PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rick Santerini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Sanderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santerini comes to the cage accompanied by "Bodies" Drowning Pool. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Santerini
vs
Sanderson

175 cm
22
189 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

187 cm
22
200 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rick Santerini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ben Sanderson!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Cecil Peabody and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanderson lands a glancing blow to the side of Santerini's head.
Santerini throws a poor cross that misses
and Sanderson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Santerini closes the distance looking to clinch

so Sanderson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sanderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Santerini is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanderson looking to pass the guard.
Santerini looking to control.
Sanderson stopping the sweep attempt from Santerini.
Sanderson is pushing down on Santerini's leg trying to pass to half guard. Santerini is fighting to maintain full guard but Sanderson has managed to sneak the leg through.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanderson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanderson wants to take a breather but Santerini is having none of it.
Sanderson wants to pass to mount but Santerini is defending the position.
Santerini is looking to control Sanderson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Santerini avoid being mounted?
Sanderson takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Santerini trying to control but Sanderson postures up.
Santerini makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Santerini.
Santerini keeping full guard, as Sanderson tries to pass.
Santerini looking for a sweep. Not yet Santerini, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sanderson wants to control from the top but Santerini keeps moving.
Santerini might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sanderson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sanderson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Sanderson lands a couple of elbows.
Sanderson won't allow Santerini to sweep him here.
Sanderson wants to control from the top but Santerini keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sanderson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Santerini as he avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson tries to bum rush Santerini with a series of wild strikes but Santerini uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Santerini throws a right hand that misses
and Sanderson counters with a one-two to the body.
Santerini throws a sloppy head kick and Sanderson moves out of range easily.
Sanderson circles away from the clinch attempt
and Sanderson counters with a nice body shot.
Santerini is breathing heavily.
Sanderson throws the kick towards the body but Santerini avoids it.
Santerini misses with a hook to the body
and Sanderson counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A shot to de liver by Sanderson. Beautiful body shot.
Santerini gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sanderson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Santerini's guard.
Sanderson 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.
Sanderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Santerini is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santerini tries to strike from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santerini looking for a sweep. Not yet Santerini, not yet.
Santerini has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Sanderson has passed into side control.
Sanderson cracks Santerini with a big right hand but Santerini just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sanderson lands a few punches from side control.
Santerini is looking for a sweep.

Sanderson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Santerini, who protects the arm well.
Santerini manages to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Sanderson dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Santerini misses with a head kick.
Santerini takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Sanderson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Santerini manages to work his way to half guard, despite Sanderson's best efforts.
Santerini is refusing to be controlled, as Sanderson sits in half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sanderson lands a nice short elbow.
Sanderson wants to advance to full mount but Santerini doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

Santerini is looking for a triangle here but Sanderson uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sanderson connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Santerini some visible discomfort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santerini is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Sanderson off and has taken his back!

Santerini working for the choke.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanderson tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Santerini wants to control the pace but Sanderson is squirming around nicely.
Sanderson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sanderson slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Sanderson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Santerini postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santerini works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Santerini prevents Sanderson from improving his position.
Santerini not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Santerini is looking to take a break and control but Sanderson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Santerini is really struggling to control Sanderson but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Santerini seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Santerini is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Sanderson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Santerini could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Sanderson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Santerini is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanderson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sanderson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Santerini is keen to just control but Sanderson is a slippery customer.
Sanderson taking some punishment here, with Santerini in his half guard.
Santerini trying to pass the guard but Sanderson defending well.
Sanderson trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Sanderson flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Sanderson is trying to escape the mount.

That's four 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.

Santerini goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Sanderson is on top in guard.

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

Sanderson stands and steps away. Santerini gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Santerini tries for a takedown but Sanderson circles away easily
and Sanderson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Santerini thows a body shot but no joy.
A nice combination there by Sanderson.
Santerini throws a head kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Sanderson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Sanderson looks to score with a jab to the body but Santerini is just out of range.
Santerini takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Santerini gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Santerini wants to sweep here but Sanderson controlling him for the moment.

Santerini escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sanderson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sanderson sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Santerini is looking for a triangle but Sanderson pushes his legs off easily.
Sanderson won't allow Santerini to sweep him here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sanderson stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Sanderson changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Santerini tries a head kick but it misses.

Sanderson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Santerini on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Santerini manages to work his way to half guard, despite Sanderson's best efforts.
Santerini works his way to full guard. Good work.

Santerini is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sanderson trying to control but Santerini is working from the bottom.
Sanderson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santerini trying to keep a closed guard but Sanderson is proving a slippery customer.

Santerini looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Santerini working a defensive guard here.
Sanderson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Santerini looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Santerini thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Sanderson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Sanderson not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santerini slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sanderson is stalling in the full guard.
Rick Santerini has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Santerini has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sanderson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Santerini looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sanderson passes into side control.
Santerini is trying to control Sanderson's posture but Sanderson avoids it.
Sanderson is looking to take a break and control but Santerini is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sanderson controlling from side mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Sanderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sanderson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Sanderson!