PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lee Welch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ricardo Santos looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Welch
vs
Santos

199 cm
18
346 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

218 cm
18
280 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lee Welch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Santos!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Leandro Rodrigues and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos shoots in but no luck this time.
Santos pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Welch closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Santos's guard.
Santos looks winded!
Welch slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Welch's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Welch postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Welch is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Welch controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Welch working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Welch sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Further stalling from Welch.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Welch avoids the head kick by Santos.

Welch shoots in and gets a takedown into Santos's guard.
Welch is standing up over Santos. Santos looks to escape but Welch dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Santos on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Welch slows the pace down.
Welch has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welch 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.
Welch working the ground and pound.
Welch moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
If it seems like I'm not saying a lot, it's just because Welch is stinking the place up with his stalling.
Santos looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

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.
Welch grinds an elbow into Santos's temple.
Welch moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Welch working the head and body with strikes.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Welch remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Welch is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Santos's half guard.
Santos is trying to escape back to his feet but Welch uses the scramble to pass into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Welch remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Welch.
Santos is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos is working to avoid the ground and pound but Welch connects with a decent elbow.
Santos is trying to get back to half guard.
Santos is being controlled here.
Santos is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Welch working the body and head with strikes.
Welch slows the pace down.
Santos is working to avoid the ground and pound but Welch connects with a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Welch is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Santos will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Welch could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Santos taking a bit of punishment here - Welch scoring with strikes.
Santos trying to remain calm as Welch controls from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Welch.
Welch landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Welch is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Welch continues to hold on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Welch is chipping away with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lee Welch dominated that second 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Welch drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Lee Welch overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Welch's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Santos is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Welch is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Welch is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Welch slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Santos takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Welch feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Welch controls from within his opponent's guard.
Welch might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Welch seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Santos for as long as he can get away with.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Welch working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Santos wants to improve his position but instead Welch has moved into half guard.
Welch stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos taking some punishment here, with Welch in his half guard.
Well, if Welch is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Welch closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Welch tries a body shot but Santos blocks it.
Santos managing to block the knees to the body from Welch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Santos managing to block the knees to the body from Welch.
Ricardo Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lee Welch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Welch will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Santos up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lee Welch showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Welch, 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lee Welch!