PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Benei Gillespie (ranked 4227 p4p, 4277 weight class) and Rafael Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gillespie
vs
Dos Santos

160 cm
23
170
2 - 0 - 0

160 cm
22
170
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Hates pizza

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Benei Gillespie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rafael Dos Santos!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Chris Downing and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dos Santos decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Dos Santos wants to stand but Gillespie has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Gillespie keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gillespie tries to roll over but Dos Santos keeps him under control.
Gillespie could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Gillespie is working hard here to advance position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gillespie trying to control here.
Gillespie slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos won't allow Gillespie to sweep him here.
Dos Santos is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Gillespie pulls Dos Santos in close to prevent any damage.
Dos Santos tries to free his leg and advance position but Gillespie is retaining full guard.
Gillespie keeping moving, preventing Dos Santos from controlling successfully.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Dos Santos misses with a body kick.
Dos Santos pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Gillespie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Dos Santos is being controlled here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos struggling a bit here.
Gillespie is looking to take a break and control but Dos Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
A control attempt from Dos Santos but he's now mounted!
Gillespie controlling from the full mount.
Gillespie raining down shots from the mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos tries to hold on but Gillespie postures up.
Dos Santos is looking to improve his position but Gillespie isn't that keen on the idea.
Gillespie connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Gillespie tries to control but Dos Santos wriggling away.
Gillespie has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Dos Santos's face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gillespie looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Gillespie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Dos Santos is looking to escape.
Gillespie throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Dos Santos tries to reverse the position but Gillespie maintains control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dos Santos tries to hold on but Gillespie pushes him away.
Dos Santos sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Benei Gillespie dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Gillespie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Dos Santos.
Gillespie tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Dos Santos manages to circle out of the way.
Gillespie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Dos Santos sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Nice takedown defense from Dos Santos. No joy for Gillespie on that attempt.

Dos Santos drives through and clinches with Gillespie against the cage.
Gillespie can't find room to land a body shot as Dos Santos controls the action.
Dos Santos goes for a takedown attempt but Gillespie pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Gillespie lands with a straight right. Dos Santos didn't see that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dos Santos closes the distance and clinches.

Gillespie tightens his grip and picks Dos Santos up, before dumping him to the ground. Dos Santos manages to land in guard.

Dos Santos has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Gillespie is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Dos Santos.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos misses with a strike from the bottom.
Dos Santos taking punishment in the form of punches.
Gillespie landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Gillespie controlling the position from side mount.
Who's going to make the next move?
Dos Santos is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Gillespie off and has taken his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gillespie manages to reverse the position and now he's in Dos Santos's guard. Nice work there by Gillespie.
Gillespie throws a big elbow that misses.
Gillespie would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Dos Santos has Gillespie pulled in close to control his posture.
Dos Santos wants to stand and escape but Gillespie is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gillespie wants to control from the top but Dos Santos keeps moving.
Benei Gillespie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gillespie is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dos Santos can do to turn this around?
Dos Santos has a closed guard, preventing Gillespie from standing up.
Dos Santos trying to keep a closed guard but Gillespie is proving a slippery customer.
Gillespie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dos Santos is keeping the position for now.

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.
Gillespie trying to control but Dos Santos is working from the bottom.
Gillespie looking to pass the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dos Santos throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dos Santos looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dos Santos shoots in for a double leg but Gillespie sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gillespie swats away the attempt to clinch by Dos Santos.
Dos Santos is looking to clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Benei Gillespie dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Dos Santos changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gillespie looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
You can see the frustration on Gillespie's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gillespie striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Gillespie is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Dos Santos is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Gillespie is looking to get to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dos Santos wants to take Gillespie's back but he can't do it this time.
Feeble punches landing from Gillespie - he's mounted - they can't hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos wants to control the pace but Gillespie is squirming around nicely.
Dos Santos in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gillespie is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Gillespie tries to lock up and control but Dos Santos gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Dos Santos tries to control but Gillespie wriggling away.
Dos Santos landing punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gillespie is looking to escape.
Dos Santos punishing his opponent with strikes.
Dos Santos landing shots from mount.
Dos Santos blocks Gillespie's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
The referee warns Gillespie that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Dos Santos controlling from the full mount.
Gillespie tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos tries to push Gillespie's head away but Gillespie is holding on tight.
Dos Santos prevents Gillespie from getting the reversal.
Dos Santos unloading with bombs!
Gillespie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Gillespie looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gillespie accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gillespie stops Dos Santos from standing up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dos Santos working a defensive guard here.
Dos Santos tries to land a sweep but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafael Dos Santos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gillespie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 for Benei Gillespie!
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight for Rafael Dos Santos!
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight for Benei Gillespie!

Benei Gillespie wins by split decision!