PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joao De Santo Cristo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miguel Escrima (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). De Santo Cristo comes into the arena with Que país é esse? blaring out of the sound system. Escrima has chosen Bamboleo as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

De Santo Cristo
vs
Escrima

174 cm
26
165 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

177 cm
26
165 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Bullet Proof System
Sun-Tzu

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joao De Santo Cristo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Miguel Escrima!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Robert Douchet and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from De Santo Cristo misses.
Escrima avoids a kick to the body.
De Santo Cristo connects with a single shot there.
Escrima connects with the punch.
De Santo Cristo tries to clinch there but Escrima circles away.
Escrima paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
De Santo Cristo fails with a takedown attempt.
De Santo Cristo misses with a hook
and Escrima counters with a stiff right hand.
De Santo Cristo tries to clinch up.
De Santo Cristo on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

De Santo Cristo looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
De Santo Cristo trying to control but Escrima is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escrima is pulling down on De Santo Cristo's head. It's preventing any offense from De Santo Cristo, at least for the moment.
De Santo Cristo connects with a couple of short punches.
Escrima has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Escrima working a defensive guard here.
Escrima has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
De Santo Cristo works a leg free and moves into 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.
De Santo Cristo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
De Santo Cristo prevents Escrima from improving his position.
De Santo Cristo stalling away here and it's allowed Escrima to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Escrima looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Escrima looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
De Santo Cristo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Escrima had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. De Santo Cristo defends it easily.
De Santo Cristo looking to sit in guard and control but Escrima gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

De Santo Cristo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
De Santo Cristo controlling Escrima's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
De Santo Cristo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
De Santo Cristo keeping moving, preventing Escrima from controlling successfully.
Escrima trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
De Santo Cristo is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Escrima gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
De Santo Cristo scores with an uppercut up the middle.
De Santo Cristo blocks a body shot from Escrima.
De Santo Cristo tries to score a body lock takedown but Escrima shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Miguel Escrima will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Escrima fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Escrima lands with a straight right. De Santo Cristo didn't see that one coming.
De Santo Cristo misses with a leg kick.
Escrima lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A big left from De Santo Cristo misses.
Joao De Santo Cristo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Escrima lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
De Santo Cristo looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Miguel Escrima seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Escrima closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
A short uppercut from De Santo Cristo.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Escrima doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

De Santo Cristo jumps guard.
De Santo Cristo controlling the position.
De Santo Cristo keeping full guard, as Escrima tries to pass.
Escrima slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escrima pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. De Santo Cristo is keeping the position for now.
De Santo Cristo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
De Santo Cristo has Escrima pulled in close to control his posture.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
De Santo Cristo's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
De Santo Cristo getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Escrima staying out of range there.
Escrima replies with a solid counter kick to the body but De Santo Cristo blocks it well.

De Santo Cristo 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.

De Santo Cristo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
De Santo Cristo wants to control from the top but Escrima keeps moving.
De Santo Cristo wants to pass the guard but Escrima is keeping the position.
Escrima wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
De Santo Cristo looking to pass the guard.
De Santo Cristo sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Santo Cristo trying to control the position from guard on top but Escrima is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
De Santo Cristo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
De Santo Cristo wants to control from the top but Escrima keeps moving.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
De Santo Cristo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Escrima was well out of range. Poor timing from De Santo Cristo.
Escrima attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Escrima throws a good cross that connects.
Escrima swings and misses with a hook to the body.
De Santo Cristo doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
De Santo Cristo feints and then cracks Escrima's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Escrima down.
De Santo Cristo throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Escrima on the side of the head.
Miguel Escrima is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
De Santo Cristo blocks a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking body kick lands there for De Santo Cristo.
De Santo Cristo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Escrima was well out of range. Poor timing from De Santo Cristo.
De Santo Cristo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Escrima swats him away and circles back towards the center.
De Santo Cristo throws a series of punches but Escrima avoids them all with ease.
De Santo Cristo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Escrima circles away quickly and effectively.
De Santo Cristo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
De Santo Cristo has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from De Santo Cristo there as he acknowledges the shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
De Santo Cristo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
De Santo Cristo moves out of range of the leg kick from Escrima.
De Santo Cristo throws a low kick but Escrima avoids it.
A cross from Escrima lands.
De Santo Cristo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Escrima misses with a hook.
De Santo Cristo feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Escrima keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
De Santo Cristo throws a body punch but Escrima moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Joao De Santo Cristo will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A swing and a miss from De Santo Cristo.
De Santo Cristo misses with a few strikes there.
De Santo Cristo misses with an uppercut
and Escrima counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
De Santo Cristo moves out of range of the body kick from Escrima.
De Santo Cristo attempts a counter takedown but Escrima avoids it well and moves away.
De Santo Cristo thuds his right hand into Escrima's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Good leg kick by Escrima there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
De Santo Cristo has a takedown stuffed.
De Santo Cristo checks the leg kick nicely there.
De Santo Cristo tries to counter with a takedown but Escrima is quick to defend against it.
Escrima throws out a leg kick but De Santo Cristo moves out of range and Escrima only half commits.
De Santo Cristo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Escrima swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Escrima throws a counter combo.
Escrima misses with a straight left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice shot lands for Escrima.
De Santo Cristo tries to clinch up but Escrima circles away and keeps his distance.
Escrima misses with a double jab.
Escrima takes one to the chin there.
Escrima misses with a wild body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Escrima closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Santo Cristo blocks a body shot from Escrima.
A head punch on the inside from Escrima fails to land.
Escrima prevents the takedown attempt.
Escrima lands with a right to the head.
Escrima makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

De Santo Cristo jumps into guard, dragging Escrima to the mat.

Escrima avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Escrima trying to move into half guard but instead De Santo Cristo has managed to sweep!

Escrima keeping full guard, as De Santo Cristo tries to pass.
Escrima is trying to keep De Santo Cristo in close.
De Santo Cristo looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

De Santo Cristo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Escrima avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Escrima looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Escrima wants to hit a switch here but De Santo Cristo passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Escrima there!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Escrima regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escrima has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. De Santo Cristo is working away from the top position though.
Escrima might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control De Santo Cristo haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Escrima controlling the position well.
De Santo Cristo is trying to control. Escrima wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Escrima tries to roll over but De Santo Cristo keeps him under control.
Joao De Santo Cristo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
De Santo Cristo is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

De Santo Cristo looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Escrima actively working from the bottom here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
De Santo Cristo is keen to just control but Escrima is a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Miguel Escrima.
I think Escrima has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Miguel Escrima!
Miguel Escrima thanked the fans post fight for their support.