PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Derek Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wayne Johnson (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.

Santiago
vs
Johnson

190 cm
21
211 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

190 cm
25
212 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Derek Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Wayne Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Luis Engracia and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santiago tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Johnson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Santiago working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Johnson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Johnson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Johnson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Johnson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Santiago is looking for a triangle here but Johnson uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Johnson is chipping away with strikes.
Santiago pushes Johnson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Johnson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Santiago taking a bit of punishment here - Johnson scoring with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Johnson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Santiago is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Johnson asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Johnson content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Johnson wants to control but Santiago is keeping him busy.
Johnson moves into full mount!
Santiago is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Johnson has taken his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago wants to get back to his feet.
Johnson is looking to control Santiago but Santiago is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Johnson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Santiago kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Santiago rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but Santiago defending well.

Santiago actively working from the bottom here.
Santiago is breathing heavily.
Johnson looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Johnson wants to work for an arm triangle but Santiago is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Johnson manages to mount him!

Johnson looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Johnson lands with some strikes.
Santiago tries to improve his position but instead Johnson has taken his back!

Johnson working for a choke but Santiago is defending well.
Santiago is trying to break free.

Johnson working for the choke.
Johnson scores with punches from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago staying busy and making it hard for Johnson to control.
Santiago trying to get back to his feet but Johnson is in full control for now.

Johnson is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Santiago rolls, trying to escape but Johnson keeps control of the position.

Santiago is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Johnson is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Santiago has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wayne Johnson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Santiago wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Johnson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Santiago tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Santiago gets back to half guard.

Santiago looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Johnson passes to full mount!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Santiago?
Santiago is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Santiago takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson working for a guillotine from mount but Santiago is in no mood to give up.
Johnson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Santiago can't escape the position.

Johnson working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Johnson prevents Santiago from getting the reversal.
Johnson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Santiago is trying to escape the mount but Johnson keeps good control and instead manages to take Santiago's back.
Johnson is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Santiago up.
Johnson controlling well, preventing Santiago from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Johnson.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Johnson's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

Johnson patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Johnson trying to control.
I really don't envy Santiago right now.

Johnson looking for the choke from the back.

Santiago is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.
Wayne Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Santiago doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnson circles away.
Johnson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Santiago rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Johnson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Santiago has escaped the position, nice work there.
Santiago gets back to half guard.
Johnson trying to control the action but Santiago is working from the bottom.
Santiago gets full guard.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Santiago is keeping the position.

Johnson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Santiago has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Johnson has managed to get both his arms back between Santiago's legs - danger averted.
Johnson forces his way into half guard.
Santiago pushes Johnson off looking to stand but Johnson dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santiago looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Johnson connects with a nice short shot to Santiago's temple.
Johnson looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Johnson is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Santiago!
Johnson lands a nice shot to the head.
Santiago can't escape the position.
Wayne Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnson controlling from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson lands a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wayne Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Johnson takes the fight into the clinch.
Johnson is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Santiago gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Johnson ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Johnson no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Johnson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Santiago's guard.
Johnson controls from within his opponent's guard.
Santiago wants to stand up but Johnson is controlling him.

Santiago is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Santiago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Santiago is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Santiago looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Johnson has picked Santiago up and slammed him! Santiago can't keep hold of the triangle and Johnson manages to pass to side control!
Santiago is looking for a sweep.

Johnson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
A lull in the action here as Johnson stalls from top position.
Johnson advances to full mount.
Santiago is wriggling around trying to escape.

Johnson looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Santiago tries to reverse the position but Johnson maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to control but Santiago wriggling away.
Johnson controlling from the full mount.
Santiago gets back to half guard.
Santiago is looking to get back to is feet but Johnson passes into side control.
Santiago is looking to regain half guard here but Johnson keeps moving and retains side control.
Johnson trying to control the action but Santiago is working from the bottom.

Johnson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Johnson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago sneaks back into half guard.
Johnson passes the guard and advances to mount!

Johnson has control of Santiago's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Santiago regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Santiago 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.

Johnson seems to be working for a kimura but Santiago defends the submission attempt.
Derek Santiago has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santiago looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Johnson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Santiago actively working from the bottom here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Johnson in particular looking to stall.

Santiago is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Johnson pulls his head out easily.
Wayne Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wayne Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Johnson 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 26:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wayne Johnson!