PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy John (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gancho Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

John
vs
Santos

185 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

184 cm
25
191 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jimmy John!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gancho Santos!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Ren Mimura and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
John tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Santos tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Santos looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

A momentary lapse in concentration from John enables Santos to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. John manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santos thows a big elbow that misses.
Santos tries to stand but John is controlling from the bottom.

Santos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Santos sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
John is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Santos sitting in guard here, content to control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Santos throwing strikes from guard but John blocks nicely.
Santos engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Gancho Santos has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
John is trying hard to land a takedown here. Santos sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Santos keeps the fight on the outside.
Santos misses with a body shot.
Santos misses with a body shot.
John circles away from the clinch attempt

and John counters by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santos has hold of one of John's legs. John is fighting the takedown attempt but Santos gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Santos is stalling in the full guard.
I looks like Santos might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Santos won't allow John to get back to his feet.
John not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
John working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Santos.
Santos has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
John is trying to keep Santos in close.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jimmy John wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Santos shoots for a takedown but John saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Santos avoids the head kick by John.

Santos closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
John is breathing heavily.

Santos stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Santos circles away from the clinch attempt

and Santos counters with a nice double leg into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gancho Santos dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Santos scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Santos working the head with strikes.
John seems a little lost for a moment, as Santos dominates the positioning.

Santos has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

John gets caught flat footed, as Santos shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Santos slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Santos is trying to get an arm triangle but John is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John is trying to control Santos's posture but Santos avoids it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santos controlling the position from side mount.

Santos decides to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Santos tries to land a front kick but John steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Santos swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Santos fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from John as Santos shoots in.
Gancho Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
John throws a head kick that misses.
Santos doesn't manage to clinch there - John circles away.
John clinches but Santos breaks the clinch
and Santos counters with a head kick. That will keep John thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos dives in and grabs John's left leg, looking for a takedown. John pushes down on Santos's head and hops out.
Jimmy John has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gancho Santos.
Santos throws a head kick that misses.
Santos changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. John tries to avoid it but Santos manages to keep hold of a leg and drag John to the ground. John escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Santos tries to clinch but John is having none of it.
John tries to close the distance and clinch but Santos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Santos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
John tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Santos counters by clinching up.
Santos blocks an elbow strike from John.
Santos can't get the takedown.
Santos is looking to control John's arms but John gets an underhook and turns him. Now Santos has his back to the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
John misses with a punch to the body.
John trying to land knees to the body.
John creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Santos's defenses.
John throws a knee to the head but misses.
Santos blocks an elbow strike.
John lands an uppercut.
John throws an elbow that misses.
Santos is trying to break the clinch but John is controlling him.
Santos looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
John comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
John pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, John just misses with a elbow thrown towards Santos's brow.
John content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Santos jumps guard and drags John to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Santos is trying to keep John in close.
John trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
John won't allow Santos to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gancho Santos 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 looks to clinch

and John counters by clinching up.
Santos tries for a takedown. No joy.

John breaks the clinch.

Santos shoots in and gets a takedown into John's guard.
Gancho Santos has got the better of the ground game so far.
John 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.
Santos engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
John wants to stand but Santos is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John is trying to control the position but Santos postures up.
Santos showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Santos gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Santos fails to pull guard.
Santos wants to break the clinch but can't.

Santos has hold of one of John's legs. John is fighting the takedown attempt but Santos gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Santos stands up and waves to John to follow him.
Santos shoots in for a takedown but John shows good takedown defense.
Jimmy John has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gancho Santos.

Santos shoots in and bounces John off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Santos drops back looking for a leg! John is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and John manages to kick Santos off! Santos jumps back into John's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
John controls Santos momentarily but Santos frees himself.
Santos trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Santos is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Santos looking to pass the guard.
Santos is pushing down on John's leg trying to pass to half guard. John is fighting to maintain full guard but Santos has managed to sneak the leg through.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gancho Santos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Santos winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gancho Santos!