PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simon Garfunkel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rafael Santos has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Santos
vs
Garfunkel

209 cm
22
203 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
22
212 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Improved boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Russian Experiments

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rafael Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Simon Garfunkel!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Dillan Fox and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garfunkel keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Santos will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Simon Garfunkel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Santos shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rafael Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos shoots in looking for a takedown. Garfunkel tries to sprawl out of it but Santos keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Garfunkel manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Garfunkel darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Garfunkel prevents Santos from improving his position.
Santos gets back to full guard.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Garfunkel gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Garfunkel tries to clinch but Santos is having none of it.
Garfunkel wants to clinch up but Santos keeps it at a distance.
Santos with a poor takedown

and Garfunkel counters with a nice double leg into side control. Santos won't be happy with that.
Santos is looking to reverse the position.
Santos has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Santos is looking for a sweep.
Santos is breathing heavily.
Santos parries the strikes from Garfunkel easily there. Garfunkel is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Santos to escape.
Garfunkel staying calm.
Garfunkel in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garfunkel working the ground and pound but Santos is defending the strikes.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Santos shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Garfunkel counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Santos!
Garfunkel really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Santos. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Garfunkel controlling from the full mount.
Garfunkel looking to control but Santos is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Garfunkel is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Garfunkel with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Garfunkel content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Garfunkel controlling the position easily from mount.
Santos really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Santos defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Garfunkel.
Garfunkel can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Santos is looking to escape.
Garfunkel is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Santos is in real trouble.
Garfunkel is trying to stick to Santos's back but Santos is turning into Garfunkel. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Garfunkel's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Santos.

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.
Garfunkel tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Santos with a flurry of punches that miss.
Santos working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Santos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Santos is in close to Garfunkel's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Garfunkel 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.
Garfunkel is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Santos is controlling him.
Santos looking to pass the guard.
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.

Garfunkel looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Santos!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Garfunkel trying to control but Santos is having none of it.

Garfunkel is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Santos can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Garfunkel dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Garfunkel tries to close the distance and clinch but Santos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Santos shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Garfunkel counters with a takedown into side control.
Santos manages to get back to half guard.
Santos punching from the bottom.
Santos moves into full guard.
Garfunkel won't allow Santos to sweep him here.
Santos is working hard here to advance position.

Garfunkel drops back looking for a leg! Santos is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Santos manages to kick Garfunkel off! Garfunkel jumps back into Santos's guard.

Garfunkel gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick from Santos lands but Garfunkel takes it in his stride.
Garfunkel tries for a takedown but Santos circles away easily
and Garfunkel takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Garfunkel is breathing heavily.

Santos shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Santos throws a big right hand that misses.
Garfunkel wants to stand but Santos is controlling the position.
Santos is in close to Garfunkel's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Santos throws and elbow that misses. Garfunkel uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Santos's guard. Nice move by Garfunkel!
Garfunkel 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.
Santos manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Garfunkel manages to get himself to full guard.
Garfunkel wants to sweep but no luck.
Santos really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Santos's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Garfunkel utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Santos loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Santos passes Garfunkel's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Garfunkel is trying to stand.
Simon Garfunkel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Garfunkel is looking to control Santos's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Garfunkel avoid being mounted?

Garfunkel kicks off Santos and gets to his feet.
Santos has his takedown stuffed
and Santos takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Garfunkel clinches.
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!
Garfunkel is trying to stall.
Garfunkel is looking to break free of the clinch but Santos has double underhooks.
Garfunkel jumps guard but Santos stands there with Garfunkel around his waist. Garfunkel gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garfunkel misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Santos.

Santos breaks from the clinch.
Santos with a lazy takedown attempt

and Garfunkel counters with a nice double leg into side control. Santos won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rafael Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos tries to bench press Garfunkel off him but Garfunkel keeps the position.
Santos sneaks back into half guard.
Santos has hold of Garfunkel's hands but Garfunkel slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Santos is looking to improve his position.
Garfunkel seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Santos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garfunkel takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Santos is looking to improve his position.

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

Garfunkel decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Garfunkel is looking to take a break and control but Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Garfunkel prevents Santos from improving his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santos missing with punches from the bottom.
Garfunkel uses his free foot to push down on Santos's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Santos.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Garfunkel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Garfunkel shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Santos wants to sweep here but Garfunkel controlling him for the moment.

Santos has his foot on Garfunkel's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Garfunkel works his way back into a safe position though.
Garfunkel 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.
Santos manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Santos with a couple of short strikes.
Santos is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Garfunkel can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Santos postures up and connects with a big shot that has rocked Garfunkel badly. He's trying desperately to grab hold of Santos around the waist but Santos pushes him off and unloads with more strikes, forcing the referee to jump in and save him! Santos is the winner by TKO! Santos jumps onto the cage and shouts into the camera. "We did it momma!"

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:01 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rafael Santos!