PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bai Yu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santiago is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Asesinos - Los Crudos. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Yu
vs
Santiago

180 cm
22
195 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

188 cm
42
198 lbs
29 - 12 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bai Yu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Santiago!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Mauricio Rocha and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yu defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Santiago.
Yu missing with a left hand there. Santiago was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Santiago closes this distance looking for a takedown but Yu circles away.
Santiago fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Yu on the side of the head.
Yu looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Santiago dives in for a single leg takedown but Yu sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Bai Yu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Santiago.
Yu misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Yu lands with a short shot to the head.
Yu tries to work over Santiago's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Yu tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Santiago's elbow.

Santiago escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Santiago changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Yu tries to avoid it but Santiago manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Yu to the ground. Yu escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Santiago fails to land the takedown.
Santiago throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Yu's waist but Yu gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Santiago off to one side.
Santiago darts in looking for a takedown but Yu gets double underhooks and turns Santiago into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yu lands an uppercut.
Stalling in the clinch from Yu.
Yu misses with the head strike.
Yu tries to throw a body punch but Santiago avoids it by throwing Yu back against the cage.
Santiago goes for a takedown in the clinch but Yu prevents it.

Yu breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Santiago with a poor takedown
and Yu counters with a slapping leg kick.
Santiago throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Yu.
Yu scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Yu lands with a kick to the ribs.
Santiago dives in and grabs Yu's left leg, looking for a takedown. Yu pushes down on Santiago's head and hops out.
Santiago will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Yu misses with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago shoots in for a double leg but Yu sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Santiago tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Yu swivels and escapes.

Santiago looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Santiago looks winded!
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!
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Yu is trying to keep Santiago in close.
Yu is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Santiago throwing strikes from guard but Yu blocks nicely.
Santiago trying to control but Yu is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Santiago accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yu tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Yu is trying to keep Santiago in close.

We're going to have a standup here because Bai Yu wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Yu stuffs the takedown attempt from Santiago. Santiago gets slowly back to his feet.
Santiago misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Antonio Santiago seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice body kick from Yu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Santiago takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A nice inside leg kick there by Yu. That's going to slow Santiago down.
Yu pushes Santiago away with a front kick.
Santiago has a takedown stuffed.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A solid leg kick lands there for Yu.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santiago takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Yu with a nice cross.
Santiago fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bai Yu dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Santiago fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
No luck for Santiago with that takedown attempt.
Yu scores with a leg kick.
Santiago is trying hard to land a takedown here. Yu sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Bai Yu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Santiago.
Santiago fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Yu lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Santiago shoots in for a double leg but Yu sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Santiago is breathing heavily.
Yu feints and then cracks Santiago's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Santiago down.
Santiago shoots in and drives through. Yu sprawls well.
A nice leg kick lands there from Yu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago takes a head kick and keeps coming.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Santiago is defended easily by Yu.
Santiago misses with a takedown
and Yu counters with a slapping leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Yu.
Yu with a jab.
Yu scores with a crisp jab that stopped Santiago in his tracks.
Santiago's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Yu looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Santiago has his takedown stuffed
and Yu counters with a body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yu throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Santiago.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yu lands a big head kick that sends Santiago tumbling to the mat! Yu takes a step backwards and waves Santiago back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Santiago is rocked!
Yu dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Santiago. That did some damage!
Santiago is still on wobbly legs! Can Yu finish him?
Yu does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Santiago seems to have recovered his senses.
Yu misses with a low kick.
Santiago has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Yu.
Santiago tries to move into range but Yu moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Yu fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Yu is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Santiago can do to turn this around?
Santiago closes this distance looking for a takedown but Yu circles away.
Santiago fails with a takedown attempt.
Bai Yu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice sprawl there from Yu as Santiago shoots in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago doesn't succeed with the takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Santiago tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Yu swivels and escapes.
Nice shot by Yu.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yu. Santiago does a little dance to reset his feet.
Santiago takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Santiago uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yu.
Yu cracks the inside of Santiago's front leg.
Yu throws a head kick that misses.
Good exchange - Yu coming out on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Santiago keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Santiago has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Yu.
Santiago changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Yu tries to avoid it but Santiago manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Yu to the ground. Yu escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Santiago fails with the takedown
and Yu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A slapping leg kick lands for Yu.
Yu slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Yu lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Yu.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Santiago looks for a takedown but Yu sprawls well.
Yu lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bai Yu dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Santiago on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Santiago fails with the takedown.
Yu throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Yu with a jab.
Yu stuns Santiago with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Yu scoring well with a low kick there.
A head kick misses from Yu.
Santiago takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Santiago misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Santiago on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Yu. Yu obviously looking to wear him down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago moves out of range as Yu throws a body kick.
Yu scores with a hook.

Santiago scores with a takedown into Yu's guard.
Yu is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Santiago 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.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Santiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Yu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Bai Yu.
Yu defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Santiago.
Bai Yu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Santiago.
Yu connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Yu fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
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!
Yu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Yu throws the left hand but Santiago avoids the punch easily.
Yu lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Yu goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Yu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Antonio Santiago has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago slips under a jab.

Santiago throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Yu was covering up waiting for the punch and Santiago finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Yu manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Santiago manages to get himself to full guard.
Santiago keeping moving, preventing Yu from controlling successfully.
Yu knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Santiago on the ground.
Santiago is adopting a defensive guard.
Santiago keeping moving, preventing Yu from controlling successfully.
Bai Yu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yu won't allow Santiago to sweep him here.

We're going to have a standup here because Bai Yu wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Santiago darts in looking for a takedown but Yu gets double underhooks and turns Santiago into the cage.
Santiago wants to take the fight to the mat but Yu manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santiago is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Yu is defending well.
Yu tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yu makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Yu tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
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 tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bai Yu showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Yu, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:26
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bai Yu!