff has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Santa Cruz.
Cliff lands an uppercut.
Cliff lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Santa Cruz tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz is trying to pull guard but Cliff has him pressed against the cage.
Ziggy Cliff has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Cliff tries a body shot but Santa Cruz blocks it.

Santa Cruz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A slow jab from Santa Cruz misses its intended target.
Santa Cruz avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ziggy Cliff is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cliff leaves Santa Cruz with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cliff is looking to chop away at Santa Cruz's legs.
Santa Cruz tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Cliff is able to avoid easily.
Santa Cruz sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cliff looks to land a left hand but Santa Cruz moved out of range nicely.
Cliff avoids the head kick by Santa Cruz.
Some bone on bone action there as Cliff checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A bone on bone clash there as Santa Cruz blocks the leg kick.
Santa Cruz misses with a low kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Santa Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cliff moves away.
Santa Cruz steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Cliff. That one must have hurt.
Cliff has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Santa Cruz.
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 Ziggy Cliff will probably get the nod.
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 has Cliff up against the cage in a clinch.
Cliff scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Santa Cruz throws a one two combo.

Santa Cruz gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Cliff tries to work over Santa Cruz's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Santa Cruz jumps into guard, dragging Cliff to the mat.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Santa Cruz escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cliff gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cliff tries to free his leg and advance position but Santa Cruz is retaining full guard.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santa Cruz controls Cliff momentarily but Cliff frees himself.
Cliff passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Santa Cruz is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santa Cruz can't do much from the bottom here.
Santa Cruz tries to improve position but can't.
Santa Cruz is not content to let Cliff control the position.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Santa Cruz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cliff wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Santa Cruz is not content to let Cliff control the position.
Rafael Santa Cruz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cliff lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Santa Cruz down.
Cliff is working Santa Cruz over with some ground and pound from side control.
Santa Cruz tries to improve position but can't.

Cliff is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Santa Cruz knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Santa Cruz tries to buck Cliff off but Cliff is having none of it.
Santa Cruz is being controlled here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cliff wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santa Cruz keeps working.
Cliff in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Cliff wants to control but Santa Cruz is keeping him busy.
Santa Cruz tries to buck Cliff off but Cliff is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cliff is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Santa Cruz is looking for a sweep.
Cliff in side control lands a decent elbow.
Cliff is looking to take a break and control but Santa Cruz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Santa Cruz can't do much from the bottom here.
The referee asks Cliff politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Cliff prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santa Cruz is not content to let Cliff control the position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Cliff has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Santa Cruz!
Santa Cruz is working to get back to half guard.
Cliff controlling the position easily from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cliff is in the full mount, landing strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ziggy Cliff showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cliff, 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ziggy Cliff!
After winning the bout, Ziggy Cliff thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.