PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between AJ Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roque Rapacon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rapacon has chosen Stand Tall as his entrance music. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Santos
vs
Rapacon

170 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, AJ Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Roque Rapacon!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rapacon misses with a jab, cross combination.

Santos gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Rapacon to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Rapacon throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Santos utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Rapacon got a little sloppy there for a moment and Santos has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rapacon has managed to get both his arms back between Santos's legs - danger averted.
Rapacon trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos is trying to control the position but Rapacon postures up.
Rapacon trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Santos manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Santos missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rapacon wants to stand up but Santos is controlling him.

Santos drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Santos jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Santos passes into half guard.
Rapacon tries to kick Santos off but Santos keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Santos trying to pass the guard but Rapacon defending well.
Santos thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rapacon's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rapacon wants to get back to his feet.
Santos not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Santos is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rapacon is just riding it out for now. Santos eventually gives up the hold.
Rapacon looks gassed!

Rapacon kicks Santos off and gets back to his feet.
Roque Rapacon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rapacon misses with the combination.

Rapacon shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Santos tries to lock up and control but Rapacon gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Santos regains half guard.
Rapacon slips a nice elbow through Santos's hands, connecting with Santos's forehead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rapacon working over Santos with some ground and pound. Santos looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Santos trying to control here.
Rapacon not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rapacon looks to land a strike but Santos avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Rapacon missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rapacon thows a big elbow that misses.
Santos scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.
Rapacon looking to sit in guard and control but Santos gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santos drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Santos jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Santos in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Santos is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Santos trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rapacon's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

AJ Santos dominated that round.
That's time! Santos's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rapacon bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rapacon laying and praying for a moment but Santos takes advantage and regains half guard.
Santos is looking to control Rapacon's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Santos avoid being mounted?
Rapacon not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Santos slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Santos trying to keep a closed guard but Rapacon is proving a slippery customer.
Rapacon stops Santos from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rapacon lands a couple of elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rapacon working some strikes from top position.
Rapacon looking to sit in guard and control but Santos gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rapacon scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Santos shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rapacon counters with a shoot takedown. Santos fights it but they end up in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rapacon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Roque Rapacon has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rapacon throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Santos looking to control.
Rapacon content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Santos looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rapacon trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Santos trying to control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Rapacon closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Santos to the mat! Santos manages to get full guard.
Rapacon wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.
Rapacon prevents Santos from getting back to his feet.
Santos working a defensive guard here.
Rapacon must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rapacon wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.
Rapacon trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Santos lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rapacon!
Rapacon squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Santos fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

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.
Rapacon's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Santos looking to finish Rapacon with some ground and pound. This is bad for Rapacon!
Rapacon is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Santos looking for a guillotine from mount but Rapacon is having none of it.

Santos jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Rapacon manages to avoid the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roque Rapacon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rapacon changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Santos looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Santos gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Santos gets full guard.

Santos working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rapacon doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Santos is tightening it up a little... Rapacon has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Rapacon reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Rapacon taps out! nice BJJ there by Santos!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). AJ Santos!