PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Martinez Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marty Van Buren (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Santiago might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to C'est La Vie. Van Buren has chosen Dead Souls as his entrance music. This should be a great matchup!

Santiago
vs
Van Buren

165 cm
19
200 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

186 cm
22
214 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Martinez Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marty Van Buren!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Van Buren looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Van Buren closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
A short right from Van Buren.
Van Buren misses with a knee to the head.
Van Buren lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Santiago drags the fight down to the ground.
Santiago utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Santiago has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Van Buren has passed into side control.
Santiago is looking to reverse the position.

Van Buren decides to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Buren clinches up against the cage.
Van Buren lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Martinez Santiago has been cut.
Santiago fails to pull guard.
Van Buren creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Santiago's defenses.
Santiago tries to pull guard but Van Buren holds him up against the cage and eventually Santiago drops back down to his feet.
Santiago wants to get back to striking at distance but Van Buren won't allow it.
A knee to the head by Van Buren.
Van Buren lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Van Buren connects with a knee to the head.
Van Buren connects with a knee to the head.
Santiago is breathing heavily.
Santiago is trying to break the clinch but Van Buren has him pressed against the cage.
Santiago really is a fat lump.
Van Buren is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Santiago wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martinez Santiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Buren with a knee to the head.

Van Buren manages to break the clinch.

Van Buren lands a high kick to the side of Santiago's head that stuns him and send him tumbling down to the canvas! Van Buren dives into guard, looking to finish.

Santiago is rocked!
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!

Santiago working for submissions but it's allowed Van Buren to get to half guard.
Oh Santiago is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Van Buren passes the guard and advances to mount!
Santiago seems to have got his legs back now.
Van Buren controlling the pace for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Buren avoids the attempt from Santiago to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Van Buren content just to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marty Van Buren dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Martinez Santiago's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Van Buren gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Van Buren lands a damaging elbow.
Van Buren scores with a knee to the head.
Van Buren lands a damaging elbow.
Van Buren lands a nice elbow.

Martinez Santiago's cut is getting worse.
Van Buren lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Van Buren breaks from the clinch.

Van Buren darts in and clinches Santiago up against the cage.
Van Buren connects with a nasty looking knee right to Santiago's face.
Van Buren with a knee to the head.
Van Buren lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Van Buren landing knees to the head.
Van Buren creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Santiago's defenses.

Van Buren breaks the clinch.

Van Buren instigates a clinch.

Van Buren escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van Buren lands a head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Buren closes the distance and clinches.
Van Buren connects with a knee to the head.
Van Buren comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Van Buren lands an elbow inside that Santiago shrugs off.
Van Buren stalling the fight.
Van Buren landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
A bit of stalling here from Van Buren.
Van Buren lands a nice knee to the body.
Van Buren lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Van Buren lands an elbow inside that Santiago shrugs off.
Van Buren scores with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Van Buren.
Van Buren connects with a nasty looking knee right to Santiago's face.
Santiago jumps guard but Van Buren stands there with Santiago around his waist. Santiago gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Van Buren landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Van Buren.
Santiago fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Van Buren lands a nice elbow.
Van Buren lands a damaging elbow.
Van Buren lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Van Buren lands an elbow inside.
Marty Van Buren seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A knee to the head by Van Buren.
Santiago tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Van Buren smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martinez Santiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice body kick from Van Buren.
Martinez Santiago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Van Buren drives through and clinches with Santiago against the cage.
Good body shot from Van Buren.
Van Buren lands a nice knee to the body.
Van Buren lands an elbow inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Buren content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Santiago fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Van Buren landing knees to the head.
Van Buren landing knees to the head.
Van Buren slows down the pace here.

Van Buren breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Van Buren darts in and clinches Santiago up against the cage.
Knees to the body from Van Buren.
Van Buren lands an elbow inside.
Van Buren lands an elbow inside.
Van Buren lands an elbow that stopped Santiago in his tracks for a moment.
Santiago tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Van Buren just stands there and leans against the cage.
Van Buren landing knees to the body.
Van Buren stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Buren lands an elbow that stopped Santiago in his tracks for a moment.
Van Buren lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Santiago pulls Van Buren into guard.
Van Buren sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Let's hope that Van Buren has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marty Van Buren showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Martinez Santiago's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Van Buren closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Santiago can't break the clinch.
Van Buren landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Santiago takes a knee right on the jaw!
Van Buren lands a knee to the body.
Van Buren landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Van Buren creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Santiago's defenses.
Van Buren will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Santiago up against the cage.
Van Buren with a knee to the head.
Van Buren connects with a nasty looking knee right to Santiago's face.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santiago takes a knee right on the jaw!
Van Buren lands a nice knee to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Van Buren lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Buren with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Van Buren lands an elbow just above Santiago 's eye.
Van Buren landing knees to the head.
Van Buren is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Santiago tries to pull guard but Van Buren won't allow it.
Van Buren lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Van Buren lands a left hand.
Santiago tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Santiago takes an elbow to the forehead.
Van Buren lands a knee to the body.
Van Buren has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Knees in the clinch landing for Van Buren.
Van Buren tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Santiago tries to pull guard but Van Buren won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martinez Santiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Buren lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Santiago is working for takedown but Van Buren is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Van Buren unloads a knee to the mid-section. Santiago lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Van Buren slowing the pace effectively.

Santiago gets control of Van Buren's arms and successfully pulls guard. Santiago will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Santiago trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Santiago looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Van Buren has picked Santiago up and slammed him! Santiago can't keep hold of the triangle and Van Buren manages to pass to side control!
Santiago tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Van Buren presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Santiago tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Van Buren looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Santiago looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Santiago is looking for a sweep. Van Buren is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Santiago trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Santiago might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Van Buren controlling his opponent.
Marty Van Buren is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Santiago wants to hold on but Van Buren pushes him away.
Van Buren controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marty Van Buren comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Van Buren 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 25:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marty Van Buren!