PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Filho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Junior Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Filho
vs
Dos Santos

200 cm
18
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Heavy handed

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 Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Filho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Junior Dos Santos!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dos Santos shoots in for a takedown but Filho shows good takedown defense.
Dos Santos closes this distance looking for a takedown but Filho circles away.
Filho shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Dos Santos pinned against the cage. Dos Santos gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Filho shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Dos Santos napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Filho controls the position.
Filho working away.
Filho content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Dos Santos manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Dos Santos blocking the ground and pound attempt from Filho.
Filho wants to take a breather but Dos Santos is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filho perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Filho sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Dos Santos defending well though.
Filho controlling the action here.

Filho 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.
Filho tries to pass the half guard into mount. Dos Santos knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Dos Santos is looking to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dos Santos moves in looking to clinch but Filho pushes him off.
Dos Santos shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Filho counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Paulo Filho has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Dos Santos.
Dos Santos looking to hit a scissor sweep but Filho is one step ahead there.

Filho got a little sloppy there for a moment and Dos Santos has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Filho has managed to get both his arms back between Dos Santos's legs - danger averted.

Filho postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Dos Santos is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Filho, into his guard.
Filho knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Dos Santos on the ground.
Filho is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Filho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Filho looking for a sweep. Not yet Filho, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Filho looking for a guillotine here but Dos Santos defends easily.
Filho keeping moving, preventing Dos Santos from controlling successfully.

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.
Dos Santos chips away with some ground and pound.
Dos Santos throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Filho works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Dos Santos displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Filho.
Filho defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Dos Santos.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Filho dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Dos Santos wants to clinch

and Filho counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Filho tries a knee to the head but Dos Santos blocks it.
Dos Santos prevents the takedown attempt.
Dos Santos looking for a takedown.

Filho escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Filho has his takedown stuffed
and Dos Santos counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Dos Santos on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Filho. Filho obviously looking to wear him down.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Filho shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dos Santos sprawls well. Dos Santos wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Filho gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paulo Filho. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dos Santos looks to land a body kick but Filho moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dos Santos closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Filho to the mat! Filho manages to get full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dos Santos passes into half guard.
Filho is looking for a sweep. Dos Santos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Dos Santos seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Filho does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Dos Santos tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Filho.
Filho is trying to get back to full guard.
Dos Santos landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos is taking a breather. Filho says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Dos Santos is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Filho sees it coming and defends easily.
Dos Santos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Filho keeps working.
Filho preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Filho trying to hold on to Dos Santos's head to control him but Dos Santos postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filho wants to improve his position but Dos Santos is controlling well.
Dos Santos wants to stand up but Filho is controlling the position.
Dos Santos is looking to take a break and control but Filho is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Filho closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Dos Santos stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Dos Santos jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Filho walks away with a smile on his face. Dos Santos gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Dos Santos wants to clinch but Filho slips to the side
and Filho counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Dos Santos thinking.
Filho misses with a straight right.
Dos Santos tries to close the distance and clinch but Filho swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dos Santos shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Filho counters with a right hand to the body.
Dos Santos throws a series of punches but Filho avoids them all with ease.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Filho.

Filho has Dos Santos up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Dos Santos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Dos Santos closes the distance looking to clinch

and Filho decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Dos Santos's guard.
Filho throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Filho tries to free his leg and advance position but Dos Santos is retaining full guard.
Filho preventing the sweep.
Dos Santos is looking to stand up but Filho isn't so interested in that idea.
Filho has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Dos Santos is pulling down on Filho's head. It's preventing any offense from Filho, at least for the moment.

Dos Santos throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos keeping moving, preventing Filho from controlling successfully.
Filho slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Dos Santos gets caught flat footed, as Filho shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Filho trying to control the position from guard on top but Dos Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Filho wants to pass the guard but Dos Santos is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos looking to control.
Filho thows a big elbow that misses.

Filho stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Dos Santos changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Dos Santos tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Filho swivels and escapes.
Filho shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Dos Santos as he avoids it easily.
Filho jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos with a lazy takedown attempt
and Filho counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Filho shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Dos Santos defends it nicely.
Dos Santos fails with a takedown attempt.
Paulo Filho has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Dos Santos.
Filho avoids a punch combination nicely.
Filho shoots in for a takedown but Dos Santos shows good takedown defense.
Dos Santos blocks a head kick by Filho.
Filho blocks the body kick.

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.
Dos Santos tries to close the distance and clinch but Filho swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dos Santos has his takedown stuffed

and Filho counters by moving into the clinch.

Filho jumps guard and drags Dos Santos to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Filho keeping moving, preventing Dos Santos from controlling successfully.
Filho doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Dos Santos advances position into side control!
Dos Santos prevents Filho from escaping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paulo Filho showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Filho has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Filho!