PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Diego Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Enrique Rodrigo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diego Santos had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Santos
vs
Rodrigo

180 cm
21
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

183 cm
18
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Diego Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Enrique Rodrigo!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Mauricio Rocha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos dives in and grabs Rodrigo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rodrigo pushes down on Santos's head and hops out.
Diego Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rodrigo gets the takedown into side control.

Rodrigo is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Santos has escaped the position, nice work there.

Rodrigo goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Santos rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Rodrigo's guard! Nice work there by Santos!

Santos thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Santos drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rodrigo dives on top into guard.
Rodrigo stopping the sweep attempt from Santos.
Rodrigo looking to pass the guard.
Rodrigo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Santos throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rodrigo works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Rodrigo is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Santos has managed to free his arm - good work.
Rodrigo works his foot free and advances to mount.
Santos bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Santos postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rodrigo is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Santos, into his guard.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Rodrigo from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo looking to pass the guard.
Rodrigo wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.

Santos escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rodrigo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Santos can't keep his opponent in guard - Rodrigo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Rodrigo seems to be working for a kimura but Santos defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rodrigo is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Santos doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Rodrigo.

Santos makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Rodrigo tries for a takedown but Santos sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Santos has his takedown stuffed

and Rodrigo counters with a single leg into guard. Santos didn't expect that.
Santos is breathing heavily.
Rodrigo trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Santos manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Santos decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rodrigo, up you get!
Santos doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rodrigo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Santos's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diego Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rodrigo wants to pass the guard but Santos is keeping the position.
Rodrigo passes easily into side control. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enrique Rodrigo dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rodrigo fails with the takedown

and Santos counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rodrigo won't be happy with that.
Rodrigo is not content to let Santos control the position.
Rodrigo wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Santos goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Rodrigo has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Santos but great work by Rodrigo.
Rodrigo trying to control the action but Santos is working from the bottom.

Rodrigo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigo is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Santos's shoulder. That is not cool.

Santos explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Santos stuffs the takedown attempt from Rodrigo. Rodrigo gets slowly back to his feet.
Santos with a lazy takedown attempt

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

Rodrigo is trying to get an arm triangle but Santos is defending well.
Rodrigo is looking to take a break and control but Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Santos tries to buck Rodrigo off but Rodrigo is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo trying to control the action but Santos is working from the bottom.
Santos is looking to reverse the position.
Rodrigo trying to control the action but Santos is working from the bottom.

Rodrigo swings around for an armbar but Santos sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rodrigo's guard.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodrigo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Santos fails with the takedown

and Rodrigo counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Santos's guard now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo forces his way into half guard.
Santos is in trouble now - Rodrigo has advanced to mount!
Rodrigo moves to take his opponent's back.

Santos is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Rodrigo gets his way!

Rodrigo looking for the choke but no joy.

Santos fending off the submission attempt from Rodrigo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rodrigo looking for the RNC.

Rodrigo working for a choke but Santos reverses nicely into Rodrigo 's guard.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodrigo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enrique Rodrigo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Santos rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rodrigo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Rodrigo fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Santos sprawls well initially but Rodrigo persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Rodrigo trying to control the action but Santos is working from the bottom.
Rodrigo wants to free his trapped foot but Santos is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Santos moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rodrigo trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rodrigo stopping the sweep attempt from Santos.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigo tries to free his leg and advance position but Santos is retaining full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Rodrigo gets the takedown into side control.
Rodrigo is looking to take a break and control but Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Santos manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Santos is working for an americana but Rodrigo has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Santos was thinking about the submission.

Santos drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rodrigo manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Santos has Rodrigo in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rodrigo trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Rodrigo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Santos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rodrigo postures up.
Rodrigo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Santos's guard.

Rodrigo is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Santos defends it well.
Diego Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Rodrigo is working for a submission of some sort.
Santos trying to control but Rodrigo postures up.
Santos won't allow Rodrigo to pass to mount.
Santos tries to kick Rodrigo off but Rodrigo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Rodrigo is working for a kimura but Santos is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Santos is staying active underneath Rodrigo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Santos wants to control but Rodrigo is keeping busy.

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

Rodrigo drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rodrigo trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Enrique Rodrigo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Enrique Rodrigo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Santos wants to stand up but Rodrigo is controlling him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rodrigo forces his way into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Enrique Rodrigo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rodrigo 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Enrique Rodrigo!