PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sean Ripgut (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santos is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Hate Me Now. This should be a great matchup!

Ripgut
vs
Santos

190 cm
36
225 lbs
24 - 7 - 1

190 cm
26
205 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Sean Ripgut!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Santos!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Andrew Berry and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ripgut throws a half hearted mid kick.

Ripgut instigates a clinch.
Ripgut is looking to break free of the clinch but Santos has double underhooks.
Santos misses with a knee to the head.

Ripgut has Santos pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Ripgut pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Santos tumbling to the mat - Ripgut dives into Santos's guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Ripgut wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.
Santos wants to stand and escape but Ripgut is having none of it.
Ripgut distracts Santos with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ripgut prevents Santos from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ripgut trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.

Santos manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Ripgut works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ripgut is looking to work some ground and pound but Santos has wrist control.
Ripgut wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.

Ripgut decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Santos, up you get!
Ripgut swats away the attempt to clinch by Santos.
Santos tries to clinch up.
Santos tries to clinch up but Ripgut circles away and keeps his distance.
Santos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ripgut avoids the head kick by Santos.
Santos misses with a wild combination.
Santos moves away from the strike by Ripgut.
Ripgut shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Santos sprawls well. Santos wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ripgut gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ripgut throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Santos keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ripgut.
A head kick misses from Santos.

Ripgut drives through and clinches with Santos against the cage.
Santos misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ripgut.
Santos tries to land a knee to the head but Ripgut blocks with his arms.
Santos lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Sean Ripgut has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ripgut has Santos pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Santos manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Ripgut on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Ripgut breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ripgut doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Santos counters with a thumping low kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sean Ripgut. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos wants to clinch but Ripgut slips to the side

and Ripgut counters with a takedown into side control.
Santos is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Ripgut asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ripgut decides to stand back up.
Matt Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Santos shoots in for a takedown but Ripgut shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ripgut fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Santos leaves Ripgut with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ripgut throws a sloppy head kick and Santos moves out of range easily.
Santos looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Santos does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Santos dives in for a single leg takedown but Ripgut sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Ripgut is looking to take this one to the mat.
Ripgut has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Santos is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ripgut blocks it with crossed arms.
Ripgut drops down looking for an ankle pick but Santos pulls his leg out and moves away.

Santos closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
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!

Santos decides to stand back up. Santos steps back and let's Ripgut get back to his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ripgut.
Ripgut fails to land the takedown.
Ripgut is breathing heavily.
Ripgut shoots in but Santos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ripgut displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Santos takes the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Ripgut dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sean Ripgut's cut.
That's time! Ripgut's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Santos throws a quick inside leg kick.

Ripgut gets tackled into the cage by Santos. Santos maintains the clinch.
Santos gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ripgut.

Ripgut turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Ripgut manages to end up in side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Santos is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Ripgut asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Santos sneaks out the side door and pushes Ripgut away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Ripgut looks to throw the jab but Santos is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ripgut circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ripgut avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ripgut shoots in for a takedown but Santos shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Santos lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Matt Santos seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Santos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ripgut feints a jab promting Santos to slip. Ripgut then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Santos slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

It looks like Matt Santos has been cut.

Santos has closed the distance and engaged Ripgut in a clinch.
Ripgut goes for a takedown attempt but Santos pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sean Ripgut. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ripgut misses with a leg kick.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos is staying active underneath Ripgut, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
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!
Ripgut tries to pass the half guard into mount. Santos knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ripgut prevents Santos from standing back up.

Santos kicks Ripgut off and gets back to his feet.
Santos tries to clinch there but Ripgut circles away.
Santos lands a leg kick that knocks Ripgut off balance momentarily.
Santos tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ripgut manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Santos scores with a push kick.
Ripgut misses with a head kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Santos closes the distance and pushes Ripgut back into the cage.
Santos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ripgut has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Santos looking to throw knees to the head but Ripgut is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Santos misses with a knee to the head.
Santos throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ripgut tries to pull guard but Santos holds him up against the cage and eventually Ripgut drops back down to his feet.
Ripgut looking for a takedown.
Santos avoids the elbow strike from Ripgut, against the cage.
Ripgut lands a right hand.
Santos misses with a knee to the head.
Santos swings wildly with an uppercut but Ripgut uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ripgut wants to take the fight to the mat but Santos manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Santos lands an elbow just above Ripgut 's eye.
Santos misses with a knee to the head.
Santos gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ripgut.
Knees in the clinch landing for Santos.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries to land a knee to the head but Ripgut blocks with his arms.
Santos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ripgut has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ripgut avoiding damage as Santos throws knees to the body.
Santos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ripgut has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ripgut working Santos over with knees to the body.
Santos gets underhooks to prevent Ripgut's takedown attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Ripgut manages to break the clinch.
Ripgut avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Ripgut keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Ripgut shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Santos sprawls well. Santos wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ripgut gets slowly back to his feet.

Santos rushes Ripgut and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Santos prevents the takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Santos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Ripgut tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Santos defends well and Ripgut ends up having to push Santos into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Santos prevents a takedown attempt there.
Santos tries to land a knee to the head but Ripgut blocks with his arms.
Santos gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ripgut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sean Ripgut. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Ripgut tries to land knees in the clinch but Santos avoids the damage to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Santos.
Santos tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Santos misses with a knee strike.
Ripgut takes an elbow to the forehead.
Ripgut drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Santos gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Santos misses with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santos tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos lands a knee to the head.

Ripgut escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ripgut wants to clinch up but Santos keeps it at a distance.
Ripgut has his takedown stuffed
and Santos cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Santos misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ripgut.
Ripgut fails with the takedown.
Horrible takedown by Santos or perhaps it was just good defense by Ripgut which made him look bad.
Santos moves into range and connects with a jab.
Ripgut throws a series of punches but Santos moves out of range.

Ripgut gets tackled into the cage by Santos. Santos maintains the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ripgut dodges an elbow strike from Santos.
Ripgut goes for a takedown in the clinch but Santos prevents it.
Santos with a knee to the head.
Ripgut is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ripgut avoiding damage as Santos throws knees to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Santos just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ripgut's brow.
Santos with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ripgut drops down looking for an ankle pick but Santos pulls his leg out and moves away.
Ripgut on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Santos throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Ripgut's head.
Santos tries to clinch up but Ripgut circles away and keeps his distance.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Santos.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Santos.

Ripgut is rocked!
Ripgut keeps the fight on the outside.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Santos.

Santos stands up.
Santos is looking to clinch but Ripgut is avoiding it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Santos.
Ripgut needs to keep his hands up - Santos had a free shot at his head there.
Santos shoots in but Ripgut avoids the takedown attempt easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ripgut checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos doesn't manage to clinch there - Ripgut circles away.
Ripgut lands a nice looking kick to the body. Santos takes a step back to recover.
Santos throws a head kick that misses.
Ripgut stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Santos.
Ripgut fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Santos tries to clinch but Ripgut moves out of range.
Ripgut tries to clinch up but Santos circles away and keeps his distance.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ripgut looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Santos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Santos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Santos has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Santos!
Post fight, an emotional Matt Santos said 'I fought a great opponent tonight. I have nothing but respect for him. I have a feeling our paths will cross again in the future.'.