PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paolo Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bill Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Paolo Santos has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Paolo Santos seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Santos
vs
Pope

185 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
190 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Paolo Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bill Pope!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Damien Edna and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos misses with a two punch combination.

Pope shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Pope showed some decent athleticism there.
Pope missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Santos tries to roll over but Pope keeps him under control.
Santos manages to get to full guard.
Pope wants to pass the guard but Santos is keeping the position.
Santos is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Santos looking for a guillotine here but Pope defends easily.
Pope throwing strikes from guard but Santos blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pope changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Santos tries to avoid it but Pope manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Santos to the ground. Santos escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Santos bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Pope is looking to regain half guard here but Santos keeps moving and retains side control.
Pope is trying to escape the position but Santos is controlling the position.
Santos is looking to take a break and control but Pope is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pope striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Santos scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope is looking to reverse the position.
Pope on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Santos working the ground and pound.
Pope is trying to get back to half guard.
Santos working the ground and pound from side control.
Santos gets to mount! Pope was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Pope really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Pope is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Santos working for a submission but Pope is keeping him at bay.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos wants to control the pace but Pope is squirming around nicely.
Santos controlling from mount.
Pope regains half guard.
Pope is trying to get back to full guard.

Pope looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Pope looks gassed!

Santos is working for a submission of some sort.

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.

Pope looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Santos pushes past his half guard into mount!
Pope sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Santos with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Pope wants to control but Santos is keeping busy.
Santos is looking to advance position but Pope won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paolo Santos will probably get the nod.
That's time! Santos's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Santos closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Santos is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Pope has escaped the position, nice work there.
Santos just content to control the position.
Pope tries to bench press Santos off him but Santos keeps the position.
Santos lands some shots froms side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Santos is looking to advance position but Pope won't allow it.
Pope tries to get to full guard but Santos has control of the leg.
Pope is breathing heavily.
Santos wants to control but Pope is keeping him busy.
Pope wants to control but Santos is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Santos looks to score with a jab to the body but Pope is just out of range.

Santos scores with a takedown into Pope's guard.
Pope is trying to control the position but Santos postures up.
Pope bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Santos's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Pope from controlling successfully.
Santos wants to sweep here but Pope controlling him for the moment.
Santos trying to control the position.

Pope drops back looking for a leg! Santos is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Santos manages to kick Pope off! Pope jumps back into Santos's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pope prevents Santos from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope passes into half guard.

Pope is looking for a kimura here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Santos looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Santos controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos lands strikes from half guard.

Pope looking for submissions off his back.
Santos wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paolo Santos dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Pope swats away the attempt to clinch by Santos.
Santos tries to clinch but Pope moves out of range.
Pope fails with the takedown

and Santos decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Pope's guard.

Pope is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Santos seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Santos stands up from Pope's guard - Santos perhaps looking for a knockout.
Pope takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Santos.
Pope trying to remain calm as Santos controls from the top position.

Santos decides to stand back up. Santos steps back and let's Pope get back to his feet.
Pope tries for a takedown but Santos circles away easily

and Santos counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Santos.
Paolo Santos overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Pope is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope working a defensive guard but Santos manages to pass into side control anyway.

Santos tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Santos lands some shots froms side control.
Santos taking a breather here.

Santos decides to stand up, so the ref orders Pope to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pope paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pope with a lazy takedown attempt

so Santos counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Paolo Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bill Pope.

Santos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Pope can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Santos controls the pace.
Pope looking for a sweep. Not yet Pope, not yet.
Santos slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Pope looks to move to half guard but instead Santos has passed into mount! Damn!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope working to try and regain half guard.
Santos sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pope working to try and regain half guard.
Bill Pope has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Santos landing strikes, looking to finish!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santos with a couple of short strikes.
Paolo Santos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Santos controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paolo Santos showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Santos has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:26
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:26

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