PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mateus Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Amilton Mello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mello has chosen Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Santiago
vs
Mello

187 cm
23
209 lbs
5 - 3 - 1

190 cm
23
217 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Win Nutritional

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 5 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mateus Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Amilton Mello!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Luis Engracia and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santiago swats away the attempt to clinch by Mello.

Santiago darts in and clinches Mello up against the cage.

Santiago manages to break the clinch.
Santiago is looking to clinch.

Santiago drives through and clinches with Mello against the cage.
Mello stalling in the clinch but Santiago improves position.
Mello is trying to drag Santiago to the mat but Santiago just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Santiago missing with knees to the body.
Santiago lands a right hand that snaps the head of Mello backwards.
Mello jumps guard but Santiago stands there with Mello around his waist. Mello gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Santiago dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Santiago lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Santiago throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mello blocks it with crossed arms.

Mello jumps into guard, dragging Santiago to the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mello wants to control the position but Santiago says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Mello tries to roll over but Santiago keeps him under control.

Santiago escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Santiago gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Santiago.

Santiago escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Santiago closes the distance and clinches.
Mello looking for a takedown.
Mateus Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Amilton Mello.
Mello tries to pull guard but Santiago won't allow it.
Mello drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Santiago gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Santiago dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Mello is trying to drag Santiago to the mat but Santiago just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Santiago breaks from the clinch.

Santiago clinches.
Santiago lands a nice knee to the body.
Mello looks gassed!
Mello has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Santiago avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Santiago with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Santiago breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mello tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Santiago moves into the clinch successfully.
Mello fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Santiago prevents a takedown attempt there.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Santiago landing knees to the body.

Santiago breaks from the clinch.
Mello changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Santiago tries to avoid it but Mello manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Santiago to the ground. Santiago escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Santiago moves into the clinch successfully.

Santiago manages to break the clinch.
Mello tries to clinch

and Santiago counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Santiago tries a knee to the head but Mello blocks it.
Santiago utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Santiago is working Mello over against the cage.
Santiago with a knee to the head.
Santiago with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Santiago lands a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago lands a knee to the head.
Santiago misses with a knee strike.

Mello gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Santiago regains guard.
Santiago wants to stand up but Mello is controlling him.
Mello controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Santiago avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mello working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Mello throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mello accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mello has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mello gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Mello misses with a takedown attempt - Santiago sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Santiago leaves Mello with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Mello circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mello shoots in for a double leg but Santiago sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mello fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Amilton Mello seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mello doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Santiago counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Still in the clinch, Santiago scores with a nice short uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mateus Santiago dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Mello shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Santiago as he avoids it easily.

Santiago moves into the clinch.
Santiago scores with a knee to the head.
Santiago gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Mello.
Santiago lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mello backwards.
Santiago lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Mello wants to get back to striking at distance but Santiago won't allow it.

Santiago breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mello tries to clinch up

and Santiago moves into the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santiago with a knee to the head.
Santiago connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mello's face.

Santiago pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mello tries for a takedown but Santiago sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mateus Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Amilton Mello.
The fight stays on the outside here - Santiago looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mello misses with a combination
and Santiago counters with a one-two to the body.
Mello has a takedown stuffed.
Santiago keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Santiago scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Mello throws an overhand right that lands on Santiago's shoulder, as Santiago tries to avoid the shot.

Santiago closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Santiago misses with a knee to the head.
Santiago tries to land a knee to the head but Mello blocks with his arms.
Mello tries to pull guard but Santiago holds him up against the cage and eventually Mello drops back down to his feet.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Mello lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Santiago tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mello is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mello wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Santiago gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Mello.
Santiago with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Santiago lands with a short shot to the head.
Santiago tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Santiago avoiding damage as Mello throws knees to the body.
Santiago blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Santiago prevents Mello from breaking the clinch.
Santiago looking to throw knees to the head but Mello is blocking nicely.
Mello is trying to break the clinch but Santiago is controlling him.
Mello wants to stall.

Mello manages to break the clinch.
Santiago is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mello fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mateus Santiago is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mello looks to land a combination but Santiago avoids it well.
Mello throws a combination. Santiago tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Santiago fails with an attempt to clinch.

Mello shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Mello was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Mello trying to control but Santiago is having none of it.
Mello lands a nice shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Mello is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Mello landing strikes, looking to finish!
Mello controlling his opponent.
Santiago tries to hold on but Mello pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Amilton Mello will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Mello closes the distance looking to clinch

and Santiago moves into the clinch.
Santiago taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Santiago managing to block the knees to the body from Mello.

Santiago's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mello tries to clinch but Santiago moves out of range.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mello is defended easily by Santiago.

Santiago gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santiago with a knee to the head.
Santiago throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mello tries to pull guard but Santiago holds him up against the cage and eventually Mello drops back down to his feet.
Santiago using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Santiago escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mello shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Santiago defends it nicely.
Mateus Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Amilton Mello.
Mello darts in trying to clinch
and Santiago counters with a nice uppercut.

Santiago closes the distance and pushes Mello back into the cage.
Mello tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Santiago smiles and moves away.
Santiago tries to clinch there but Mello circles away.
Mello with a lazy takedown attempt
and Santiago counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A lazy left from Santiago finds it's target.
Mello tries to clinch

and Santiago moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Mateus Santiago has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Santiago lands a nice knee to the body.

Mello decides to pull guard.
Santiago pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mello is keeping the position for now.
Mello is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Mello looking for a guillotine here but Santiago defends easily.
Santiago won't allow Mello to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mello is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Mello is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Santiago has his hands clasped together but Mello extends an breaks Santiago's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Mello.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Amilton Mello!