PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Manoel dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rory Rusband (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rusband has chosen perfect as his entrance music. Rory Rusband has the eye of the tiger tonight.

dos Santos
vs
Rusband

180 cm
18
188 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Manoel dos Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rory Rusband!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, John Mangel and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rusband shoots in and bounces dos Santos off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rusband chips away with some ground and pound.
Rusband with a flurry of punches that miss.
dos Santos wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
dos Santos bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rusband's guard.

dos Santos stands up and waves to Rusband to follow him.
dos Santos throws a right and a left that Rusband avoids nicely.
dos Santos shoots for a double leg takedown but Rusband sprawls well. He's pushed dos Santos's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
dos Santos shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rusband as he avoids it easily.
Rusband avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rusband fails with a takedown attempt.
Rusband fails with the takedown

and dos Santos counters with a nice double leg into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rusband wants to get back to his feet but dos Santos is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
dos Santos passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rusband is not content to let dos Santos control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rusband managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by dos Santos.
dos Santos content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Rusband tries to escape but dos Santos is in control.
Rusband is looking to reverse the position.
dos Santos misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Rusband is being controlled here.
dos Santos trying to control the action but Rusband is working from the bottom.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rusband dives in and grabs dos Santos's left leg, looking for a takedown. dos Santos pushes down on Rusband's head and hops out.
Manoel dos Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rory Rusband.
Rusband looks gassed!

Rusband is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in dos Santos's half guard.
dos Santos won't allow Rusband to pass to mount.
dos Santos regains full guard. Nicely done.
dos Santos trying to keep a closed guard but Rusband is proving a slippery customer.
Rusband preventing the sweep.
Rusband must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rusband accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
dos Santos is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
dos Santos is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rusband is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rusband throws a series of strikes that have dos Santos backpedaling.

Rusband moves into the clinch.
dos Santos tries to pull guard but Rusband won't allow it.
dos Santos keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rusband's efforts to push away.
dos Santos tries to stall but Rusband uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
A frustrated look appears on Rusband's face as he tries to break the clinch.
dos Santos tries to land a knee to the head but Rusband blocks with his arms.
Rusband working hard to break the clinch.
dos Santos goes for a takedown attempt but Rusband pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

dos Santos scores with a takedown into Rusband's guard.

dos Santos decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Nice sprawl there from dos Santos as Rusband shoots in.
A nice combination there by Rusband.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
dos Santos moves in looking to clinch but Rusband pushes him off.
dos Santos fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

dos Santos darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

dos Santos decides to stand and escape the position.
Rory Rusband seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rusband shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rusband was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
dos Santos is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
dos Santos holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Rusband tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
dos Santos flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manoel dos Santos dominated that round.
That's time! dos Santos's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

dos Santos changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rusband tries to avoid it but dos Santos manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rusband to the ground. Rusband escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
dos Santos shoots in but Rusband avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Rusband is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in dos Santos's half guard.
dos Santos trying to control here.
dos Santos is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rusband's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rusband's back!
Rusband looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
dos Santos biding his time, looking for the opening.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rusband looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
dos Santos wants to control but Rusband is keeping busy.
Rusband is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
dos Santos throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.

dos Santos tightening his grip on Rusband, looking for the choke.
dos Santos really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Rusband.
Rusband is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Rusband really doesn't want to stay on the ground with dos Santos. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Rusband is trying to defend against the choke here but dos Santos has an arm under his chin. This one might not last much longer. dos Santos Tightens the hold and Rusband taps out furiously! dos Santos displays superior BJJ to win the fight.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:04 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Manoel dos Santos!