PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Givonia Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renan Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Santiago
vs
Alves

182 cm
25
185 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
23
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 3 - 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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Renan Alves!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Edson Gomes and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alves tries to clinch but Santiago moves away
and Santiago counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Alves enables Santiago to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Alves manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Santiago lands a couple of elbows.

Santiago stands and steps away. Alves gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Alves moves in looking to clinch but Santiago pushes him off.
Renan Alves seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Alves stuffs the takedown.
Santiago shoots in looking for a takedown but Alves manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Santiago's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Alves shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Alves tries to keep at a distance but Santiago has taken the fight into the clinch.
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 breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Santiago tries to sprawl but Alves drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Santiago pushes Alves off and gets back to his feet.
Santiago fails in his attempt to clinch.
Santiago leaves Alves with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alves rushes Santiago and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Santiago avoiding damage as Alves throws knees to the body.

Santiago pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alves has his takedown stuffed

and Santiago counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Givonia Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renan Alves.
Santiago wants to stand but Alves has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Santiago with a flurry of punches that miss.
Santiago 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.
Santiago stopping the sweep attempt from Alves.

Alves is looking for a triangle but Santiago pushes his legs off easily.
Alves looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Santiago wants to pass the guard but Alves is keeping the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Alves is working an open guard so Santiago takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Santiago will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Alves gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Alves trying to control the position.
Santiago is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Santiago stands up and waves to Alves to follow him.

Santiago looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Alves trying to control from the bottom.

Alves kicks off Santiago and gets to his feet.

Santiago scores a takedown into full mount!
Alves takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Santiago scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Santiago looking to finish Alves with some ground and pound. This is bad for Alves!
Alves takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Santiago raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago with shots to the head and body - Alves looks very uncomfortable down there.
Santiago working the ground and pound effectively.
Santiago cracks Alves with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Alves takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Alves working to try and regain half guard.
Alves wants to hold on but Santiago pushes him away.
Santiago scoring with strikes but Alves is staying in there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Santiago goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Alves is on top in guard.
Alves throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Givonia Santiago dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Santiago fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Alves has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Alves shoots in for a double leg but Santiago sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Alves throws a nice looking combination but Santiago bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Givonia Santiago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Santiago is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Alves's half guard.
Santiago thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Santiago lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Santiago takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Alves is trying to get back to full guard.
Alves is trying to maintain the position but Santiago is very close to passing his half guard.
Alves is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Santiago seems to be looking for submissions.
Alves throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Santiago missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Alves actively working from the bottom here.
Santiago winds up and cracks Alves with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Alves is defending against the submission attempts here by Santiago.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Alves is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Santiago pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago working the head and body with strikes.
Santiago scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Santiago lands with a punch from half guard.

Alves looking for submissions off his back.
Santiago seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Alves pushes Santiago off but Santiago dives into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Santiago working the ground and pound from side control.

Santiago is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Alves has escaped the position, nice work there.
Santiago lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santiago decides to stand back up. Santiago steps back and let's Alves get back to his feet.

Alves shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Alves was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Alves can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Santiago is looking to escape.
Santiago 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.
Alves is just content to waste time from the top position. Santiago takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Santiago wants to sweep here but Alves controlling him for the moment.
Alves stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Santiago swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santiago looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Santiago is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Santiago manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Alves manages to get himself to full guard.

Alves escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Santiago gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Santiago 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Givonia Santiago dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Alves misses with a body shot
and Santiago counters with an inside leg kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Alves.
Alves fails with the takedown.
Santiago avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A nice inside leg kick there by Santiago. That's going to slow Alves down.
Alves tries to close the distance and clinch up but Santiago swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Santiago gets a clinch.

Santiago breaks from the clinch.
Alves takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Alves shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Santiago as he avoids it easily.
Givonia Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renan Alves.
Alves on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Santiago decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Santiago looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago is nestled in close to Alves, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Santiago wants to work for an arm triangle but Alves is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Alves is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Santiago pulls his head out easily.
Santiago lands with a punch from half guard.
Alves is trying to control but Santiago passes into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Santiago working the ground and pound.

Santiago is trying to get an arm triangle but Alves is defending well.
Santiago is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Alves can do to turn this around?
Santiago in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Santiago is working Alves over with some ground and pound from side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alves takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Santiago working the body and head with strikes.
Santiago scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Alves to see if he's OK.
Santiago scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Alves to see if he's OK.
Alves tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Santiago wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves can't do much from the bottom here.
Santiago scores with a couple of short elbows.

Santiago thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Givonia Santiago overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Santiago is working Alves over with some ground and pound from side control.
Alves regains half guard.
Santiago scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Alves trying to control but Santiago postures up.
Santiago is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves is trying to control but can't.

Santiago decides to stand and escape the position.

Santiago closes the distance and pushes Alves back into the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Santiago lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Alves tries to get to full guard but Santiago has control of the leg.
Alves trying to control here.

Alves is defending against the submission attempts here by Santiago.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Alves trying to control but Santiago postures up.

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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27

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