PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Earle Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mario Poppins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mario Poppins has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Santos
vs
Poppins

213 cm
24
151 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

225 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Earle Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mario Poppins!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Paul Tew and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Poppins shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Poppins shoots in looking for a takedown but Santos manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Poppins's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Santos with a lazy takedown attempt
and Poppins counters with a big head kick but Santos shrugs it off.
Poppins throws a head kick that half lands.
Poppins misses with a head kick.

Poppins closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Santos quickly recovers to half guard.
Santos wants to control but Poppins is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Santos makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Santos.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poppins postures up and lands a big shot to Santos's brow.
Poppins throwing strikes but missing.
This has been an exciting period of action!

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Poppins as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Earle Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Poppins manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Poppins misses with a two punch combination.
Santos tries to close the distance and clinch but Poppins swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Santos throws a sloppy head kick and Poppins moves out of range easily.
Poppins is trying hard to land a takedown here. Santos sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Poppins rushes Santos and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Poppins wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Poppins drags the fight down to the ground.
Santos has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Poppins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Poppins trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Poppins is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Poppins has Santos pulled in close to control his posture.
Poppins working a defensive guard here.
Santos seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Earle Santos wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Poppins shoots in looking for a takedown but Santos manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Poppins's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Santos throws a series of punches but Poppins avoids them all with ease.
Poppins tries to clinch up
and Santos counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Poppins tries to clinch but Santos moves out of range.
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.
Santos changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Poppins fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poppins tries to clinch there but Santos circles away.
Santos throws a combination. Poppins tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Santos crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Poppins - the referee stops the clock and Santos gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Poppins. Santos manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Santos thows a body shot but no joy.
No luck for Poppins with that takedown attempt.
Poppins looks winded!
Poppins shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Santos as he avoids it easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santos darts in looking for a takedown but Poppins gets double underhooks and turns Santos into the cage.
Poppins working hard to break the clinch.
Santos is trying to pull guard but Poppins has him pressed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Poppins bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Poppins misses with a wild combination.
Poppins connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Santos momentarily.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Poppins dives in and grabs Santos's left leg, looking for a takedown. Santos pushes down on Poppins's head and hops out.
Poppins lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Santos circles away quickly and effectively.
Mario Poppins seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Poppins shoots in looking for a takedown but Santos manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Poppins's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Poppins dodges the punch combination from Santos.

Santos forces Poppins back against the cage and clinches.
Santos is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Santos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
No luck for Poppins with that takedown attempt.
Earle Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mario Poppins.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos darts in looking for a takedown but Poppins gets double underhooks and turns Santos into the cage.
Poppins is breathing heavily.
Poppins wants to break free but Santos has control.

Santos ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Santos no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Santos looking to hit a scissor sweep but Poppins is one step ahead there.
Poppins trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Santos will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Poppins forces his way into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Poppins there.
Poppins looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Poppins prevents Santos from standing back up.
Poppins has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Poppins is trying to control. Santos wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Poppins tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Santos.
Santos is not content to let Poppins control the position.
Poppins wants to advance to full mount but Santos doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poppins preventing the sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poppins is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

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

Poppins manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Santos on his heels. He'll look to pass Santos's guard now, I'm sure.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Poppins from controlling successfully.
Santos is trying to control the position but Poppins postures up.
Poppins trying to stand up but can't free himself from Santos's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Poppins stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Santos tries for a takedown but Poppins sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mario Poppins seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Santos is looking to clinch but Poppins is avoiding it.
Santos doesn't manage to clinch there - Poppins circles away.
Santos misses with a kick to the body.
Poppins lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Poppins avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Earle Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Poppins keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Poppins tries to clinch but Santos moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Poppins showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Santos gets caught napping as Poppins dives in and scores a takedown. Santos manages to retain guard.
Poppins trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Santos is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Santos looking to control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Poppins avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Poppins fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Santos avoids it really well and circles away.
Poppins fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Santos.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poppins throws a right hand that Santos ducks under and follows up with a left that Santos also avoids with ease.
Poppins takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Poppins attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Santos fails with a takedown attempt.
Poppins tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Santos manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Poppins.
Poppins shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Santos as he jumps to the side.
Earle Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mario Poppins.
Santos defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Poppins.
Poppins fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Santos.
Santos fails with the takedown.

Santos closes the distance and pushes Poppins back into the cage.
Santos is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Poppins is defending well.

Santos gets control of Poppins's arms and successfully pulls guard. Santos will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Santos looking to control.
Poppins preventing the sweep.
Poppins passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Poppins is looking to take a break and control but Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Poppins tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Santos wants to control but Poppins postures up.

Poppins stands up and beckons Santos to his feet.
Poppins tries a head kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Santos as Poppins shoots in.
A punch combination from Poppins misses.
Santos misses the shot to the body.
Santos tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Poppins manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Santos lands a right hook to the body.
Poppins misses with a leg kick
and Santos counters with an inside leg kick.
Santos fails to land the takedown.
Poppins explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Poppins fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Poppins. No joy for Santos on that attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mario Poppins.
I've got Poppins 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 James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mario Poppins!