PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between McGregor Lee (ranked 4301 p4p, 5136 weight class) and Nicky Santoro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Lee
vs
Santoro

187 cm
25
165
2 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
160
1 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Fast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, McGregor Lee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nicky Santoro!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Trevor Gratis and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Lee does no damage.
Santoro with the counter takedown but Lee avoids it easily.
Lee pushes Santoro away with a front kick.
Lee swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Santoro changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Lee misses with an uppercut.
Lee throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Santoro drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Lee defends it well.
Lee misses the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santoro uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lee.
Santoro tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Santoro takes a shot to the head.
Lee jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Santoro walks away with a smile on his face. Lee gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Lee misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lee tries to land a front kick but Santoro steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Lee misses with a kick to the body.
And Santoro tries to counter it with a takedown but Lee pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Lee throws a half hearted mid kick.
Lee tries to clinch but Santoro moves out of range.
Santoro with the counter takedown but Lee avoids it easily.
Lee definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
McGregor Lee is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lee tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Santoro tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Santoro manages to avoid it.
Santoro moves out of range of the body kick from Lee.
Good standup being displayed there by Lee as he connects with a hook.
Lee swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Santoro is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Lee moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lee looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee stuns Santoro with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Lee throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Santoro feints the counter takedown.
Lee throws a leg kick but Santoro sees it coming and moves out of range.
Santoro feints the counter takedown.
Santoro avoids the head kick by Lee.
And Santoro tries to counter it with a takedown but Lee pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Lee missing with a left hand there. Santoro was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Lee has Santoro up against the cage in a clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Lee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lee tries to throw a body punch but Santoro avoids it by throwing Lee back against the cage.

Lee ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Lee no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Santoro would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Lee is trying to keep Santoro in close.

Lee working for a triangle but Santoro defends it easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Lee looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Santoro passes into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

McGregor Lee dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Lee throws the left hand but Santoro avoids the punch easily.
Santoro feints the counter takedown.

Lee moves into the clinch successfully.
Lee tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Lee tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Lee tries a body shot but Santoro blocks it.
Santoro tries to score a body lock takedown but Lee shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Lee doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lee tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Santoro just stands there and leans against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santoro has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Lee after a bit of a struggle.
Lee struggles to land a body shot inside as Santoro controls his hands.
A short right from Lee.
Santoro drops down looking for an ankle pick but Lee pulls his leg out and moves away.
McGregor Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nicky Santoro.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Santoro paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Santoro.
Lee tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Santoro tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Lee moves into the clinch successfully.
A hook to the body from Lee.
Nice body punch from Lee.
Lee lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Lee is pressed up against the cage. Santoro has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lee down to the mat. Lee avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
McGregor Lee seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Lee!
Nicky Santoro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lee swings for the body but Santoro moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee throws the left hand but Santoro avoids the punch easily.
Santoro feints the counter takedown.
Lee throws a hook but Santoro avoids it easily.
Lee connects with a jab.
Lee throws a jab when Santoro was well out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lee moves to clinch but Santoro breaks away

and Santoro counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Santoro wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee wants to improve his position but Santoro is controlling well.
Santoro tries to stand and escape but Lee is controlling the position.
Lee wants to sweep but Santoro has passed to side control!
Lee manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Lee is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lee moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Lee will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

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

Lee is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lee trying to keep a closed guard but Santoro is proving a slippery customer.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

McGregor Lee dominated that second round.
That's time! Lee's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Lee moves into the clinch successfully.

Lee pulls Santoro into guard.
Lee has a closed guard, preventing Santoro from standing up.
Santoro must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Lee trying to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lee throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lee looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Lee looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Santoro passes into half guard.
Lee wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lee manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Santoro tries to stand but Lee is controlling from the bottom.

Lee working for a triangle but Santoro defends it easily.
Santoro has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Lee is proving hard to escape from.

Lee looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Santoro passes into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee is looking for a sweep.
Santoro tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Lee is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Santoro off and has taken his back!

Santoro defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
McGregor Lee overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Lee is looking for a choke. Santoro gets to his feet with his opponent on his back and slams him to the mat. Santoro manages to squirm out of the attempted choke and turns into his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santoro avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Lee throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Santoro avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
McGregor Lee showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lee 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:26
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... McGregor Lee!