PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Victor Belfort told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Dos Santos
vs
Belfort

186 cm
21
201 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

183 cm
23
190 lbs
1 - 10 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Dos Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Victor Belfort!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Thiago Cunha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Belfort throws a sloppy head kick and Dos Santos moves out of range easily.
Belfort looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Dos Santos misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Dos Santos slaps away a takedown attempt from Belfort, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Dos Santos looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Belfort is fending him off so far but Dos Santos persists. Nope, Belfort circles away and we're back to standing.
Belfort displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Dos Santos.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dos Santos fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Belfort avoids it really well and circles away.
Dos Santos doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Belfort counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Dos Santos is looking for a sweep. Belfort is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Belfort stops Dos Santos from getting back to his feet.
Belfort trying to mount his opponent but Dos Santos defends it.
Dos Santos is trying to stand up here but Belfort is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belfort is trying to control the action in half guard but Dos Santos is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Dos Santos tries to kick Belfort off but Belfort keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Dos Santos has his hands clasped together around Belfort's back. He's all about the action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Dos Santos shoots in for a takedown but Belfort shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Dos Santos looks for a takedown but Belfort sprawls well.
Dos Santos tries to close the distance and clinch but Belfort swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Belfort stuffs the takedown.
Belfort keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Victor Belfort seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dos Santos stuffs the takedown attempt from Belfort. Belfort gets slowly back to his feet.
Dos Santos misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Belfort doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Dos Santos counters with a nice uppercut.
Dos Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Belfort paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dos Santos rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Belfort moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Belfort throws a sloppy head kick and Dos Santos moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A left and a right from Dos Santos both land. Nice combination.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Dos Santos is defended easily by Belfort.
Dos Santos lands an overhand right.
Dos Santos doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Belfort counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dos Santos is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Dos Santos is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Dos Santos has a closed guard, preventing Belfort from standing up.
Dos Santos knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Belfort on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos wants to stand but Belfort is controlling the position.

Belfort stands and steps away. Dos Santos gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Dos Santos tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Belfort swivels and escapes.
Belfort misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dos Santos shoots in looking for a takedown. Belfort tries to sprawl out of it but Dos Santos keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Belfort manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Dos Santos fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Belfort keeps the fight on the outside.
Dos Santos shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Belfort as he jumps to the side.
Dos Santos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Dos Santos tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Belfort swivels and escapes.
Dos Santos looks for a takedown but Belfort sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dos Santos tries to clinch there but Belfort circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dos Santos closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Belfort did well to prevent Dos Santos getting side control.
Dos Santos prevents Belfort from improving his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dos Santos performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Belfort is looking to escape.
Dos Santos is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Belfort looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Belfort tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Dos Santos has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Dos Santos content just to control the position here.
Dos Santos thowing shots but they're missing.
Dos Santos is landing with some decent strikes but Belfort is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Dos Santos throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Dos Santos avoids the attempt from Belfort to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Dos Santos punching from mount but Belfort doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Dos Santos lands a big elbow.
Belfort is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dos Santos landing strikes from the mount and Belfort is in trouble!
Belfort blocking the ground and pound.
Dos Santos throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Belfort because Dos Santos loaded up on that one.
Belfort holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Dos Santos tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Belfort wants to control but Dos Santos is having none of it.

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.
Dos Santos looking to control and managing it successfully.
Dos Santos punching from mount but Belfort doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Belfort working to try and regain half guard.
Belfort is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dos Santos throwing strikes here but Belfort is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Dos Santos dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Dos Santos is looking to clinch but Belfort is avoiding it.

Dos Santos gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Dos Santos tries to circle away but Belfort has him pinned against the cage.
Dos Santos wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dos Santos wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Belfort keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Dos Santos's efforts to push away.

Belfort pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dos Santos slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Belfort stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Belfort wants it to stay on the feet.
Belfort falls off balance throwing a combination

and Dos Santos counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Dos Santos.
Belfort being controlled here, momentarily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Dos Santos stands up and waves to Belfort to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for Dos Santos with that takedown attempt.
Dos Santos shoots and misses

and Belfort counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dos Santos wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Belfort has him pressed against the cage.
Dos Santos wants a takedown.
Dos Santos wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dos Santos wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dos Santos changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Belfort fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Belfort throws a head kick but Dos Santos moves out of range.
Dos Santos scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's two 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.
Dos Santos shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dos Santos misses with a takedown attempt - Belfort sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Dos Santos slaps away a takedown attempt from Belfort, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Belfort tries for a takedown but Dos Santos sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Dos Santos lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Dos Santos.
Dos Santos tries to score a power double leg takedown but Belfort sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Dos Santos somewhat.
Dos Santos stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Dos Santos wants it to stay on the feet.

Belfort bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort trying to control the action but Dos Santos is working from the bottom.
Belfort lands some shots froms side control.
Dos Santos struggling a bit here.
Dos Santos is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Belfort stands up and beckons Dos Santos to his feet.

That's four 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.
Dos Santos misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Dos Santos shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Belfort defends it nicely.
Belfort misses with a double jab
and Dos Santos counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Belfort thuds a left hand into Dos Santos's body.
Dos Santos fails with an attempt to clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dos Santos.
Dos Santos bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Belfort's head.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Belfort checks a leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Thiago Dos Santos.
I think Dos Santos has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Thiago Dos Santos!