PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Miguel Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cain Vitali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vitali comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Cain's entrance theme kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Miguel Santos has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Santos
vs
Vitali

193 cm
22
191 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
23
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

MADE IN GERMANY

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Miguel Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cain Vitali!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Daniel Cesar and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos misses the jab.
Vitali swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Santos misses with a hook.
Santos takes a swing at Vitali's ribcage but misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Santos.
Santos misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Vitali.

Santos scores with a takedown into Vitali's guard.
Vitali is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Santos is controlling him.
Santos in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Vitali is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Vitali thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Santos tries to free his leg and advance position but Vitali is retaining full guard.
Santos won't allow Vitali to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos wants to pass the guard but Vitali is keeping the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Vitali uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Santos.
Santos swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Santos sizes up Vitali with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Santos shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Vitali but Vitali pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Santos scores with a jab to the body.
Santos swings for the body but Vitali moves out of range.
Santos scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Santos lands a jab.
Santos swats away the attempt to clinch by Vitali.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos lands with a right hand.
Santos digs a good hook to Vitali's body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vitali displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Santos throws out the jab.
Santos shoots in for a double leg but Vitali sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vitali fails in his attempt to clinch.
Santos misses with a two punch combination.
Santos scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Santos throws a right hand that Vitali ducks under and follows up with a left that Vitali also avoids with ease.
Santos bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos throws a body punch but Vitali moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Santos. Vitali does a little dance to reset his feet.
Santos shoots for a double leg takedown but Vitali sprawls well. He's pushed Santos's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Santos fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Santos throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Vitali on the side of the head.
Vitali wants to clinch up but Santos keeps it at a distance.
Santos misses with a series of wild punches.
Santos throws a jab but it's blocked by Vitali.
Santos shoots in for a takedown but Vitali shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Vitali takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Santos misses with the combination.
Santos misses with a hook.
A big left from Santos misses.
Santos is trying hard to land a takedown here. Vitali sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Vitali tries to bum rush Santos with a series of wild strikes but Santos uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Santos!

It looks like Cain Vitali has been cut.
Santos scores with the left hand. Vitali knows he should have avoided that one.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A punch combination from Santos misses.
Santos misses with a takedown attempt - Vitali sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Santos dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Cain Vitali's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Santos throws a left and a right that both miss

and Vitali holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Vitali looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Santos lands a right hand that snaps the head of Vitali backwards.
Vitali lands a nice uppercut.
Santos leaning his opponent against the cage.
Santos has Vitali pressed against the cage, preventing Vitali from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Vitali wants to get back to striking at distance but Santos won't allow it.

Santos ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Santos no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Vitali would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Vitali wants to stand and escape but instead Santos has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Santos slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Vitali is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Vitali 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 the position but Vitali is working away.
Vitali is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Santos is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos lands a nice forearm strike.
Santos working the head and body with strikes.
Santos working the ground and pound from side control.
Santos takes a little break here. Vitali wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Santos scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Vitali to see if he's OK.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vitali can do anything to dispel that myth.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Santos takes a little break here. Vitali wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Vitali wants to get back to his feet but Santos drags him back down.
Vitali is breathing heavily.
Santos is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Vitali will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Vitali takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Vitali is trying to get back to his feet.
Santos working the head with strikes.
Vitali is looking for a sweep.
Santos has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Santos content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vitali taking punishment in the form of punches.
Vitali gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Santos lands a nice shot to the head.
Santos lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The referee warns Vitali that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Santos cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Vitali is trying to stand.
Santos dominating with strikes here.
Santos with good strikes from the mount here!

Santos is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Vitali can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Santos looking to control but Vitali is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Santos tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vitali taking shots to the head.
Vitali taking shots to the head.
Santos looking to finish Vitali with some ground and pound. This is bad for Vitali!
Santos with the ground and pound from mount.
Vitali throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
The referee warns Vitali that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Santos with the ground and pound from mount.
Santos is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Vitali can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
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.
Santos lands a big shot there that rocks Vitali but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Santos has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Vitali's face.
Vitali is squirming around, avoiding Santos's attempts to control the action.
Santos scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Vitali?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Santos.
Santos trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Santos controlling from mount.
Santos is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vitali can do to turn this around?
Santos lands a big elbow.
Santos controlling his opponent.
Santos dominating with strikes here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Santos landing punches.
Santos landing strikes from the mount and Vitali is in trouble!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vitali is trying to escape the mount.
Santos can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Vitali is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Santos dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Cain Vitali's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Vitali swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Santos counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Vitali's guard now.
Santos chips away with some ground and pound.
Santos is in close to Vitali's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Santos trying to control but Vitali is working from the bottom.
Santos pushing down on Vitali's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Vitali throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Santos working Vitali over with strikes.
Santos is keen to just control but Vitali is a slippery customer.

Santos is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Vitali keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Vitali pushes Santos off looking to stand but Santos dives back in and keeps control.
Santos takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Santos trying to control from half guard but Vitali is working away.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nice sprawl there from Vitali as Santos shoots in.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vitali misses with a double jab
and Santos counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santos tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Vitali swivels and escapes.
Santos throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Vitali throws a right and a left that both miss.

Santos scores with a takedown into Vitali's guard.
Vitali is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Santos content to stall in guard here.
Santos trying to control but Vitali is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vitali wants to get back to his feet but Santos is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Santos working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Vitali's head.
Miguel Santos overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Santos's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Santos trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Santos stopping the sweep attempt from Vitali.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Santos misses the body punch
and Vitali counters with a left and a right that stings Santos.
Santos shoots and misses
and Vitali counters with a series of strikes. Santos will be more careful next time no doubt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos has his takedown stuffed
and Vitali counters with a two punch combo.
Santos dodges the punch combination from Vitali.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Vitali stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Vitali moves away from the strike by Santos.
Santos scores with a punch to the head.
Santos swings away with a body shot that misses
and Vitali counters with a series of strikes. Santos will be more careful next time no doubt.
Vitali tries to clinch there but Santos circles away.
Santos misses with a takedown
and Vitali counters with a two punch combo.
Miguel Santos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Santos throws a combination that misses
and Vitali counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Santos looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Vitali!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Santos with a couple of short strikes.
Santos tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Cain Vitali has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Santos wants to control the pace but Vitali is squirming around nicely.
Vitali swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Santos controlling his opponent.
Santos trying to control but Vitali is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Miguel Santos showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Santos, 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Miguel Santos!
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight for Miguel Santos!
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight for Miguel Santos!

Miguel Santos wins by unanimous decision!