PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marshall Bruce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santos is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Ransom. Marcus Santos will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Bruce
vs
Santos

200 cm
21
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
25
205 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marshall Bruce!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marcus Santos!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Steve Montenegro and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bruce tries to close the distance and clinch up but Santos swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Marcus Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Bruce is defended easily by Santos.
Bruce ducks under a wild hook from Santos.

Bruce has taken the fight to the clinch.

Santos breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bruce shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Santos pinned against the cage. Santos gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bruce shoots in but Santos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marshall Bruce. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Santos, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Santos has his takedown stuffed

and Bruce counters with a shoot takedown. Santos fights it but they end up in guard.
Bruce throws and elbow that misses. Santos uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bruce's guard. Nice move by Santos!
Santos wants to stand but Bruce is controlling his posture from full guard.
Bruce will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Bruce has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos content to stall in guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bruce is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Bruce keeps control of Santos as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Santos tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Bruce smiles and moves away.
Santos misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruce tries to close the distance and clinch but Santos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Santos keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Santos tries to sprawl but Bruce drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Bruce is breathing heavily.

Bruce escapes and gets back to his feet.
Santos doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Bruce counters with a big head kick but Santos shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bruce scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Bruce decides to stand and escape the position.

Bruce scores a takedown into full mount!
Santos really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bruce. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Santos is bucking up trying to escape but Bruce cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marshall Bruce dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Bruce misses with a takedown

and Santos counters with a shoot takedown. Bruce fights it but they end up in guard.
Santos pushing down on Bruce's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Bruce makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Bruce fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Santos gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Bruce counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bruce tries to free his leg and advance position but Santos is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bruce gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Santos stalks Bruce and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Bruce's face. Bruce staggers backwards, shaken.

Bruce has Santos up against the cage in a clinch.
Santos wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Bruce has him pressed against the cage.
Bruce has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Santos avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marshall Bruce. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Santos manages to break the clinch.
Bruce shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Santos counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Bruce's guard now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Santos tries to free his leg and advance position but Bruce is retaining full guard.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Bruce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bruce trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Santos stops Bruce from standing up.
Bruce trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bruce looking to hit a scissor sweep but Santos is one step ahead there.
Santos not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Marcus Santos has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Bruce shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Santos can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bruce controlling the pace for now.
Bruce's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Bruce working Santos over with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Marcus Santos will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Bruce's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Bruce gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Santos counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Santos misses with the combination.
Santos has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Santos there as he acknowledges the shot.
Santos defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bruce.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bruce lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Santos circles away quickly and effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bruce looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Santos!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Bruce cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Bruce pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Bruce cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Bruce trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce looking to finish Santos with some ground and pound. This is bad for Santos!
Santos is working to get back to half guard.
Bruce lands a big shot there that rocks Santos but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Bruce raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruce landing strikes, looking to finish!
A nice elbow there by Bruce.
Santos takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Santos is looking to get to half guard.
Bruce tries to control but Santos wriggling away.

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.

Bruce goes for an armbar but Santos turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Santos.

Bruce uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Marshall Bruce is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santos pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Bruce back to the cage. Santos follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marshall Bruce showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Bruce 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marshall Bruce!