PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Solomon Tait (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santiago has chosen You're Going Down as his entrance music. Solomon Tait has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Tait
vs
Santiago

160 cm
18
173 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

177 cm
18
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Cripplers Corner

Tokyo United Fightwear

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

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tait misses with the combination.
Santiago misses with a wild body shot.
Tait could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Tait misses with a series of wild punches.
Tait misses with an uppercut. Santiago saw that one coming.
Tait misses with a series of wild punches.
Santiago slips a jab from Tait.
Tait lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Santiago circles away quickly and effectively.
Tait takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Santiago tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tait misses with a wild combination.
Solomon Tait seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A telegraphed right hand from Tait misses the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tait missing with a left hand there. Santiago was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Santiago instigates a clinch.

Santiago breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A slow jab from Tait misses its intended target.
Tait throws a right and a left that Santiago avoids nicely.

Santiago gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Tait prevents the takedown attempt.
Santiago goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Santiago breaks from the clinch.
Tait misses with a wild combination.
Tait misses with a left hand
enabling Santiago to counter with a crisp jab.
Santiago slips a jab and a cross from Tait.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tait misses with a leg kick
and Santiago counters with an outside leg kick.
Tait throws a series of punches but Santiago moves out of range.
A slow jab from Tait misses its intended target.
Tait feints a jab promting Santiago to slip. Tait then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Santiago slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A slow jab from Tait misses its intended target.
Tait fails to land with a series of punches.
Tait throws a nice looking combination but Santiago bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Tait does no damage.
Tait throws a hook but Santiago blocks it.
Tait works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Tait misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tait throws a series of punches but Santiago avoids them all with ease.
Tait misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Tait is breathing heavily.

Santiago has Tait up against the cage in a clinch.
Santiago fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Santiago blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Santiago breaks from the clinch.
Tait thows a body shot but no joy.
Santiago slips under a jab from Tait.
Tait on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Santiago. Santiago obviously looking to wear him down.
Santiago fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tait manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tait tries to bum rush Santiago with a series of wild strikes but Santiago uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tait throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Santiago.
Tait rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Santiago counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Santiago wants to free his trapped foot but Tait is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Tait taking some punishment here, with Santiago in his half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santiago stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Santiago dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Santiago fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Tait.
Santiago slips a jab from Tait.
No joy there for Tait, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A combination from Tait does no damage.
Tait looks to land a combination but Santiago avoids it well.
Santiago staying out of range there.
Tait scores with a jab to the jaw.
A slow jab from Tait misses its intended target.
Tait throws an off balance right hand
and Santiago connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Santiago thows a body shot but no joy.

Santiago feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Tait might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Tait is trying to keep Santiago in close.
Santiago pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tait is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santiago controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tait misses with a straight left.
Tait is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tait throws out a leg kick but Santiago moves out of range and Tait only half commits.
Tait thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tait swinging wildly here.

Tait gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Santiago lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Santiago engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Tait controls Santiago momentarily but Santiago frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Santiago is pushing down on Tait's leg trying to pass to half guard. Tait is fighting to maintain full guard but Santiago has managed to sneak the leg through.
Santiago performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago wants to free his trapped foot but Tait is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Tait wants to get back to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Santiago moves in looking to clinch but Tait pushes him off.
Solomon Tait is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tait throws an overhand right that lands on Santiago's shoulder, as Santiago tries to avoid the shot.
Solomon Tait is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Santiago drives through with a takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Santiago showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Tait lunges at Santiago with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Santiago's hand.
Tait tried to score with a low kick but Santiago checks it.

Santiago changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Tait looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Tait tries to improve position but can't.
Santiago controlling from side mount.
Santiago's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Alex Santiago wasn't active enough on the ground.

Santiago bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Tait tries to improve position but can't.
Solomon Tait has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tait is trying to escape the position but Santiago is controlling the position.
Tait can't do much from the bottom here.
You can see the frustration on Tait's face as Santiago controls the position.

Santiago is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tait is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Santiago controlling the position from side mount.
Santiago working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago working the ground and pound.
Santiago is staying tight to Tait's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Tait tries to buck Santiago off but Santiago is having none of it.
Santiago is staying tight to Tait's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Alex Santiago is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Alex Santiago was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Tait throws a jab when Santiago was well out of range.

Tait gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Santiago to score an easy takedown into full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Santiago comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Santiago 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Santiago!
After winning the bout, Alex Santiago thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.