PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mike Bowen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nate Santos has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bowen
vs
Santos

168 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

171 cm
18
154 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mike Bowen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nate Santos!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Robert Douchet and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bowen shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Santos actively working from the bottom here.

Santos looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Bowen seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Santos for as long as he can get away with.
Santos regains full guard. Nicely done.
Bowen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Santos looking for a guillotine here but Bowen defends easily.

Bowen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Santos looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Bowen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Bowen wants to stand but Santos has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Bowen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Santos, up you get!
Santos takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Bowen moves into the clinch successfully.
Bowen content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Santos tries for a takedown but Bowen manages to get underhooks.
Santos keeps control of Bowen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Bowen gets control of Santos's arms and successfully pulls guard. Bowen will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Santos looking to pass the guard.
Bowen pulls Santos in to control the position.
Bowen on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bowen tries to get out of the position.
Bowen is trying to keep Santos in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santos drops back looking for a leg! Bowen is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Bowen manages to kick Santos off! Santos jumps back into Bowen's guard.
Bowen is looking to stand up but Santos isn't so interested in that idea.

Santos thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bowen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Bowen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bowen lands in his opponent's guard.

Santos looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bowen is stalling in the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bowen wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.

Bowen gets to his feet - Santos follows without any prompting.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Bowen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Santos doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Bowen counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bowen.
Santos can't get the takedown.
Santos goes for a takedown attempt but Bowen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Mike Bowen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nate Santos.
Santos misses with a takedown attempt
and Bowen counters with a straight right hand.
Santos keeps the fight on the outside.
Santos swats away the attempt to clinch by Bowen.
Bowen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bowen throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Bowen scores with a punch to the head.
Santos avoids a punch combination nicely.
Santos is breathing heavily.
Bowen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bowen tries to clinch but Santos is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Santos misses with a takedown

and Bowen moves into the clinch.
Santos keeps control of Bowen as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Bowen tries to break free but Santos pushes him back against the cage.
Bowen wants to break the clinch but can't.

Bowen jumps guard and drags Santos to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Bowen is looking to stand up but Santos isn't so interested in that idea.
Bowen 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.

Santos drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Bowen manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Santos has Bowen in his guard.

Santos looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowen wanted to stand there but Santos had control of the position.
Bowen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bowen trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.

Bowen gets to his feet. Santos looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santos closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Bowen did well to prevent Santos getting side control.
Bowen is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Bowen wants to improve his position but Santos is controlling well.
Bowen is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

Santos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bowen defends it well.
Bowen wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Bowen has his hands on Santos's head, controlling the position.

Santos has gone for a leg lock! Bowen slips out almost immediately though and dives into Santos's guard.
Bowen wanted to stand there but Santos had control of the position.

Santos is looking for a triangle but Bowen pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Bowen dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Bowen rushes Santos and presses him up against the cage.
Santos has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bowen avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Bowen's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bowen is pressed up against the cage. Santos has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bowen down to the mat. Bowen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bowen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bowen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bowen connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Bowen scores with a head kick.

Bowen moves into the clinch.
Santos goes for a takedown attempt but Bowen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Mike Bowen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nate Santos.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santos takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bowen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A nice left hand lands by Bowen.

Bowen gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Bowen sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Bowen wants to stand but Santos is controlling his posture from full guard.
Bowen seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Santos is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bowen defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Bowen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Santos, up you get!
Bowen swinging wildly here.
Bowen misses with a two punch combination.

Santos looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Bowen has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Santos can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowen wants to stand but Santos is controlling the position.

Santos thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Santos postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Bowen is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Santos, into his guard.
Santos has a closed guard, preventing Bowen from standing up.

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.

Santos looking for a guillotine here but Bowen defends easily.

Bowen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Bowen postures up.

Santos is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Nate Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mike Bowen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Santos has an active guard here but Bowen has managed to pass into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Bowen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Bowen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Bowen!