PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Geraldo Santiago (ranked 4727 p4p, 3208 weight class) and Niko Bale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Geraldo Santiago has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Santiago
vs
Bale

195 cm
25
280
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
225
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Geraldo Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Niko Bale!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Elvis Blanc and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bale waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Santiago.
Santiago throwing a counter right hand but Bale manages to avoid it.
Santiago fails with the takedown.
Bale throws a nice looking combination but Santiago bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Santiago moves to clinch but Bale breaks away

and Bale counters with a nice double leg into side control. Santiago won't be happy with that.

Bale is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Santiago has escaped the position, nice work there.
Bale tries to move to full mount but Santiago actually manages to regain half guard.
Bale works his way into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bale wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Santiago, who protects the arm well.

Bale is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Santiago knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bale wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santiago keeps working.

Bale tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bale has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Bale wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Santiago, who protects the arm well.

Bale is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Santiago is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Bale trying to control the action but Santiago is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Bale is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Santiago is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Bale trying to control the position but Santiago is working away.
Santiago gets back to half guard.

Bale wants to work for an arm triangle but Santiago is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bale wants to control but Santiago is keeping him busy.

Bale looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Santiago trying to control from the bottom.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Bale working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bale is trying to control the action in half guard but Santiago is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Santiago is defending against the submission attempts here by Bale.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Santiago moves into full guard.
Santiago wants to stand up but Bale is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bale wants to control from the top but Santiago keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Bale trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
A big left from Bale misses.
Santiago has a takedown stuffed.

Santiago gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Santiago is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Bale dives into side control.

Bale is looking to take a break and control but Santiago is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Bale tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niko Bale dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Santiago moves out of range of the strikes.
A swing and a miss from Bale.
Bale throws a jab when Santiago was well out of range.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Santiago enables Bale to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Santiago manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Bale has gone for a leg lock! Santiago slips out almost immediately though and dives into Bale's guard.

Bale is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Bale escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Santiago gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santiago looking to sit in guard and control but Bale gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Bale postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bale passes into half guard.
Santiago is staying active underneath Bale, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Santiago is defending against the submission attempts here by Bale.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Bale. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Santiago is trying to maintain the position but Bale is very close to passing his half guard.

Bale is working for a submission of some sort.

Bale is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Santiago gets full guard.
Santiago throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Bale postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Santiago is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Bale, into his guard.

Bale throws his legs up looking for a submission but Santiago uses it to pass to side control.
Bale is breathing heavily.
The strikes coming from Santiago are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Santiago trying to control the position but Bale is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bale is looking to regain half guard here but Santiago keeps moving and retains side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bale can do anything to dispel that myth.

Santiago wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Bale, who protects the arm well.
Bale looking for a sweep but Santiago has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Santiago trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Santiago punching from mount but Bale doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Santiago trying to control but Bale is having none of it.
Santiago throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bale working to try and regain half guard.
Santiago throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Bale because Santiago loaded up on that one.
Bale wants to hold on but Santiago pushes him away.
Santiago thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Santiago trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Bale tries to lock up and control but Santiago gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bale holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Santiago tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bale regains half guard.
Santiago tries to stand but can't do so whilst Bale controls his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Geraldo Santiago dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Santiago tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bale paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Santiago shoots in and drives through. Bale sprawls well.
Bale waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Santiago.

Bale shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Santiago napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Bale goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Santiago rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Bale's guard! Nice work there by Santiago!

Bale throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Santiago avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bale had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Santiago defends it easily.
Santiago will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Bale throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Bale takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bale keeping moving, preventing Santiago from controlling successfully.
Santiago trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Santiago wants to control from the top but Bale keeps moving.

Bale working for a triangle but Santiago defends it easily.
Santiago wants to control from the top but Bale keeps moving.

That's two 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.

Bale working for a triangle but Santiago defends it easily.
Santiago wants to control from the top but Bale keeps moving.
Santiago controlling from the top position.
Santiago tries to stand but Bale is controlling from the bottom.
Santiago won't allow Bale to sweep him here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bale as he avoids it easily.
Santiago fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Geraldo Santiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santiago shoots in and drives through. Bale sprawls well.

Bale shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Bale is working for a submission of some sort.

Bale is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Santiago doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bale.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bale wants to work for an arm triangle but Santiago is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bale wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santiago keeps working.
Santiago is looking to control Bale's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Santiago avoid being mounted?
The fighters are battling for position here. Santiago manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Bale drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Santiago manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Bale has Santiago in his guard.

Santiago is looking to stand up but Bale won't let him.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Niko Bale.
I think Bale 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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Niko Bale!