PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ari Irving (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Irving's entrance music is Thunder. A fine choice. Santiago has chosen Get Em Up - Cypress Hill as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Irving
vs
Santiago

175 cm
24
148 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

164 cm
23
145 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ari Irving!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Carlos Santiago!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Steve Erwin and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Irving swinging wildly here.
Irving on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Santiago lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Horrible takedown by Santiago or perhaps it was just good defense by Irving which made him look bad.
Irving throws a solid leg kick but Santiago takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Irving.
Irving moves out of range of the strikes.
Santiago misses with the combination.
Irving tries to clinch there but Santiago circles away.
Santiago cracks Irving with a right hand to the side of the head.
Irving attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
A looping hook to the body misses from Irving. Santiago does a little dance to reset his feet.
Santiago comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Santiago chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Irving swats away the attempt to clinch by Santiago.
Santiago swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Irving leaves Santiago with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago thows a body shot but no joy.
Santiago throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Santiago connects with a single shot there.
Santiago throws a shot from downtown. Irving moves away and avoids it.
Santiago keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Irving takes a swing at Santiago's ribcage but misses.

Irving closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Santiago did well to prevent Irving getting side control.
Irving 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.
Santiago is looking for a sweep. Irving is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Irving moves nicely into side control.
Irving working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Irving 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.
Santiago is not content to let Irving control the position.
Irving working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!
Irving misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Irving cracks Santiago with a big elbow.
Irving in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Irving landing a few strikes.
Irving trying to control the position but Santiago is working away.
Irving tries to score with some ground and pound. Santiago controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Irving throws a strike aimed at the side of Santiago's head but Santiago avoids it well.

Irving is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Santiago has escaped the position, nice work there.
Irving wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santiago keeps working.
Irving landing a few strikes.
Irving working the ground and pound.
Irving lands a few punches from side control.
Santiago on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Irving landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irving throws a strike aimed at the side of Santiago's head but Santiago avoids it well.
Santiago tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Irving is working Santiago over with some ground and pound from side control.
The strikes coming from Irving are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Irving working the head with strikes.
Irving works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Santiago tries to improve position but can't.
Santiago struggling a bit here.
Irving scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Santiago to see if he's OK.
Irving remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Irving works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Santiago tries to buck Irving off but Irving is having none of it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Irving working the ground and pound but Santiago is defending the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irving working the head with strikes.

Santiago is rocked!
Irving advances to full mount.
Irving avoids the attempt from Santiago to control.
Irving fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Santiago is still in real trouble! Can Irving finish him?
Santiago takes a big shot to the dome and his eyes have rolled back in his head! Irving's killer instinct has kicked in as he finishes the fight with more strikes. Impressive finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:39 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ari Irving!