PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Givonia Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Santiago
vs
Santos

182 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
183 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Givonia Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, David Santos!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Paulo Santos and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Santiago drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Santiago thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Santos being controlled for a moment.
Santos is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Santiago working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Santiago takes a little break here. Santos wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago landing strikes.

Santiago stands up.
Santos on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Santos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Santiago throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Santos.

Santos tries to keep at a distance but Santiago has taken the fight into the clinch.
Santiago is stalling here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos is trying to stall.

Santos breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
No luck for Santos with that takedown attempt.
David Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Santos looks gassed!
Santiago thows a body shot but no joy.

Santiago drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Santos taking a bit of punishment here - Santiago scoring with strikes.
Santos tries to buck Santiago off but Santiago is having none of it.
Santiago slows the pace down.
Santiago grinds an elbow into Santos's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santiago decides to stand up, so the ref orders Santos to his feet.
Santos shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Santiago counters with a left and a right that stings Santos.

Santiago moves into range and clinches up with Santos.

Santiago ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Santiago no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Santiago pulls Santos in close to his closed guard and prevents Santos from doing any damage or advancing position.
Santos wants to pass the guard but Santiago is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santos being controlled here momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos wants to stand but Santiago has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Santiago wants to stand up but Santos is controlling him.

Santos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
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!
Santiago keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Santiago throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Givonia Santiago dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Santiago scores a takedown into full mount!
Santos is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Santiago looking to control but Santos is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Santiago blocks Santos's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Santiago tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Santos is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Santos for as long as he can get away with.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Givonia Santiago wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Santos is looking to clinch.

Santos tries to sprawl but Santiago drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Santiago looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Givonia Santiago overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Santiago works his way into full mount!

Santiago stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Santiago pushes Santos up against the cage in a clinch.

Santiago turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Santos is looking to regain half guard here but Santiago keeps moving and retains side control.
Santos wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Santiago has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Santos swats away the attempt to clinch by Santiago.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Santos.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santiago is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Santos's half guard.
Santiago looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Santos with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Santos looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Santiago frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Santiago landing strikes from the mount and Santos is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago controlling from mount.
Santos working to try and regain half guard.
Santos wants to hold on but Santiago pushes him away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santiago can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Santos is looking to escape.
Santos wants to control but Santiago is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Givonia Santiago dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Santiago throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Santos was covering up waiting for the punch and Santiago finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Santiago sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Santiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos can't keep his opponent in guard - Santiago advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Still in half guard, Santiago seems content to control.
Santos takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Santiago trying to control from half guard but Santos is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos won't allow Santiago to pass to mount.
Santiago winds up and cracks Santos with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Santiago content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Santos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Santiago decides to stand and escape the position.
Santos shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Santiago as he avoids it easily.

Santiago gets a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Santiago has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Santos looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Santiago is taking a breather. Santos says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Givonia Santiago wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Santos walks forward, straight into a front kick from Santiago.

Santiago gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Santiago has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Santos uses from the top position.
Santiago utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Santiago is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Santos can do to turn this around?
Santiago is adopting a defensive guard.
Santiago is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Santiago decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santiago gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Santiago has Santos pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Santiago pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Santos tumbling to the mat - Santiago dives into Santos's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Santos looking for a sweep. Not yet Santos, not yet.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Santiago from controlling successfully.
Santiago trying to stand up but can't free himself from Santos's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santiago wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Givonia Santiago showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Santiago has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Givonia Santiago!