PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tanner Mcfarland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Santiago Santichava (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tanner Mcfarland has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Mcfarland
vs
Santichava

181 cm
23
193 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

185 cm
19
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tanner Mcfarland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Santiago Santichava!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paul Aken and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santichava with a lazy takedown attempt
and Mcfarland counters with a nice body kick.
Mcfarland shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Santichava sprawls well. Santichava wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mcfarland gets slowly back to his feet.

Santichava has managed to clinch.

Santichava breaks from the clinch.
Santichava throws a right and a left that both miss.
Santichava swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Mcfarland counters with a nice body kick.

Santichava changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Mcfarland looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Mcfarland can't do much from the bottom here.
Mcfarland is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Santichava is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Santichava wants to stand but Mcfarland is controlling his arm.
Mcfarland is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santichava trying to control the position but Mcfarland is working away.
Santichava wants to stand but Mcfarland is controlling his arm.
Mcfarland is looking to regain half guard here but Santichava keeps moving and retains side control.

Santichava stands up and beckons Mcfarland to his feet.
Santichava throws a nice looking combination but Mcfarland bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A combination from Santichava does no damage.
Santichava on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Santichava misses with a leg kick

and Mcfarland counters by clinching up.

Mcfarland breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mcfarland is defended easily by Santichava.
Santichava throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santichava shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mcfarland but Mcfarland pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mcfarland takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Santichava swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Mcfarland counters by moving into the clinch.
Santichava looks winded!
Santichava is trying to force a seperation but Mcfarland has the dominant position.
Santichava working hard to break the clinch.
Mcfarland is looking to break free of the clinch but Santichava has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santichava is trying to force a seperation but Mcfarland has the dominant position.
Mcfarland tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mcfarland has Santichava pressed against the cage, preventing Santichava from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Mcfarland breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mcfarland tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Santichava misses with a double jab
and Mcfarland finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Santichava drives through and clinches with Mcfarland against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santichava wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mcfarland has him pressed against the cage.
Santichava is trying to break the clinch but Mcfarland has him pressed against the cage.
Santichava trying to control the position but instead, Mcfarland has worked for underhooks and has pushed Santichava into the cage.
Mcfarland is looking to break free of the clinch but Santichava has double underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Santichava misses with a combination
and Mcfarland counters with a nice body kick.
Santichava has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Mcfarland.
Santichava throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Mcfarland counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Mcfarland.
Santichava tries to break the clinch but Mcfarland is controlling the position.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Mcfarland breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Santichava misses with a combination
and Mcfarland counters with a nice body kick.
Santichava has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Mcfarland.
Santichava misses with a combination

and Mcfarland counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mcfarland.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santichava avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mcfarland scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Mcfarland prevents Santichava from getting back to his feet.
Mcfarland working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Santichava utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mcfarland accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Santichava preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mcfarland has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Santichava working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mcfarland.
Santichava avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mcfarland prevents Santichava from getting back to his feet.
Santichava is breathing heavily.
Mcfarland throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santichava works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Santichava avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mcfarland throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Mcfarland stands up from Santichava's guard - Mcfarland perhaps looking for a knockout.
Santichava falls off balance throwing a combination

and Mcfarland counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mcfarland throwing strikes from guard but Santichava blocks nicely.
Mcfarland throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santichava works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santichava wants to stand up but Mcfarland is controlling him.
Tanner Mcfarland overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mcfarland throws an elbow that misses. Santichava uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mcfarland's guard. Nice move by Santichava!

Mcfarland working for a triangle but Santichava defends it easily.
Mcfarland working a defensive guard here.

Mcfarland is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Santichava defends well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santichava would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Mcfarland looking for a sweep. Not yet Mcfarland, not yet.
Santichava sitting in guard here, content to control.
Mcfarland controls Santichava momentarily but Santichava frees himself.

Mcfarland had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Santichava defends it easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santichava is looking to stand up but Mcfarland won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tanner Mcfarland dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Mcfarland tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A punch combination from Santichava misses.
Santichava looks to land a combination but Mcfarland avoids it well.
Santichava misses with a straight right.
Santiago Santichava seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Santichava throws a series of punches but Mcfarland avoids them all with ease.
Tanner Mcfarland is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mcfarland shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Santichava pinned against the cage. Santichava gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mcfarland shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Santichava but Santichava pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Santichava misses with a series of wild punches.
Santichava swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Mcfarland counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Mcfarland will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tanner Mcfarland. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santichava misses with a combination

and Mcfarland counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Santichava takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Santichava pushes Mcfarland off looking to stand but Mcfarland dives back in and keeps control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mcfarland looks to land a strike but Santichava avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Mcfarland throws a big right hand that misses.
Mcfarland stops Santichava from standing up.
Mcfarland keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Santichava's head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mcfarland accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Santichava utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mcfarland throwing strikes but missing.
Mcfarland with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mcfarland throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santichava works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mcfarland landing some decent shots from guard.
Mcfarland throws a strike but Santichava rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santichava wants to control from the top but Mcfarland keeps moving.
Mcfarland not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Santichava wants to get up but he can't break Mcfarland's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Mcfarland had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Santichava defends it easily.
Santichava postures up.
Santichava wants to get up but he can't break Mcfarland's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Mcfarland working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Santichava doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Santichava manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mcfarland not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Santichava is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santichava trying to control but Mcfarland is working from the bottom.
Santichava wants to get up but he can't break Mcfarland's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Mcfarland is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Santichava tries to stand but Mcfarland is controlling from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Santiago Santichava was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Santichava throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Mcfarland counters with a head kick. That will keep Santichava thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Mcfarland moves into range and clinches up with Santichava.

Mcfarland breaks the clinch.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mcfarland looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Santichava falls off balance throwing a combination

and Mcfarland counters with a nice double leg into side control. Santichava won't be happy with that.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tanner Mcfarland showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mcfarland has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tanner Mcfarland!