PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Miguel Santos (ranked 24693 p4p, 24518 weight class) and Shinzo Yoshida (ranked 633 p4p, 607 weight class). Shinzo Yoshida is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Santos
vs
Yoshida

187 cm
26
193
1 - 5 - 0

186 cm
24
193
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Bondi MMA 🏝️

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 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Miguel Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinzo Yoshida!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Jorge Garcia and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yoshida tries to close the distance and clinch but Santos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Santos changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
An inside leg kick from Yoshida misses.
Yoshida has a takedown stuffed.
Santos misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Santos misses with a takedown

and Yoshida counters with a single leg into guard. Santos didn't expect that.
Yoshida pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Santos is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Yoshida seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Yoshida from controlling successfully.
Yoshida content to stall in guard here.
Yoshida works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Santos manages to get to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yoshida is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Santos wants to sweep here but Yoshida controlling him for the moment.
Yoshida trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos wants to sweep here but Yoshida controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos throws a head kick that misses.
Santos shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horrible takedown attempt by Santos or perhaps it was just good defense by Yoshida, which made it look bad.
Yoshida looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Yoshida is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Santos fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Yoshida avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries a head kick but it misses.
Yoshida throws a fast counter high kick but Santos manages to duck under it in time.
Santos digs a good hook to Yoshida's body.
Santos misses with a takedown attempt - Yoshida sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Yoshida is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Yoshida throws a head kick but Santos moves out of range.
Yoshida tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Santos swivels and escapes.
Yoshida is trying hard to land a takedown here. Santos sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Santos throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Yoshida tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Santos is in Yoshida's guard.
Yoshida looking to hit a scissor sweep but Santos is one step ahead there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Yoshida had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Santos defends it easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Shinzo Yoshida will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Santos shoots in looking for a takedown. Yoshida tries to sprawl out of it but Santos keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Yoshida manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
A low kick from Yoshida misses

and Santos counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Yoshida has one foot on Santos's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Santos throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Yoshida's waist but Yoshida gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Santos off to one side.
Santos closes the distance and clinches up with Yoshida, looking for a takedown. Santos pushes Yoshida against the cage but Yoshida circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Yoshida drives through and clinches with Santos against the cage.
Santos has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Yoshida is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Yoshida works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Santos is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Yoshida dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yoshida decides to stand back up.
Santos tries for a takedown but Yoshida sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Santos lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Yoshida circles away quickly and effectively.
Santos tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Yoshida defends well and Santos ends up having to push Yoshida into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santos is looking to take this one to the mat.

Yoshida works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Yoshida slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Yoshida controlling the position from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida cracks Santos with a big right hand but Santos just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Yoshida has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Yoshida staying calm.
Santos tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Santos can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida working the ground and pound.
Santos is looking to regain half guard here but Yoshida keeps moving and retains side control.
Santos is trying to escape the position but Yoshida is controlling the position.
Santos knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Yoshida on the ground.

Yoshida is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Santos has escaped the position, nice work there.
Santos takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos is looking for a sweep.
Santos takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Yoshida decides to stand back up.
Santos leaves Yoshida with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Santos or perhaps it was just good defense by Yoshida, which made it look bad.
Miguel Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Yoshida keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Shinzo Yoshida showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Santos fails with a takedown attempt.
Yoshida shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Santos throws a left and a right that both miss

so Yoshida counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Yoshida postures up.
Yoshida postures up and lands a big shot to Santos's brow.
Yoshida is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Yoshida postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Santos looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
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.
Yoshida works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Yoshida passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Santos!
Yoshida tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yoshida looking to isolate an arm here. Santos doesn't see it coming and as Yoshida extends the arm, he's forced to tap out! Nice submission by Yoshida!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Shinzo Yoshida!