PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Martinez Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rory Hill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santiago comes to the cage accompanied by C'est La Vie. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Santiago
vs
Hill

165 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

172 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Martinez Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rory Hill!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santiago shoots in and drives through. Hill sprawls well.
Santiago tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hill swivels and escapes.

Santiago darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santiago wants to pass the guard but Hill is defending well.
Santiago prevents Hill from standing back up.
Santiago not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Santiago missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Santiago wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hill keeps working.
Santiago stalling.

Santiago is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Santiago uses his free foot to push down on Hill's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Hill.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hill is in all sorts of trouble here.
Santiago lands a big shot there that rocks Hill but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Santiago trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Santiago goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Hill turns into him and now he's in Santiago's guard.
Santiago is breathing heavily.
Hill with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago controls Hill momentarily but Hill frees himself.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Hill with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hill trying to stand up but can't free himself from Santiago's guard.

Hill avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hill is pushing down on Santiago's leg trying to pass to half guard. Santiago is fighting to maintain full guard but Hill has managed to sneak the leg through.
Santiago throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santiago gets full guard.
Santiago trying to control the position.
Santiago lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hill!

Santiago jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Hill manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago takes a little break here. Hill wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Santiago works to advance to full mount. Hill defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Santiago takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Santiago could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Santiago working for a submission but Hill is keeping him at bay.
Santiago controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago looking to control but Hill is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hill taking shots to the head.
Santiago sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Santiago unloading with bombs!

Santiago working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
BOOM! Santiago connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martinez Santiago dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Santiago takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Martinez Santiago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hill with a hook.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Santiago checks a leg kick.
Hill stuffs the takedown attempt from Santiago. Santiago gets slowly back to his feet.
Santiago fails with a takedown attempt.
Hill misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hill keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martinez Santiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hill throws a low kick, looking for Santiago's leg but Santiago calmly moves out of range.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hill!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice shot lands for Hill.
Hill connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Hill throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Santiago stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Hill shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hill showed some decent athleticism there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hill tries to stand and escape but Santiago is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hill sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Santiago defending well though.
Hill is thwarting Santiago's attempts to control the position.

Hill decides to return to a standing position.
Santiago takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Santiago fails to land the takedown.
Santiago misses with a takedown attempt

and Hill counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Hill trying to control but Santiago is working from the bottom.
Santiago wants to sweep here but Hill controlling him for the moment.
Santiago is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Santiago wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hill is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Santiago is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Santiago has escaped and now he's on top!
Hill controls Santiago momentarily but Santiago frees himself.

Hill is looking for a triangle but Santiago pushes his legs off easily.

Santiago stands up from Hill's guard - Santiago perhaps looking for a knockout.
Santiago shoots for a double leg takedown but Hill sprawls well. He's pushed Santiago's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Santiago takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Hill tries a low kick but Santiago avoids it.
Santiago misses with a takedown attempt - Hill sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hill shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hill wants to slow Santiago down by chopping away at his legs.
Santiago shoots in but no luck this time.
Hill connects with a body shot.
Hill displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Hill throws a front kick aimed at Santiago's knee but Santiago avoids it well.
Santiago misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Santiago wants to clinch up but Hill keeps it at a distance.
Santiago misses with a takedown attempt - Hill sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Santiago closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hill circles away.

Santiago shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Hill is trying desperately to improve position.

Santiago looking to secure an arm triangle but Hill defends it well.
Santiago lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santiago is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hill can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Santiago looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Santiago prevents Hill from getting the reversal.

Santiago is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Hill stuffs the takedown attempt from Santiago. Santiago gets slowly back to his feet.
Santiago takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Rory Hill seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santiago fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hill stuffs the takedown attempt from Santiago. Santiago gets slowly back to his feet.
Santiago shoots in and drives through. Hill sprawls well.
Hill looks for a takedown but Santiago sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rory Hill showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Santiago closes the distance and clinches up with Hill, looking for a takedown. Santiago pushes Hill against the cage but Hill circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Santiago fails to land the takedown.
Santiago shoots in for a takedown but Hill shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martinez Santiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Santiago looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hill is not content to let Santiago control the position.
Santiago with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Santiago is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hill is just riding it out for now. Santiago eventually gives up the hold.

Santiago is looking for a kimura here.
Hill takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago is looking to advance position but Hill won't allow it.
Santiago knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hill on the ground.

Santiago is working for a submission of some sort.
Santiago wants to take a breather but Hill is having none of it.

Hill looking for submissions off his back.

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

Santiago moves into range and clinches up with Hill.
Santiago comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's two 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.
Santiago is pressed up against the cage. Hill has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Santiago down to the mat. Santiago avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Santiago has a takedown stuffed.
Santiago takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Santiago shoots in and bounces Hill off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hill is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Santiago has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Santiago looking to pass the guard.
Hill is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Santiago is controlling him.
Santiago pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hill is keeping the position for now.
Martinez Santiago overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Santiago is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago stands and throws Hill's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Hill takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Hill is not content to let Santiago control the position.
Hill is trying to improve his position.

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.

Santiago tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Hill is not content to let Santiago control the position.
Hill manages to work his way to half guard, despite Santiago's best efforts.
Santiago is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Hill looks like he's trying to stand up.
Santiago is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martinez Santiago showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Santiago 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martinez Santiago!