PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Felipe Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simbato Wamasaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Santos might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Zica Vai Lá - Emicida. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Santos
vs
Wamasaki

190 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Felipe Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Simbato Wamasaki!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Daniel Cesar and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wamasaki gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Wamasaki wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Santos throws an elbow that misses.
Santos stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Santos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Wamasaki has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Santos tries a knee to the head but Wamasaki blocks it.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Santos takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Wamasaki takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Simbato Wamasaki has been cut.
Santos tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Santos throws an elbow but it misses.

Wamasaki escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wamasaki dives in and grabs Santos's left leg, looking for a takedown. Santos pushes down on Wamasaki's head and hops out.
Santos looks to clinch

and Wamasaki counters with a takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Santos wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wamasaki wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santos keeps working.
Santos manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Wamasaki trying to hold on to Santos's head to control him but Santos postures up.
Wamasaki wants to get back to his feet.
Santos trying to advance position but Wamasaki counters by regaining guard.
Wamasaki working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wamasaki has his foot on Santos's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Santos works his way back into a safe position though.

Wamasaki is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Santos is aware though and is defending well.

Wamasaki working for a triangle but Santos defends it easily.
Wamasaki looks gassed!
Santos wants to pass the guard but Wamasaki is keeping the position.

Wamasaki is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Santos wants to stand and escape but instead Wamasaki has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wamasaki trying to stand up but can't free himself from Santos's guard.
Wamasaki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Wamasaki stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Felipe Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wamasaki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Santos is fending him off so far but Wamasaki persists. Nope, Santos circles away and we're back to standing.
Santos tries to clinch but Wamasaki moves out of range.
Wamasaki dives in and grabs Santos's left leg, looking for a takedown. Santos pushes down on Wamasaki's head and hops out.
Felipe Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Simbato Wamasaki.
Wamasaki keeps the fight on the outside.
Santos tries to clinch but Wamasaki is having none of it.

Santos clinches up against the cage.
Santos tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Nice elbow from Santos.
Santos throws an elbow but it's blocked.
A knee to the head by Santos.
Santos tries to land a knee to the head but Wamasaki blocks with his arms.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wamasaki is working for takedown but Santos is calmly controlling the position for now.
Santos tries to land a knee to the head but Wamasaki blocks with his arms.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Santos just misses with a elbow thrown towards Wamasaki's brow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Simbato Wamasaki will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Simbato Wamasaki's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Wamasaki shoots in and drives through. Santos sprawls well.

Wamasaki feints and as Santos raises his hands in defense, Wamasaki changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Santos is controlling Wamasaki's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Wamasaki from controlling successfully.
Santos controlling the position.
Wamasaki tries to free his leg and advance position but Santos is retaining full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Wamasaki gets a takedown into half guard.
Wamasaki works his way into full mount!
Wamasaki is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wamasaki jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Santos manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Wamasaki swings around for an armbar but Santos sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Wamasaki's guard.
Wamasaki is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Santos gets to his feet. Wamasaki looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Santos gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Wamasaki tries to work over Santos's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Santos lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Santos lands an elbow inside that Wamasaki shrugs off.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Wamasaki avoids a wild elbow strike from Santos.
Wamasaki wants to break the clinch but can't.
Santos pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Santos tries to stall but Wamasaki uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Wamasaki breaks the clinch.
Wamasaki looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Wamasaki tried to score with a low kick but Santos checks it.
Santos tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Wamasaki counters with a series of strikes. Santos will be more careful next time no doubt.
Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wamasaki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Wamasaki avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Santos tries to clinch but Wamasaki moves away

and Wamasaki counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Santos!
Santos wants to hold on but Wamasaki pushes him away.
Santos is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Wamasaki is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Santos is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos regains half guard.
Santos is looking to improve his position.

Wamasaki is looking for a kimura but Santos is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Wamasaki to get the leverage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wamasaki is controlling the pace.

Wamasaki is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Santos has managed to free his arm - good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simbato Wamasaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Simbato Wamasaki's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Santos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Santos wants to clinch but Wamasaki slips to the side

and Wamasaki counters with a takedown into side control.
Santos wants to get back to his feet.
Wamasaki tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Santos is trying to get back to his feet.
Wamasaki 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wamasaki swings around for an armbar but Santos sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Wamasaki's guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Wamasaki is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Santos forces his way into half guard.
Wamasaki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wamasaki wants to control but Santos is keeping busy.
Simbato Wamasaki has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Simbato Wamasaki.
Wamasaki keeps the fight on the outside.
Santos doesn't manage to clinch there - Wamasaki circles away.
Santos wants to clinch up but Wamasaki keeps it at a distance.
Wamasaki shoots in and drives through. Santos sprawls well.
Wamasaki avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Santos moves in looking to clinch but Wamasaki pushes him off.
Santos tries to clinch but Wamasaki is having none of it.
Felipe Santos is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Santos is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Santos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wamasaki lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Santos circles away quickly and effectively.
The fight stays on the outside here - Santos looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Santos fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santos clinches.
Santos manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Santos misses with a knee strike.
Santos has Wamasaki pressed against the cage, preventing Wamasaki from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Wamasaki jumps guard but Santos stands there with Wamasaki around his waist. Wamasaki gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Santos keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Wamasaki's efforts to push away.
Santos is trying to maintain a safe position but Wamasaki gets an underhook and turns Santos into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Santos throws an elbow but misses.
Santos connects with a knee to the head.
Santos lands an elbow that stopped Wamasaki in his tracks for a moment.
Santos landing knees to the head.
Santos looking to slow down the pace here.

Wamasaki jumps guard and drags Santos to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Santos stands and steps away. Wamasaki gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wamasaki shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Felipe Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Simbato Wamasaki.
Santos moves in looking to clinch but Wamasaki pushes him off.
Felipe Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Simbato Wamasaki is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Santos wants to clinch up but Wamasaki keeps it at a distance.
Santos tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Wamasaki counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Felipe Santos.
I think Wamasaki has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simbato Wamasaki!