PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Santana (ranked 4442 p4p, 4332 weight class) and Thorus Van Trelis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Santana
vs
Van Trelis

179 cm
25
198
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
25
194
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pablo Santana!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thorus Van Trelis!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Alexandre Firmino and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Trelis throws a right and a left that Santana avoids nicely.

Van Trelis drives through and clinches with Santana against the cage.
Van Trelis will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Santana up against the cage.
Van Trelis is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Van Trelis lands an elbow inside that Santana shrugs off.

It looks like Pablo Santana has been cut.
Santana can't break the clinch.
Santana takes an elbow to the temple.
Santana tries to circle away but Van Trelis has him pinned against the cage.
Van Trelis lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Pablo Santana's cut is getting worse.
Santana dodges an elbow strike from Van Trelis.

Van Trelis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santana misses with a takedown attempt - Van Trelis sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Van Trelis tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Santana manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Van Trelis tries to clinch up.
Van Trelis pivots, looking for a leg kick but Santana is out of range and Van Trelis settles back down.
Van Trelis misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santana swinging wildly here.
Van Trelis swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Van Trelis instigates a clinch.
Santana wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Van Trelis lands an elbow that stopped Santana in his tracks for a moment.
Van Trelis lands a damaging elbow.

Pablo Santana's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

Santana jumps into guard, dragging Van Trelis to the mat.
Santana keeping moving, preventing Van Trelis from controlling successfully.
Santana is trying to keep Van Trelis in close.
Santana bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Van Trelis's guard.

Santana controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Van Trelis keeping moving, preventing Santana from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Trelis trying to control the position here.
Santana postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Van Trelis is trying to keep Santana in close.
Santana postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Santana with a flurry of punches that miss.
Van Trelis looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Santana puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Van Trelis wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santana wants to pass the guard but Van Trelis is defending well.
Santana has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Van Trelis prevents Santana from taking his back.
Santana content just to control the position here.
Van Trelis tries to lock up and control but Santana gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Van Trelis gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santana is looking for a kimura here.
Van Trelis wants to improve his position but Santana is controlling well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santana working over Van Trelis with some ground and pound. Van Trelis looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Santana thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Santana wants to take a breather but Van Trelis is having none of it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Thorus Van Trelis will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Pablo Santana's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Van Trelis clinches up with Santana and pushes him back against the cage.
Santana is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Van Trelis gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Van Trelis is trying to drag Santana to the mat but Santana just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Santana tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Van Trelis smiles and moves away.
Van Trelis tries to close the distance and clinch up but Santana swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Van Trelis misses with the combination.
Santana fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pablo Santana. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Van Trelis closes the distance and clinches.
Santana tries to pull guard but Van Trelis holds him up against the cage and eventually Santana drops back down to his feet.
Van Trelis pushes off an throws an elbow but Santana leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Trelis scores with a knee to the head.
Santana jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Van Trelis walks away with a smile on his face. Santana gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Van Trelis has managed to clinch.
Thorus Van Trelis seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Santana goes for a takedown in the clinch but Van Trelis prevents it.

Van Trelis has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Santana is trying to keep an underhook but Van Trelis manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Van Trelis controlling the action here.
Van Trelis is looking to take a break and control but Santana is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Van Trelis with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Van Trelis stalling away here and it's allowed Santana to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santana trying to keep a closed guard but Van Trelis is proving a slippery customer.
Santana manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Van Trelis manages to get himself to full guard.

Santana drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Santana jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Van Trelis not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Van Trelis trying to control the position here.
Van Trelis is breathing heavily.
Van Trelis looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Santana might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santana controls from within his opponent's guard.

Santana decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Van Trelis wants to clinch.
Santana misses with a double jab.
Van Trelis swinging wildly here.

Santana closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Van Trelis changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Santana fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Van Trelis moves out of range of the body kick.
Thorus Van Trelis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Trelis displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Santana.

Santana tries to keep at a distance but Van Trelis has taken the fight into the clinch.
Santana blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Santana throws a punch but it's blocked by Van Trelis.
Van Trelis blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Santana trying to land knees to the body.
Santana throws a punch but it's blocked by Van Trelis.
Santana tries to pull guard but Van Trelis won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Van Trelis has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Santana is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Van Trelis doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Van Trelis throws an elbow but it misses.
Santana tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Thorus Van Trelis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Pablo Santana's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Van Trelis scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
You can see the frustration on Santana's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Van Trelis really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Santana. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Santana wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee asks Van Trelis politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Van Trelis prefers to stall for the moment though.
Santana struggling a bit here.
Santana is trying to escape the position but Van Trelis is controlling the position.
Pablo Santana overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santana struggling a bit here.
Van Trelis throws a strike aimed at the side of Santana's head but Santana avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Trelis taking a breather here.
Santana tries to buck Van Trelis off but Van Trelis is having none of it.

Van Trelis stands up and beckons Santana to his feet.

Van Trelis forces Santana back against the cage and clinches.
Van Trelis throws an elbow that misses.
Van Trelis working aggressively here.
Van Trelis looking for a takedown.
Van Trelis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Santana takes an elbow to the forehead.
Van Trelis misses with an elbow over the top.
Santana can't get the takedown.

Santana manages to break the clinch.

Santana gets a double leg takedown into Van Trelis's guard.
Van Trelis wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Santana manages to pass to side control.
Thorus Van Trelis is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Santana wants to lay and pray for a moment but Van Trelis keeps working.
Van Trelis tries to get to full guard but Santana has control of the leg.
Santana trying to mount his opponent but Van Trelis defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santana is nestled in close to Van Trelis, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Santana stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Santana shoots in and drives through. Van Trelis sprawls well.
Santana shoots in looking for a takedown. Van Trelis tries to sprawl out of it but Santana keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Van Trelis manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pablo Santana. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Trelis checks a low kick from Santana.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Santana is looking to break free of the clinch but Van Trelis has double underhooks.
Van Trelis lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Van Trelis pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Trelis misses with a body punch.

Van Trelis pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Van Trelis clinches up with Santana and pushes him back against the cage.
Van Trelis stalls.
Santana takes an elbow to the forehead.
Van Trelis tries to pull guard but Santana holds him up against the cage and eventually Van Trelis drops back down to his feet.
Santana dodges an elbow strike from Van Trelis.
Van Trelis on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Van Trelis prevents Santana from breaking the clinch.

Santana gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
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!
Santana is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Pablo Santana has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Van Trelis can do anything to dispel that myth.
Van Trelis is concentrating on defense, preventing Santana from advancing position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thorus Van Trelis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Van Trelis 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thorus Van Trelis!