PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gustavo Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Weidman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Gustavo Santos has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Santos
vs
Weidman

175 cm
18
152 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gustavo Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Chris Weidman!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Matheus Silva and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Santos feints and as Weidman raises his hands in defense, Santos changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Weidman keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
Santos looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Weidman has Santos pulled in close to control his posture.
Santos is pushing down on Weidman's leg trying to pass to half guard. Weidman is fighting to maintain full guard but Santos has managed to sneak the leg through.
Weidman keeping hold of Santos's head, controlling as best he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Weidman!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos prevents Weidman from getting the reversal.
Weidman keeps trying to improve his position.
Weidman is squirming around, avoiding Santos's attempts to control the action.
Weidman is working to get back to half guard.

That's two 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 trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Santos is really struggling to control Weidman but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Weidman can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Weidman is looking to escape.
Weidman is desperately trying to improve his position but Santos has a good base and remains in mount.
Santos trying to control but Weidman is having none of it.

Weidman defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Santos.
Weidman keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Weidman wants to control but Santos is having none of it.
Weidman has given up his back here.

Santos looking for the RNC.
Weidman trying to control the hands but Santos breaks the grip.
Weidman is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Santos off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Santos is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Weidman has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gustavo Santos dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Santos closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Weidman to the mat! Weidman manages to get full guard.
Weidman 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.
Santos trying to control but Weidman is working from the bottom.
Weidman not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Weidman is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Weidman with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Santos actively working from the bottom here.
Santos wants to improve his position but Weidman is controlling well.
Weidman uses his free foot to push down on Santos's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Santos.
Weidman trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Weidman controlling his opponent.
Gustavo Santos overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weidman tries to control but Santos wriggling away.
Santos is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Weidman can do to turn this around?
Santos working to try and regain half guard.
Weidman takes Santos's back.
Santos is keeping busy.
Santos wants to control his opponent's hands but Weidman gets his hands free.
Weidman controlling from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos trying to control but not successfully.

Weidman looking for the RNC.
Weidman controls the action.
Santos prevents Weidman from getting a body triangle.
Weidman is trying to stick to Santos's back but Santos is turning into Weidman. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Weidman's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Santos.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Weidman can do anything to dispel that myth.
Weidman can't keep his opponent in guard - Santos advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Weidman moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Santos pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Weidman is keeping the position for now.
Santos stopping the sweep attempt from Weidman.
Santos being controlled here momentarily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Weidman's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chris Weidman will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Santos looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Weidman!
Santos wants to control but Weidman is keeping him busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Weidman is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weidman gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Weidman is positioning himself well to prevent Santos advancing to mount.
Weidman gets back to full guard.

Weidman wants to improve his position here. There's a bit of a scramble and Santos has taken Weidman's back! He's locked on a rear naked choke here and Weidman has been forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Gustavo Santos!
After winning the bout, Gustavo Santos thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.