PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Santo Bruce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roberto Bianchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bruce
vs
Bianchi

217 cm
22
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Inexperienced

KaotiK

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Santo Bruce!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Roberto Bianchi!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Tiny Johnson and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bianchi doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Bruce counters with a straight right hand.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Bruce.
Bianchi on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Bruce is looking to take a break and control but Bianchi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Bruce is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bianchi is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bianchi holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bianchi is trying to get back to half guard.
Bianchi struggling a bit here.
Bruce is looking to take a break and control but Bianchi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bianchi tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Bruce wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Bianchi struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Bianchi sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Bianchi tries to kick Bruce off but Bruce keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Bianchi missing with punches from the bottom.
Bianchi tries to kick Bruce off but Bruce keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Bruce gets a clinch.
Bianchi is pressed up against the cage. Bruce has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bianchi down to the mat. Bianchi avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bianchi shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bruce but Bruce pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bruce seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Bianchi misses with a takedown attempt

and Bruce counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bruce.
Santo Bruce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roberto Bianchi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruce looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Bianchi jumps guard and drags Bruce to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Bruce sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Bianchi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bruce is one step ahead there.
Bianchi is controlling Bruce's posture.
Bruce cracks Bianchi with a solid left hand.

That's four 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.
Bianchi is pulling down on Bruce's head. It's preventing any offense from Bruce, at least for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bruce throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Bianchi pulls Bruce in close to prevent any damage.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Bruce postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bianchi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bruce tries to avoid it but Bianchi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bruce to the ground. Bruce escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Bianchi pushes Bruce up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santo Bruce dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Bruce tries to clinch up.
Bruce moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromBianchi.
Bianchi throws a head kick that misses.
Bruce tries to counter by clinching up but Bianchi breaks away and moves out of range.
Bruce really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Bruce is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bianchi drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Bruce defends it well.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Bianchi is trying to drag Bruce to the mat but Bruce just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Bruce unloads a knee to the mid-section. Bianchi lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bianchi leaning against his opponent.
Bianchi is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bruce to keep the fight standing.
Bianchi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Santo Bruce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roberto Bianchi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce lands an uppercut.
Bianchi gets underhooks to prevent Bruce's takedown attempt.
Bruce tries to work over Bianchi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bruce wants a takedown but no success here.
Bianchi is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Bruce is defending well.
Bruce is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Bruce tries to circle away but Bianchi has him pinned against the cage.
Bianchi is pressed up against the cage. Bruce has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bianchi down to the mat. Bianchi avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bruce fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Bruce closes the distance and clinches.
Bianchi jumps guard but Bruce turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Bruce is working for takedown but Bianchi is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bianchi pulls guard effortlessly.
Bianchi keeping moving, preventing Bruce from controlling successfully.
Bianchi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Bianchi is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bruce is aware though and is defending well.
Bruce landing with the ground and pound.
Bruce won't allow Bianchi to sweep him here.
Bruce postures up in Bianchi's guard and throws a big left but Bianchi blocks it.
Bruce postures up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruce lands a nice shot to the body.

Bianchi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Bruce misses with an elbow over the top.
Bruce is looking to take this one to the mat.
Bruce tries to circle away but Bianchi has him pinned against the cage.
Bruce drops down looking for an ankle pick but Bianchi pulls his leg out and moves away.
Bianchi fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bruce shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bianchi defends it nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bianchi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bruce stuffs the takedown.
Bruce is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Bianchi.
Bruce fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Bianchi throws a head kick that misses

and Bruce counters by moving into the clinch.

Bianchi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bianchi shoots in but no luck this time.
Bruce throws a head kick that Bianchi semi-blocks.
Bruce scores with a crisp jab that stopped Bianchi in his tracks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bianchi fails to land the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santo Bruce dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Bruce tries to clinch but Bianchi moves out of range.
The crowd cheers as Bruce lands an impressive looking overhand right. Bianchi doesn't seem phased though.
Roberto Bianchi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bianchi.
Bianchi fails with a takedown attempt.
Bianchi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Santo Bruce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roberto Bianchi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bruce swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bianchi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bianchi has his takedown stuffed

and Bruce counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bianchi cracks Bruce with a nice body shot.
Bruce is trying to push Bianchi away but Bianchi has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Bruce tries to score a body lock takedown but Bianchi shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Bruce has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Bianchi after a bit of a struggle.

Bruce breaks the clinch.
Bianchi misses with a takedown attempt - Bruce sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bruce tries to counter with a takedown but Bianchi is quick to defend against it.
Bianchi fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Bianchi.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A frustrated look appears on Bruce's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce is working for takedown but Bianchi is calmly controlling the position for now.
Bruce misses with a hook to the ribs.

Bianchi manages to break the clinch.

Bianchi instigates a clinch.

Bianchi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bianchi gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Bruce wants to clinch up but Bianchi keeps it at a distance.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Bruce, as that shot connected.
Bruce stuffs the takedown attempt from Bianchi. Bianchi gets slowly back to his feet.
Bruce scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Bianchi or perhaps it was just good defense by Bruce, which made it look bad.
Bruce is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bianchi can do to turn this around?
Bruce throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bianchi tries to counter with a clinch but Bruce shakes him off and moves away.
Bianchi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bruce is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A left lands for Bruce.
Bruce fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bianchi manages to avoid it.
Bruce cracks Bianchi with a good jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bruce avoids the head kick by Bianchi.
Bruce misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bruce is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Bianchi moves into the clinch.

Bruce jumps guard and drags Bianchi to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Bruce has his foot on Bianchi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bianchi works his way back into a safe position though.

Bruce isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Bianchi stacks Bruce on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Bianchi!
Bianchi wants to control but Bruce is keeping him busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bianchi controlling the position.
Roberto Bianchi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Santo Bruce is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bruce tries to bench press Bianchi off him but Bianchi keeps the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Santo Bruce showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bruce, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Santo Bruce!