PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brian Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jerico Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Santos
vs
Smith

180 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

191 cm
20
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brian Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jerico Smith!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Reed Andrews and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith swats away the attempt to clinch by Santos.
Santos keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Smith tries to clinch but Santos is having none of it.
Santos shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Smith counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smith wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.

Smith stands and steps away. Santos gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Smith feints and as Santos raises his hands in defense, Smith changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Smith passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Santos manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Santos makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Santos.
Smith missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Smith avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Smith puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Smith throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Smith decides to stand and escape the position.
Smith fails with the takedown.
Smith looks gassed!
Smith misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Brian Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jerico Smith.

Santos pushes Smith up against the cage in a clinch.
Santos can't break the clinch.
Santos presses Smith against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Smith on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Santos.
Santos landing knees to the body.
Santos wants to get back to striking at distance but Smith won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos throws a knee to the head but misses.
Smith tries for a takedown but Santos manages to get underhooks.

Santos breaks from the clinch.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt

and Smith moves into the clinch.
Santos is leaning against Smith and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Santos stalling in the clinch.
Santos creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Smith's defenses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Santos fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Santos looking to throw knees to the head but Smith is blocking nicely.

Santos breaks from the clinch.
Santos fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Smith scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Smith seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Santos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Santos gets full guard.
Smith must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Smith 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santos keeping busy on the bottom but Smith has passed one foot through into half guard.
Santos wants to get back to his feet.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Santos is defending well.
Santos is looking to improve his position.
Santos might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Santos regains full guard. Nicely done.
Smith would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Santos manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Smith manages to get himself to full guard.
Smith wants to stand and escape but Santos is having none of it.
Santos in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Santos tries to stand but Smith is controlling from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Smith has his foot on Santos's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Santos works his way back into a safe position though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith trying to control the position.
Smith might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Santos kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jerico Smith will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Santos misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Smith.
Santos moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.
Santos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Santos shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Smith but Smith pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Santos wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.
Santos tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Smith shoots in looking for a takedown. Santos tries to sprawl out of it but Smith keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Santos manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Smith closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith is trying to drag Santos to the mat but Santos just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Santos wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santos wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Santos wants to get back to striking at distance but Smith won't allow it.
Santos tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Smith smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Santos circles away.

Smith has Santos up against the cage in a clinch.
Smith pushes off an throws an elbow but Santos leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Santos tries to pull guard but Smith won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brian Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos with a knee to the head.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Santos shoots in and drives through. Smith sprawls well.
Smith misses with a leg kick.
Santos with a lazy takedown attempt

and Smith counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Smith.
Santos wants to get back to striking at distance but Smith won't allow it.
Smith scores with a knee to the head.

Smith breaks the clinch.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt
and Smith counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Santos is lucky that one didn't land flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos closes the distance but Smith moves to the side

and Smith counters with a single leg into guard. Santos didn't expect that.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Santos is keeping the position for now.
Santos throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Smith sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Smith drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Santos manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Smith has Santos in his guard.
Santos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to keep Santos in close.
Smith trying to strike off his back.
Smith looking to hit a scissor sweep but Santos is one step ahead there.
Santos prevents Smith from getting back to his feet.
Santos advances to half guard.

Santos in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Smith tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Santos!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:04 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Brian Santos!