PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jon Fitch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Francisco Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Fitch
vs
Santos

190 cm
25
199 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
22
210 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jon Fitch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Francisco Santos!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fitch fails with the takedown.

Fitch drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Santos wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santos tries to improve position but can't.

Fitch tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Santos is letting Fitch control him for a moment.
Santos is looking to regain half guard here but Fitch keeps moving and retains side control.

Fitch is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Santos knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Fitch tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos seems a little lost for a moment, as Fitch dominates the positioning.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santos gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Santos tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Fitch looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Fitch working Santos over with strikes.
Santos throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Santos moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Santos trying to strike off his back.
Santos is striking off his back. Fitch thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Fitch uses his free foot to push down on Santos's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Santos.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Santos regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fitch trying to pass the guard but Santos defending well.

Fitch wants to work for an arm triangle but Santos is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Santos is refusing to be controlled, as Fitch sits in half guard.

Fitch is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Santos won't allow Fitch to pass to mount.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Fitch connects with a nice short shot to Santos's temple.
Santos flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Santos is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Fitch scores with a couple of nice shots.
Fitch working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Santos regains full guard. Nicely done.
Fitch is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fitch drops back looking for a leg! Santos is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Santos manages to kick Fitch off! Fitch jumps back into Santos's guard.
Santos throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Santos pushes Fitch off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Nice sprawl there from Santos as Fitch shoots in.
Santos with a lazy takedown attempt

and Fitch counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Fitch.
Fitch has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Santos is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Fitch is controlling him.
Fitch passes Santos's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Santos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitch uses his free foot to push down on Santos's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Santos.
Santos is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Fitch landing strikes from the mount and Santos is in trouble!
Fitch can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Santos is looking to escape.
BOOM! Fitch connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Fitch lands a heavy elbow.
Santos has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Santos has given up his back here. Will Fitch look for the submission or keep pounding away?
Fitch scores with punches to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Fitch is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Santos is defending well though. Fitch let's go of the attempt for now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Santos is trying to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Fitch dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Santos has his takedown stuffed

so Fitch counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Santos throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Fitch is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Fitch pushes down on Santos's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Santos missing with punches from the bottom.
Santos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Santos is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Fitch scores with a couple of nice shots.
Fitch trying to mount his opponent but Santos defends it.
Fitch sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fitch looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Santos is trying to get back to full guard.

Fitch is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Santos throws some strikes from the bottom but Fitch isn't bothered - he's working on a kimura... it looks tight... it is! Santos is tapping and screaming like a little girl! Ouch, that looks painful! Good win for Fitch!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Jon Fitch!