PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Dos Santos (ranked 4373 p4p, 4487 weight class) and Ziggy Rochester (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Dos Santos
vs
Rochester

180 cm
18
155
1 - 0 - 0

189 cm
18
165
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rafael Dos Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ziggy Rochester!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Chad Campbell and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rochester looks to score with a jab to the body but Dos Santos is just out of range.

Dos Santos drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Dos Santos looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Rochester is looking for a sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rochester is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Dos Santos looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Rochester is avoiding damage well.
Dos Santos throwing strikes but Rochester manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Rochester wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dos Santos keeps working.
Dos Santos tries to improve position but can't.
Dos Santos is working hard here to advance position.
Rochester is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Dos Santos is not content to let Rochester control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos is trying to get back to half guard.
Dos Santos is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Rochester's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Dos Santos wants to get back to full guard.
Rochester tries to stand but can't do so whilst Dos Santos controls his leg.
Rochester thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rochester seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Dos Santos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rochester uses his free foot to push down on Dos Santos's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Dos Santos.
Rochester controlling from mount.

Rochester is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Dos Santos is surviving well by controlling Rochester's body position as best he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Dos Santos is bucking up trying to escape but Rochester cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Dos Santos 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.
Dos Santos is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rochester's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rochester's back!
Dos Santos is breathing heavily.
Rochester trying to control the action but Dos Santos just sinks the hooks in.
Rochester rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Rochester tries to kick Dos Santos off but Dos Santos keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rochester has his hands clasped together around Dos Santos's back. He's all about the action.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rochester gets back to full guard.
Dos Santos passes Rochester's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Rochester is doing well to control the position and prevent Dos Santos from advancing to side control.

Rochester is defending against the submission attempts here by Dos Santos.
Rochester has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Dos Santos is working away from the top position though.
Rochester tries to get to full guard but Dos Santos has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rochester misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Dos Santos prevents Rochester from improving his position.
Rochester is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rochester moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rochester is adopting a defensive guard.
Rochester looking to control.
Rochester throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Rochester keeping full guard, as Dos Santos tries to pass.
Dos Santos loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rochester pulls Dos Santos in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dos Santos checks a leg kick nicely.
Rochester misses with a series of wild punches.
Rochester tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dos Santos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dos Santos feinted with a counter takedown.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ziggy Rochester will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Rochester tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dos Santos was well out of range. Poor timing from Rochester.
Rochester will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Dos Santos changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rochester looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rochester can't do much from the bottom here.
Dos Santos works to advance to full mount. Rochester defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Rochester is trying to escape the mount.
Rochester is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rochester really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Poor strikes thrown by Dos Santos there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Rochester tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos looking to ground and pound but Rochester is blocking nicely.

Dos Santos working for a guillotine from mount but Rochester is in no mood to give up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rochester wants to hold on but Dos Santos pushes him away.
Rochester tries to reverse the position but Dos Santos maintains control.
Rochester wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Dos Santos.
Dos Santos looking to ground and pound but Rochester is blocking nicely.
Rochester is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rochester slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Rochester slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Rochester working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Dos Santos doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Dos Santos manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rochester working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dos Santos.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rochester lands a decent shot there.
Dos Santos preventing the sweep.
Rochester wants to stand up but Dos Santos is controlling him.
Dos Santos throwing strikes from guard but Rochester blocks nicely.
Rochester manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dos Santos manages to get himself to full guard.

Dos Santos keeping moving, preventing Rochester from controlling successfully.
Rochester is looking to work some ground and pound but Dos Santos has wrist control.
Rochester preventing the sweep.
Dos Santos keeping full guard, as Rochester tries to pass.
Rochester trying to control but Dos Santos is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rochester pushing down on Dos Santos's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Rochester decides to return to a standing position.
Rafael Dos Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown attempt by Rochester or perhaps it was just good defense by Dos Santos, which made it look bad.
Rochester tries to land a front kick but Dos Santos steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rochester tries to clinch but Dos Santos moves out of range.

Dos Santos scores with a takedown into Rochester's guard.
Rochester looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Dos Santos tries to free his leg and advance position but Rochester is retaining full guard.
Rochester controls Dos Santos momentarily but Dos Santos frees himself.

Dos Santos drops back looking for a leg! Rochester is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rochester manages to kick Dos Santos off! Dos Santos jumps back into Rochester's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rochester is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Dos Santos won't allow Rochester to sweep him here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rochester is on top in guard.

Rochester working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rochester trying to control but Dos Santos is working from the bottom.
Ziggy Rochester has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rochester seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Rochester throws a big right hand that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Rafael Dos Santos will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rochester.
Dos Santos swats away the attempt to clinch by Rochester.
Rochester changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Dos Santos tries to avoid it but Rochester manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Dos Santos to the ground. Dos Santos escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Dos Santos closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rochester looks like he's trying to stand up.
Rochester tries to get to full guard but Dos Santos has control of the leg.
Rochester blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dos Santos.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rochester is trying to stand.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rochester defends it well.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura but Rochester is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Dos Santos to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rochester gets back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rochester is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Dos Santos is looking to pass into half guard but Rochester pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Rochester is in guard.

Rochester is looking to stand up but Dos Santos won't let him.
Rochester stands up over Dos Santos, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Dos Santos looking for a sweep. Not yet Dos Santos, not yet.

Rochester got a little sloppy there for a moment and Dos Santos has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rochester has managed to get both his arms back between Dos Santos's legs - danger averted.
Dos Santos keeping moving, preventing Rochester from controlling successfully.
Rochester controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rochester trying to control the position from guard on top but Dos Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rochester preventing the sweep.
Rochester stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dos Santos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rochester preventing the sweep.
Rochester trying to control but Dos Santos is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Rochester misses with a low kick.
Rochester moves in looking to clinch but Dos Santos pushes him off.
Rochester misses with a body shot.
Dos Santos drops down looking for a counter takedown but Rochester sprawls and moves away.

Rochester scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Dos Santos tries to improve position but can't.
Rochester tries to stand but Dos Santos is controlling his head.
Rochester is looking to take a break and control but Dos Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rochester wants to stand but Dos Santos has his arm trapped.
Dos Santos is looking for a sweep.
Rochester wants to control but Dos Santos is keeping him busy.
Dos Santos prevents Rochester from moving into mount.
Rochester staying calm.
Dos Santos tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rochester tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Dos Santos is not content to let Rochester control the position.
Rochester lands an elbow.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rochester trying to control the action but Dos Santos is working from the bottom.
Rochester grinds an elbow into Dos Santos's temple.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ziggy Rochester comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rochester has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ziggy Rochester!