PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Angel Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Borislav Shopov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Borislav Shopov will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Santiago
vs
Shopov

160 cm
18
214 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

195 cm
25
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Angel Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Borislav Shopov!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Anthony Taglia and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shopov shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Santiago really is a fat lump.
Santiago wants to control but Shopov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shopov with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Shopov tries to pass to full mount but Santiago defends it.
Santiago is pressing down on Shopov's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Santiago is on top in guard.
Shopov keeping full guard, as Santiago tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Santiago drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Santiago jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Shopov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Santiago is one step ahead there.
Santiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Shopov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santiago missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Santiago wants to control from the top but Shopov keeps moving.
Santiago won't allow Shopov to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago throwing strikes from guard but Shopov blocks nicely.
Shopov keeping moving, preventing Santiago from controlling successfully.

Angel Santiago has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Shopov tries to clinch

and Santiago counters by clinching up.

Santiago decides to pull guard.
Shopov throwing strikes but missing.
Shopov is looking to stand up but Santiago won't let him.
Shopov wants to control from the top but Santiago keeps moving.
Santiago is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago wants to sweep but no luck.
Santiago is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Angel Santiago just wasn't active enough.
Santiago with a poor takedown
and Shopov counters with a nice body shot.

Santiago moves into range and clinches up with Shopov.
Santiago is looking to take this one to the mat.
Shopov is looking for a takedown.
Shopov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Santiago wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Angel Santiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santiago changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Shopov fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Santiago is breathing heavily.
Shopov is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shopov fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Santiago gets a clinch.
Santiago stops a takedown attempt from Shopov.
Shopov tries to pull guard but Santiago forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Shopov tries for a takedown. No joy.

Santiago manages to break the clinch.
Shopov avoids the body shot from Santiago.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santiago wants to clinch up but Shopov keeps it at a distance.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Santiago fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Santiago goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Angel Santiago dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Santiago moves in looking to clinch but Shopov pushes him off.
Shopov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Santiago fails with a takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Santiago.
Santiago tries to clinch but Shopov is having none of it.
Shopov throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Santiago is trying hard to land a takedown here. Shopov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Santiago fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Angel Santiago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santiago darts in looking for a takedown but Shopov gets double underhooks and turns Santiago into the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shopov is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Santiago tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shopov just stands there and leans against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Santiago pulls guard.
Shopov sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Shopov has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Santiago is proving hard to escape from.
Santiago preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shopov looking to sit in guard and control but Santiago gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Santiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Shopov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Shopov wants to sweep but no luck.
Santiago trying to control but Shopov is working from the bottom.
Shopov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Santiago trying to control but Shopov is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Angel Santiago.
Shopov will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Santiago tries to clinch there but Shopov circles away.
Santiago is trying hard to land a takedown here. Shopov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Santiago!
Shopov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Angel Santiago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santiago has a takedown stuffed.
Shopov slaps away a takedown attempt from Santiago, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Shopov moves out of range as Santiago throws a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago is looking to clinch but Shopov is avoiding it.
Santiago is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Santiago fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Shopov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Santiago shoots in looking for a takedown. Shopov tries to sprawl out of it but Santiago keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Shopov manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shopov fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Angel Santiago dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Santiago tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Shopov is able to avoid easily.

Santiago gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Shopov wants a takedown.
Stalling in the clinch from Santiago.

Santiago manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Santiago striking off his back but it's not causing Shopov any problems.
Santiago pulls Shopov in close to prevent any damage.
Shopov stops Santiago from standing up.
Santiago striking off his back but it's not causing Shopov any problems.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago wants to get back to his feet but Shopov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Shopov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Santiago. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shopov looking to pass the guard.
Santiago trying to control the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Santiago manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Shopov holds of for dear life.

Santiago looking to secure an arm triangle but Shopov defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago wants to control the pace but Shopov is squirming around nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Santiago looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Santiago throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Shopov doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Santiago can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Shopov is looking to escape.
Shopov manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Shopov, under a barage of strikes from Santiago.
Santiago is trying to control. Shopov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Santiago passes to side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Shopov can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago controls the position.
Santiago wants to stand but Shopov is controlling his arm.

Santiago tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Santiago wants to control for a moment but Shopov uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Shopov wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Angel Santiago showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Santiago has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Angel Santiago!