PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Maro Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Rice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Santos
vs
Rice

182 cm
27
173 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

186 cm
22
177 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 4 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Maro Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Rice!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Chris Downing and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Santos looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Santos clinches up against the cage.
Santos throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Rice breaks the clinch.
Santos misses with a double jab.
Santos is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rice!
Santos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Santos fails with a takedown attempt.

Rice rushes Santos and presses him up against the cage.
Rice looking for a takedown.

Rice's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Santos ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rice moves away.
Santos lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rice walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

It looks like John Rice has been cut.
Rice shoots in and drives through. Santos sprawls well.
Rice throws a head kick that misses.
Santos looks to score with a jab to the body but Rice is just out of range.
Rice lands with a slapping head kick.
A jab from Santos misses.

Santos moves into range and clinches up with Rice.
Santos tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Santos throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rice blocks it with crossed arms.

Rice manages to break the clinch.
Rice blocks a jab.
Santos thuds his right hand into Rice's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
No luck for Santos with that takedown attempt.
Santos tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Santos tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Rice counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Santos showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rice.
Santos misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Rice counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rice thows a big elbow that misses.
Rice working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santos looking for a sweep. Not yet Santos, not yet.
Rice loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rice must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Santos wants to sweep but no luck.
Rice throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rice wanted to stand there but Santos had control of the position.

Santos has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Rice doesn't defend quickly enough and Santos has managed to lock this one up! Can Rice escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Santos on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:04 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Maro Santos!