PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joe Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jens Rizer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rizer is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by 20-2-Life - Servin a Deuce . Jens Rizer has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Santiago
vs
Rizer

176 cm
29
135 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

171 cm
22
145 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Broken Halo Pride Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jens Rizer!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santiago looks to throw the jab but Rizer is out of range.
Santiago with a poor takedown
and Rizer counters with a thumping low kick.
Rizer tries to close the distance and clinch but Santiago swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Santiago throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rizer's waist but Rizer gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Santiago off to one side.
Rizer throws a right hand that misses
and Santiago counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Santiago misses with a takedown attempt - Rizer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Santiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rizer closes the distance and clinches.
Santiago is struggling to control the position.
Nice body punch from Rizer - that landed with a thud.

Rizer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Santiago doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Rizer counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Santiago blocks a head kick by Rizer.
Santiago takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Santiago misses with a combination
and Rizer cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Santiago moves away from the strike by Rizer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizer lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Santiago circles away quickly and effectively.
Rizer lands a head shot.
Santiago falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rizer counters with a three punch combo that has Santiago backing up. Santiago nods at Rizer to acknowledge the strikes.
Santiago blocks a head kick by Rizer.
Rizer pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Santiago avoids the head kick by Rizer.
No joy there for Santiago, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Santiago fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rizer avoids it really well and circles away.
Santiago shoots in for a takedown but Rizer shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Santiago is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rizer sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rizer keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Horrible takedown by Santiago or perhaps it was just good defense by Rizer which made him look bad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rizer throws a head kick that half lands.

Santiago is rocked!
Santiago fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rizer avoids it really well and circles away.
Santiago shoots in but no luck this time.
Santiago throws a head kick that half lands.

Rizer moves into the clinch.

Rizer manages to break the clinch.
Santiago really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rizer tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rizer scores with a hook.
Jens Rizer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rizer throws an off balance right hand
and Santiago counters with a nice body shot.
Santiago shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rizer defends it nicely.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rizer throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rizer.
Santiago defending well as Rizer loads up on a big left hand.
Santiago will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rizer throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Santiago to counter with a crisp jab.
Rizer might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Rizer misses with a right hand
and Santiago counters with a stiff right hand.
Rizer throws a nice head kick!
Rizer slips under a jab.
Santiago closes the distance and clinches up with Rizer, looking for a takedown. Santiago pushes Rizer against the cage but Rizer circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Santiago fails with the takedown.
Rizer throws a sloppy head kick and Santiago moves out of range easily.
Rizer throws an off balance right hand

and Santiago counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rizer's guard now.
Rizer keeping moving, preventing Santiago from controlling successfully.
Santiago stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rizer swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago wants to control from the top but Rizer keeps moving.
Santiago won't allow Rizer to get back to his feet.

Santiago thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santiago 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jens Rizer will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Santiago looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rizer is fending him off so far but Santiago persists. Nope, Rizer circles away and we're back to standing.
Joe Santiago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santiago scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Rizer tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rizer misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A decent looking cross lands there for Rizer.
Santiago scores with a head kick.
Rizer takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
The fighters circling - Rizer throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A head kick misses from Rizer.
Santiago fails with the takedown.
Nice sprawl there from Rizer as Santiago shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Santiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santiago shoots in but Rizer avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Santiago shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rizer as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizer keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Santiago throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rizer counters with a slapping leg kick.
Santiago shoots in for a double leg but Rizer sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nice cross by Rizer.
Santiago shoots for a takedown but Rizer saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rizer shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Santiago eats them both and turns towards Rizer to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Rizer scores with a jab. Santiago acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Oh Santiago is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Santiago stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rizer.
Santiago takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rizer.
Rizer scores with a jab. Santiago acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Rizer rushes Santiago and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rizer avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rizer trying to land knees to the body.
Santiago seems to have got his legs back now.
Rizer working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rizer.
Rizer prevents the takedown attempt.
Rizer controlling the action here for a moment.
Santiago is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rizer pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Santiago changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rizer fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A big left from Rizer misses.
Santiago shoots for a takedown but Rizer saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Santiago throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rizer's waist but Rizer gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Santiago off to one side.
Rizer throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Santiago cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rizer lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Rizer sizes up Santiago with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Jens Rizer seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Santiago avoids the head kick by Rizer.
Santiago throws a lazy uppercut
and Rizer counters with a low kick, right behind Santiago 's knee.
Santiago swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Rizer connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Rizer gets tackled into the cage by Santiago. Santiago maintains the clinch.
Rizer lands a right hand.
A nice left hand lands by Rizer.
Rizer using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Santiago has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Santiago blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Rizer breaks the clinch.
Rizer stuffs the takedown attempt from Santiago. Santiago gets slowly back to his feet.
Rizer misses with a wild combination.
Rizer cracks Santiago with a good jab.
Rizer lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Rizer misses with a looping right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago misses with an uppercut. Rizer saw that one coming.
Some wild striking there from Rizer.
Santiago throws a head kick that misses.
Rizer is looking to score with low kicks.
Rizer goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Santiago fails with the takedown.
Rizer misses with a lunging right hand
and Santiago counters with a three punch combo that has Rizer backing up. Rizer nods at Santiago to acknowledge the strikes.
Rizer throws a right hand that misses
and Santiago counters with a stiff right hand.

Rizer gets in close and instigates a clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rizer gets underhooks to prevent Santiago's takedown attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rizer lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rizer content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Rizer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Santiago shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jens Rizer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Santiago walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Santiago swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rizer counters with a low kick, right behind Santiago 's knee.
Santiago closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rizer circles away.
Santiago walks into a stiff left hand from Rizer.
Rizer throws a head kick that misses

and Santiago counters with a shoot takedown. Rizer fights it but they end up in guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rizer can do anything to dispel that myth.
Santiago trying to control but Rizer is working from the bottom.
Santiago tries to free his leg and advance position but Rizer is retaining full guard.
Santiago passes Rizer's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Santiago wants to work for an arm triangle but Rizer is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago passes to side control.
Santiago is looking to take a break and control but Rizer is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Joe Santiago has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two 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.
Rizer is trying to get back to his feet.

Santiago goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Rizer has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Santiago but great work by Rizer.
Santiago manages to get back to half guard.
Santiago regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Rizer.

Santiago escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rizer gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santiago working for a triangle but Rizer defends it easily.

Santiago looking for a guillotine here but Rizer defends easily.
Rizer throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santiago works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rizer trying to control the position from guard on top but Santiago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Rizer sitting in guard doing not very much at all here. Santiago doesn't need a second invitation though! He's locked up a guillotine and he's squeezing tight! That is tiiiiiiiiight! Rizer paying the price for stalling here - he's pushing hard on the arm trying to free himself but it's no use! He's tapped! WOW, quick submission from Santiago - great work!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Joe Santiago!