PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gregory Scarpa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Scarpa
vs
Dos Santos

187 cm
27
189 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

185 cm
33
195 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Fast

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 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gregory Scarpa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rafael Dos Santos!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Steve Erwin and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Scarpa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Dos Santos as he avoids it easily.
Dos Santos thows a left - swing and a miss!
Scarpa walks into a jab.
Scarpa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dos Santos's waist but Dos Santos gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Scarpa off to one side.
Dos Santos wants to clinch.

Scarpa shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Dos Santos manages to get to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dos Santos controlling Scarpa's posture.
Scarpa passes Dos Santos's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Scarpa is working for a submission of some sort.
Dos Santos is trying to control but can't.
Dos Santos moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Dos Santos 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.
Scarpa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dos Santos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Scarpa stopping the sweep attempt from Dos Santos.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Scarpa pushing down on Dos Santos's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Scarpa is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Dos Santos is just riding it out for now. Scarpa eventually gives up the hold.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Dos Santos is looking for a sweep. Scarpa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Dos Santos gets full guard.
Scarpa content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Dos Santos avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Scarpa slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Dos Santos tries to control but Scarpa manages to take his back.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos is taking damage to the body and head.
Scarpa gets his hands free as Dos Santos looks to control.
Dos Santos can't escape the position.
Dos Santos prevents Scarpa from getting a body triangle.
Dos Santos trying to control the hands but Scarpa won't let him.
Dos Santos prevents Scarpa from getting a body triangle.

Dos Santos preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Scarpa.
Dos Santos is keeping busy.
Scarpa is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Dos Santos. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos is in bad spot here.
Scarpa doesn't have the hooks in and Dos Santos manages to turn into his guard.
Dos Santos throws a big elbow that misses.
Dos Santos in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Dos Santos tries to stand but Scarpa is controlling from the bottom.
Dos Santos working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Dos Santos trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Dos Santos thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Scarpa working for a triangle but Dos Santos defends it easily.

Scarpa is looking for a triangle but Dos Santos pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gregory Scarpa dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

A big left from Scarpa misses.
Scarpa walks into a straight right hand from Dos Santos.

Dos Santos shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Dos Santos was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Dos Santos thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Scarpa is letting Dos Santos control him for a moment.
Scarpa sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Scarpa avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dos Santos.

Dos Santos wants to work for an arm triangle but Scarpa is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dos Santos is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Scarpa is defending against the submission attempts here by Dos Santos.

Dos Santos is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Scarpa defending well though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Scarpa is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Dos Santos pulls his head out easily.
Gregory Scarpa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Scarpa is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Dos Santos pulls his head out easily.

Scarpa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Scarpa actively working from the bottom here.
My spies in Tri-Force MMA inform me that Dos Santos has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Scarpa is trying to get back to full guard.

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.
Scarpa slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Dos Santos postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Scarpa working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Dos Santos doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Dos Santos manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Dos Santos drops back looking for a leg! Scarpa is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Scarpa manages to kick Dos Santos off! Dos Santos jumps back into Scarpa's guard.
Dos Santos connects with a couple of short punches.
Dos Santos pushing down on Scarpa's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Scarpa wants to get back to full guard.
Scarpa trying to hold on to Dos Santos's head to control him but Dos Santos postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos winds up and cracks Scarpa with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Dos Santos not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Dos Santos lands strikes from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Scarpa tries to get to full guard but Dos Santos has control of the leg.
Scarpa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dos Santos.
Scarpa avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dos Santos.

Scarpa looking for subs from the bottom but Dos Santos mounts him!

Dos Santos looking to secure an arm triangle but Scarpa defends it well.
Scarpa can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos landing strikes from the mount.
Scarpa is wriggling around trying to escape.
Scarpa is squirming around, avoiding Dos Santos's attempts to control the action.

Dos Santos working for a submission but Scarpa is keeping him at bay.
Dos Santos raining down shots from the mount!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Scarpa is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Dos Santos with a couple of short strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Dos Santos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Dos Santos cracks a nice hook into Scarpa's ribs.
A swing and a miss from Dos Santos.

Dos Santos closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Scarpa is looking to regain half guard here but Dos Santos keeps moving and retains side control.
Dos Santos has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dos Santos landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Dos Santos landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Scarpa is looking for a sweep.

Dos Santos swings around for an armbar but Scarpa sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Dos Santos's guard.
Dos Santos controls Scarpa momentarily but Scarpa frees himself.
Dos Santos looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Scarpa trying to control but Dos Santos is working from the bottom.
Dos Santos is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dos Santos has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Scarpa should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Dos Santos has tightened it up now! Scarpa should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Rafael Dos Santos!