PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Carlos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Asiong Salonga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santos comes to the cage accompanied by Malandro é malandro. Salonga is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: hari ng tondo. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Santos
vs
Salonga

170 cm
18
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Decent knees
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight 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, Carlos Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Asiong Salonga!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Felipe Paraventi and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Salonga takes the fight into the clinch.
Salonga landing knees to the head.
Santos takes a knee right on the jaw!
Santos wants to take the fight to the mat but Salonga manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Salonga keeps control of Santos as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Salonga throws a knee to the head but misses.
Salonga tries to land a knee to the head but Santos blocks with his arms.
Santos tries to circle away but Salonga has him pinned against the cage.
Santos tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Salonga working Santos over with knees to the body.
Santos is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Salonga connects with a nasty looking knee right to Santos's face.
Salonga scores with a knee to the head.
Santos is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Salonga lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Carlos Santos has been cut.
Salonga connects with a nasty looking knee right to Santos's face.
A knee to the head by Salonga.
Salonga tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Santos takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salonga with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Salonga looking to throw knees to the head but Santos is blocking nicely.
Santos wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Santos takes a knee right on the jaw!
Santos is trying to break the clinch but Salonga has him pressed against the cage.

Santos breaks the clinch.
Santos shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Salonga but Salonga pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carlos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Santos drives through and clinches with Salonga against the cage.
Salonga takes a knee to the side of the body.
Salonga landing knees to the head.
Salonga tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Santos blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Santos is trying to stall.
Santos misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salonga throws a knee to the head but misses.
Santos is trying to pull guard but Salonga has him pressed against the cage.
Santos is trying to break free.
Salonga unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Santos wants a takedown but no success here.
Santos managing to block the knees to the body from Salonga.
Salonga looking to throw knees to the head but Santos is blocking nicely.
Santos can't get the takedown.
Santos tries to pull guard but Salonga holds him up against the cage and eventually Santos drops back down to his feet.
Santos is looking to control Salonga's arms but Salonga gets an underhook and turns him. Now Santos has his back to the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Santos wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Salonga putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Santos in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Salonga throws a knee to the head but misses.
Salonga using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Santos has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos is looking to control Salonga's arms but Salonga gets an underhook and turns him. Now Santos has his back to the cage.
Salonga using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Salonga throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Santos blocks it with crossed arms.
Santos is looking to break free of the clinch but Salonga has double underhooks.
Santos jumps guard but Salonga turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Salonga with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Santos drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Santos takes a knee to the side of the body.
Salonga with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Santos is looking for a takedown.
Salonga misses with a knee to the head.
Santos wants to take the fight to the mat but Salonga manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Santos tries to score a body lock takedown but Salonga shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salonga tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Santos is trying to break the clinch but Salonga has him pressed against the cage.

Santos jumps guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Santos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Salonga trying to stand up but can't free himself from Santos's guard.

Salonga decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Santos, up you get!
Santos shoots in for a takedown but Salonga shows good takedown defense.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Salonga wants to clinch.

Salonga has taken the fight to the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Santos pulls Salonga into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Asiong Salonga dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Carlos Santos's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Salonga tries to clinch there but Santos circles away.

Santos clinches up with Salonga and pushes him back against the cage.
Salonga prevents Santos from breaking the clinch.
Salonga looking to throw knees to the head but Santos is blocking nicely.
Salonga has Santos pressed against the cage, preventing Santos from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Salonga tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Santos is looking to take this one to the mat.
Salonga connects with a knee to the head.
Santos has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Salonga is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Santos tries to circle away but Salonga has him pinned against the cage.
Santos fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carlos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knees in the clinch landing for Salonga.
Santos wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Salonga using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Salonga misses with a knee to the head.
Salonga landing knees to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salonga is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Salonga misses with a knee to the head.
Salonga looking to throw knees to the head but Santos is blocking nicely.
Santos working hard to break the clinch.
Salonga tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Santos drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Salonga gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Salonga with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Salonga connects with a knee to the head.
Salonga throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Santos blocks it with crossed arms.
Santos fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Salonga using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Santos has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Salonga tries to land a knee to the head but Santos blocks with his arms.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Salonga tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salonga throws a knee to the head but misses.
Santos tries to pull guard but Salonga won't allow it.
Salonga throws a knee to the head but misses.
Santos is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Salonga misses with a knee strike.
Salonga misses with a knee to the head.
Salonga looking to throw knees to the head but Santos is blocking nicely.
Santos avoiding damage as Salonga throws knees to the body.

Santos drags the fight down to the ground.
Salonga wants to stand but Santos is controlling his posture from full guard.
Salonga 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salonga wants to stand and escape but instead Santos has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Santos content to stall in guard here.
Salonga wants to stand but Santos is controlling the position.
Santos throws a big right hand that misses.
Santos 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.
Salonga has a closed guard, preventing Santos from standing up.
Santos sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Carlos Santos wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Salonga moves in looking to clinch but Santos pushes him off.

Salonga moves into the clinch successfully.
Salonga tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Santos pulls guard successfully.
Santos is trying to control the position from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Santos is on top in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salonga keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santos wants to stand but Salonga has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Salonga can do anything to dispel that myth.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Santos won't allow Salonga to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Asiong Salonga will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Carlos Santos's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Salonga tries to clinch but Santos is having none of it.

Salonga clinches up against the cage.
Salonga throws a knee to the head but misses.
Salonga prevents the takedown attempt.
Salonga misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Santos.
Santos fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Salonga lands a knee to the body.
Salonga landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Knees to the body from Salonga.
Santos takes a knee right on the jaw!
Salonga missing with knees to the body.

Santos manages to pull guard.

Santos pushes Salonga off and scrambles back to his feet.
Salonga moves in looking to clinch but Santos pushes him off.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Salonga fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Santos, pushing him back against the cage.
Santos is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Salonga is keeping busy.
Salonga using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Santos has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Salonga throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Santos blocks it with crossed arms.
Santos tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Salonga smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carlos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Salonga closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Salonga misses with a knee to the head.
Santos jumps guard but Salonga stands there with Santos around his waist. Santos gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Salonga with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Santos tries to pull guard but Salonga won't allow it.
Salonga looking to throw knees to the head but Santos is blocking nicely.
Asiong Salonga is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salonga is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Santos is defending well for now.
Santos is working for takedown but Salonga is calmly controlling the position for now.
Santos is trying to stall.
Salonga landing knees to the head.
Salonga lands a knee to the head.
Santos can't get the takedown.
Salonga gets underhooks to prevent Santos's takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salonga misses with a knee to the head.
Santos is trying to break free.
Salonga is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Salonga utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Salonga lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Santos is trying to pull guard but Salonga has him pressed against the cage.
Salonga lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salonga landing knees to the body.
Salonga blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Salonga prevents a takedown attempt there.
Salonga with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Salonga tries a knee to the head but Santos blocks it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salonga tries a knee to the head but Santos blocks it.
Santos tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Salonga just stands there and leans against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Asiong Salonga comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Salonga winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Asiong Salonga!
Our winner, Asiong Salonga, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.