PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Emerson Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vito Ventura (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.

Santos
vs
Ventura

195 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

193 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Win Nutrit. - PROMO! - GET FREE REDUCE ENERGY LOSS
Mundo Green - World Verde

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Emerson Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vito Ventura!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ventura looks to land a combination but Santos avoids it well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ventura looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ventura fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ventura looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ventura shoots in and drives through. Santos sprawls well.
Ventura tries to clinch there but Santos circles away.
Santos avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ventura fails with an attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice sprawl there from Ventura as Santos shoots in.
Santos will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Santos decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Santos is breathing heavily.
Ventura trying to control from the bottom.
Ventura is holding on to half guard well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ventura missing with punches from the bottom.
Ventura is looking to control Santos's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ventura avoid being mounted?
Ventura is not content to let Santos control the position.
Santos thows a huge punch but Ventura dodges it nicely.

Santos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ventura defends it well.
Ventura pushes Santos off looking to stand but Santos dives back in and keeps control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ventura tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Ventura lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Santos backs up against the cage.
Ventura is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ventura shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Santos counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Santos.
Emerson Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vito Ventura.
Ventura is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Santos gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ventura drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ventura goes for a takedown in the clinch but Santos prevents it.
Santos lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Santos has picked Ventura up - he's going for a ride! Santos dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Ventura is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Santos's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Santos's back!

Ventura is persistently looking for the submission but Santos is defending it well.
Ventura is hanging on to Santos's back as he tries to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos is working hard here to advance position.

Santos preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Ventura.
Santos tries to roll but Ventura sticks to his back.

Ventura looking for the choke from the back.
Ventura is looking to control Santos but Santos is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Ventura doesn't have the hooks in and Santos manages to turn into his guard.
Ventura keeping full guard, as Santos tries to pass.

Ventura working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Santos doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Santos manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ventura keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
Santos trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ventura's guard.
Santos tries to free his leg and advance position but Ventura is retaining full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ventura is looking to clinch but Santos is avoiding it.
No luck for Ventura with that takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Emerson Santos will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ventura is looking to land body kicks.
Ventura tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ventura shoots for a takedown but Santos saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ventura is looking to land body kicks.
Santos checks the leg kick nicely there.
Ventura fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ventura throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Santos bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Ventura is not content to let Santos control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santos tries to move to mount but Ventura blocks the move with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ventura struggling a bit here.

Santos is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ventura has escaped the position, nice work there.
Santos scoring with punches from side control.
Ventura tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Santos wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Santos tries for a kimura but Ventura is defending well.

Santos decides to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ventura paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Ventura's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Ventura duly obliges.
A clash of legs there as Santos blocks the low kick.

Santos has closed the distance and engaged Ventura in a clinch.

Santos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ventura closes the distance but Santos moves to the side

and Santos counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ventura won't be happy with that.

Santos is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ventura is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Ventura sneaks back into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ventura trying to hold on to Santos's head to control him but Santos postures up.
Ventura is trying to stand.
Santos is just content to waste time from the top position. Ventura takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Ventura had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Santos is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Ventura Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Santos's back instead.
Santos tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santos is trying desperately to improve position.
Ventura controlling his opponent.

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.
Santos really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Ventura looking to control but Santos is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Santos is desperately trying to improve his position but Ventura has a good base and remains in mount.
Ventura lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Santos is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Santos is wriggling around trying to escape.
Santos manages to regain half guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emerson Santos dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ventura tries to clinch up

and Santos counters with a shoot takedown. Ventura fights it but they end up in guard.
Ventura is trying to keep Santos in close.
Ventura utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Santos is looking to stand up but Ventura won't let him.
Ventura looking to control.
Santos trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Emerson Santos overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santos wants to control from the top but Ventura keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ventura pulls Santos in close to prevent any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Santos feints and as Ventura raises his hands in defense, Santos changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ventura controls Santos momentarily but Santos frees himself.
Ventura tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Ventura is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ventura working for a triangle but Santos defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos advances to half guard.

Ventura looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Ventura looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ventura manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries to stand but Ventura is controlling from the bottom.
Santos slips nicely into half guard.
Emerson Santos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Santos controlling the action here.
Santos lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ventura trying to hold on to Santos's head to control him but Santos postures up.
Ventura pushes Santos off looking to stand but Santos dives back in and keeps control.
Vito Ventura has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ventura trying to control but Santos postures up.
Santos not doing much here.
Ventura is not content to let Santos control the position.
Ventura wants to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Santos decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Santos keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Ventura looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Emerson Santos showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Santos, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Emerson Santos!