PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and D J Rich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Dos Santos
vs
J Rich

175 cm
26
142 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

173 cm
27
145 lbs
15 - 13 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

BioPharm Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Dos Santos!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, D J Rich!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rich has a takedown stuffed.
Rich shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Dos Santos as he avoids it easily.

Dos Santos gets the takedown into side control.
Dos Santos in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Dos Santos tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dos Santos has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rich is looking to reverse the position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rich is trying to get back to his feet.
Dos Santos trying to control the position but Rich is working away.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rich has escaped the position, nice work there.
Rich tries to bench press Dos Santos off him but Dos Santos keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rich is trying to control Dos Santos's posture but Dos Santos avoids it.

Dos Santos is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rich is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Dos Santos is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rich knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Rich is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Dos Santos's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rich trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Dos Santos 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.

Rich is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Dos Santos pulls his head out easily.
Dos Santos blocks the strikes from Rich.
Dos Santos is thwarting Rich's attempts to control the position.
Rich is trying to get back to full guard.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rich defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rich defends it well.

Dos Santos seems to be working for a kimura but Rich defends the submission attempt.

Rich looking for submissions off his back.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rich defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rich gets full guard.
Rich keeping moving, preventing Dos Santos from controlling successfully.

Dos Santos has gone for a leg lock! Rich slips out almost immediately though and dives into Dos Santos's guard.
Dos Santos pulls Rich in close to his closed guard and prevents Rich from doing any damage or advancing position.
Dos Santos avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dos Santos tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Dos Santos is looking for a triangle here but Rich uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Dos Santos misses with a takedown attempt
and Rich counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Dos Santos shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rich counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Dos Santos!
Rich trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Dos Santos is wriggling around trying to escape.

Rich is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

Rich shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rich was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Dos Santos is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rich scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Dos Santos?
Rich tries to control but Dos Santos wriggling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos tries to hold on but Rich postures up.
Dos Santos can't escape the position.

Rich looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Dos Santos tries to hold on but Rich postures up.

Rich wants to finish this one by submission but Dos Santos is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Rich.
Dos Santos working to try and regain half guard.
Rich wants to control the pace but Dos Santos is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Dos Santos is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dos Santos really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rich scoring with strikes but Dos Santos is staying in there.
Rich looking to finish Dos Santos with some ground and pound. This is bad for Dos Santos!
Dos Santos is trying to reverse the position but instead Rich has taken his back - oops!
Dos Santos manages to reverse the position and now he's in Rich's guard. Nice work there by Dos Santos.
Rich is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Rich has his foot on Dos Santos's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Dos Santos works his way back into a safe position though.
Rich is breathing heavily.
Rich keeping moving, preventing Dos Santos from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos wants to pass the guard but Rich is keeping the position.
Dos Santos passes Rich's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Rich trying to control here.
Rich moves into full guard.
Dos Santos postures up.

Dos Santos drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Dos Santos jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Rich had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Dos Santos defends it easily.
Dos Santos trying to control but Rich is working from the bottom.

That's four 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.
Dos Santos is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Rich is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Rich throws his legs up looking for a submission but Dos Santos uses it to pass to side control.

Dos Santos is trying to get an arm triangle but Rich is defending well.

Dos Santos has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Rich is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. Dos Santos yanks on the arm and Rich is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by Dos Santos.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Thiago Dos Santos!
Thiago Dos Santos retains his bantamweight title!