PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joao Paulo da Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jorge Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Paulo da Silva
vs
Santiago

192 cm
23
204 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

182 cm
23
218 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Inexperienced

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joao Paulo da Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jorge Santiago!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Luis Engracia and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
da Silva closes this distance looking for a takedown but Santiago circles away.
da Silva throws a series of punches but Santiago moves out of range.
da Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Santiago paws at him with a jab and circles away.
da Silva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Santiago circles away quickly and effectively.
da Silva throws a series of punches but Santiago avoids them all with ease.
da Silva misses with a looping right.
Santiago moves out of range of the body kick.
Santiago moves away from the strike by da Silva.

Santiago clinches up against the cage.
Santiago taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
da Silva tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Santiago just stands there and leans against the cage.
Santiago content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Santiago has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but da Silva regains guard immediately.
Santiago with a flurry of punches that miss.
Santiago trying to control but da Silva is working from the bottom.
da Silva keeping full guard, as Santiago tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Santiago wants to pass the guard but da Silva is keeping the position.

Santiago has gone for a leg lock! da Silva slips out almost immediately though and dives into Santiago's guard.

da Silva stands up from Santiago's guard - da Silva perhaps looking for a knockout.
da Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
da Silva is trying hard to land a takedown here. Santiago sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joao Paulo da Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
da Silva shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Santiago sprawls well. Santiago wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. da Silva gets slowly back to his feet.
da Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
da Silva tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Santiago counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Santiago throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Santiago frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Santiago unloads with some shots from mount but da Silva bucks and avoids them well.
Santiago sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Santiago is going oldschool here, as he tries to force da Silva to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so da Silva shrugs it off.

Santiago jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… da Silva is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by da Silva and Santiago has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Santiago looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago wants to lay and pray for a moment but da Silva keeps working.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Santiago lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear da Silva down.
da Silva gets back to half guard.
da Silva avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Santiago.
Santiago passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for da Silva!

da Silva defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Santiago.

That's four 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.

Santiago is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But da Silva has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from da Silva!
Santiago preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Santiago keeping moving, preventing da Silva from controlling successfully.
Santiago being controlled here, momentarily.
Santiago looking to hit a scissor sweep but da Silva is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jorge 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.

da Silva fails with the takedown

and Santiago counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Santiago.
da Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Santiago trying to control but da Silva is working from the bottom.
da Silva utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

da Silva had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Santiago defends it easily.
Santiago pushes down on da Silva's leg and manages to get into half guard.
da Silva has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Santiago is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Silva tries to get to full guard but Santiago has control of the leg.

Santiago seems to be working for a kimura but da Silva defends the submission attempt.
da Silva wants to get back to full guard.
Santiago is controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santiago is thwarting da Silva's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Santiago prevents da Silva from standing back up.
da Silva tries to roll over but Santiago keeps him under control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Santiago shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in da Silva's guard.
Santiago wants to control from the top but da Silva keeps moving.
da Silva is trying to keep Santiago in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
da Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
da Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
da Silva keeping moving, preventing Santiago from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago is breathing heavily.
Santiago stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. da Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
da Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Santiago shoots for a takedown but da Silva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
da Silva is looking to clinch.
da Silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Santiago decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in da Silva's guard.

da Silva has his foot on Santiago's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Santiago works his way back into a safe position though.
Santiago trying to control but da Silva is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
da Silva trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
da Silva keeping moving, preventing Santiago from controlling successfully.
da Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
Santiago wants to pass the guard but da Silva is keeping the position.
da Silva is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Santiago trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
da Silva throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Santiago counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Santiago's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
da Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Santiago swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jorge Santiago showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Santiago looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
da Silva has his hands on Santiago's head, controlling the position.
da Silva is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Santiago chips away with some ground and pound.
Santiago is looking to work some ground and pound but da Silva has wrist control.
da Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Santiago wants to control from the top but da Silva keeps moving.
Santiago won't allow da Silva to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Santiago is trying hard to land a takedown here. da Silva sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
da Silva misses with a takedown

and Santiago counters with a shoot takedown. da Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
Santiago stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. da Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
da Silva manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Santiago manages to get himself to full guard.
Santiago not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
da Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Santiago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santiago pulls da Silva in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
da Silva postures up.
da Silva controls from within his opponent's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Santiago can do anything to dispel that myth.
Santiago is trying to keep da Silva in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago wants to sweep here but da Silva controlling him for the moment.
Santiago keeping moving, preventing da Silva from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
da Silva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Santiago circles away quickly and effectively.
da Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Joao Paulo da Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santiago is trying hard to land a takedown here. da Silva sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Santiago has his takedown stuffed
and da Silva counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Santiago thinking.
Joao Paulo da Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jorge Santiago.
da Silva lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Joao Paulo da Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
da Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
da Silva shoots and misses

and Santiago counters with a single leg into guard. da Silva didn't expect that.
Santiago trying to control the position from guard on top but da Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
da Silva lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Santiago!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Santiago is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Jorge Santiago is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Santiago is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jorge Santiago comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Santiago 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jorge Santiago!