PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santiago is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Asesinos - Los Crudos. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Gracie
vs
Santiago

191 cm
23
198 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

188 cm
30
198 lbs
17 - 1 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ryan Gracie!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Antonio Santiago!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Santiago gets caught napping as Gracie dives in and scores a takedown. Santiago manages to retain guard.
Gracie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Santiago looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gracie 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.

Santiago working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.

Santiago has an active guard here but Gracie has managed to pass into half guard.
Gracie wants to control but Santiago is keeping him busy.

Santiago looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Santiago is having none of it.

Santiago looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.

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

Santiago actively working from the bottom here.
Santiago tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Still in half guard, Gracie seems content to control.

Gracie seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Santiago is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:47 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Ryan Gracie!
Ryan Gracie retains his middleweight title!