PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dranos Sandus (ranked 4952 p4p, 25073 weight class) and Santiago Munez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sandus
vs
Munez

197 cm
18
205
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
21
220
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dranos Sandus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Santiago Munez!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Jonathan Paton and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sandus ducks under a wild hook from Munez.

Munez drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Munez sitting in guard here, content to control.
Munez scoring with punches to the head and body.

Sandus looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Sandus working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Munez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Munez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Munez slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Sandus is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Munez content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Munez landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Munez moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Sandus wants to control but Munez postures up.
Munez in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Sandus struggling a bit here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sandus sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sandus looking for submissions off his back.
Sandus regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sandus trying to keep a closed guard but Munez is proving a slippery customer.
Munez trying to control but Sandus is working from the bottom.
Sandus pulls Munez in to control the position.

Sandus looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Munez lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Munez throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sandus is pulling down on Munez's head. It's preventing any offense from Munez, at least for the moment.
Munez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Munez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Munez trying to control but Sandus is working from the bottom.
Munez looking to pass the guard.
Munez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Sandus lands a nice looking body shot.
A punch combination from Munez misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Munez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sandus misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Munez.
Santiago Munez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Munez shoots in but no luck this time.

Sandus darts in and clinches Munez up against the cage.
Sandus doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Munez goes for a takedown attempt but Sandus pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Munez gets the takedown into side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sandus is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Munez throws a series of punches but Sandus avoids them all with ease.

Sandus clinches with his opponent.
Sandus misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sandus working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Munez tries to break the clinch but Sandus is controlling the position.

Sandus is fighting off a takedown attempt but Munez is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Sandus to the mat. Sandus regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Munez forces his way into half guard.
Sandus is holding on to half guard well.

Sandus is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Munez pulls his head out easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Munez is keen to just control but Sandus is a slippery customer.
Sandus wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Munez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Sandus doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Munez.
Sandus trying to control but Munez postures up.
Munez prevents Sandus from improving his position.
Munez stalling.
Munez throwing shots but Sandus is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Munez prevents Sandus from improving his position.
Munez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Sandus looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Munez prevents Sandus from improving his position.
Munez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sandus defending well though.
Sandus wants to improve his position but Munez is controlling well.
Munez working Sandus over with strikes.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Munez in particular looking to stall.

Sandus is defending against the submission attempts here by Munez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Munez is thwarting Sandus's attempts to control the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Munez swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Sandus connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Santiago Munez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Munez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sandus moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Munez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sandus sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Munez throws a head kick that misses.

Munez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Munez is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sandus actively working from the bottom here.
Sandus wants to get back to full guard.
Sandus is trying to stand up here but Munez is controlling him well.
Munez is taking a breather. Sandus 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.
Sandus is trying to control but can't.

Munez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sandus defends it well.
Sandus is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santiago Munez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sandus digs a good hook to Munez's body.

Munez gets the takedown into side control.
Munez is looking to take a break and control but Sandus is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sandus is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Munez has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Sandus struggling a bit here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Munez lands a few punches from side control.
Sandus regains half guard there - taking advantage of Munez's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Munez is looking to take a break and control but Sandus is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Munez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Sandus doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Munez.

Sandus looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sandus is trying to control but can't.
Dranos Sandus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sandus is not content to let Munez control the position.
Sandus trying to hold on to Munez's head to control him but Munez postures up.

Munez is working for a kimura but Sandus is defending it quite comfortably.
Sandus is looking for a sweep. Munez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Munez trying to control the pace.
We've been informed that Munez has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Sandus trying to control here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sandus displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Munez throws out the jab.
Sandus is looking to counter punch.
Munez lands with a nice combination. Sandus backs away looking to recover.
Munez moves forwards but Sandus connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Sandus tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Munez was well out of range. Poor timing from Sandus.
Sandus swings for the body but Munez moves out of range.
Sandus moves out of range of the body kick from Munez.
Sandus doesn't manage to clinch there - Munez circles away.

Munez gets the takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sandus is trying to control Munez's posture but Munez avoids it.
Sandus is looking to regain half guard here but Munez keeps moving and retains side control.
Munez looks up at the clock and then as Sandus takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Munez smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Munez working away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sandus is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Sandus is looking to reverse the position.
Munez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sandus keeps working.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sandus throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Munez trying to control the position but Sandus is working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Santiago Munez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Munez 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Santiago Munez!
Santiago Munez thanked the fans post fight for their support.