PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gustavo Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Mayo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mayo has chosen Super Furry Animals - Golden Retriever as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Santos
vs
Mayo

175 cm
25
137 lbs
22 - 6 - 0

170 cm
50
142 lbs
38 - 37 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid 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 22 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gustavo Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 38 - 37 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Chris Mayo!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Steve Montenegro and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Santos blocks a low kick nicely.

Santos drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Mayo is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
A bit of stalling here from Santos.
Mayo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Santos effectively controlling the action here.
Santos tries to throw a body punch but Mayo avoids it by throwing Santos back against the cage.
Mayo looking to slow down the pace here.
Mayo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Santos.
Mayo looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Nice body punch from Santos.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mayo is looking to control Santos's arms but Santos gets an underhook and turns him. Now Mayo has his back to the cage.
Mayo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mayo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Santos stalls.
Santos taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Santos seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Santos as Mayo tries to tie him up.
Santos misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Santos gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Mayo regains guard.
Santos controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Santos seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Mayo for as long as he can get away with.
Santos continues to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
More hug and hope from Santos.
Mayo working a defensive guard here.
Santos is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
We've been hearing that Santos has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mayo wants to sweep here but Santos controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Santos takes the fight into the clinch.
Santos tries to work over Mayo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Santos just leaning against Mayo, taking a breather.
Santos misses with a hook to the ribs.
Mayo doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mayo prevents the takedown attempt.
Santos is stalling here.
Santos will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Mayo up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Santos lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mayo backwards.
The referee is keeping an eye on Santos - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Mayo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Santos avoids it.
Santos taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Santos misses with a hook to the ribs.
Santos doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mayo lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Gustavo Santos has been cut.
Santos takes an elbow to the temple.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Santos trying to control the position but instead, Mayo has worked for underhooks and has pushed Santos into the cage.
Santos misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Gustavo Santos will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Gustavo Santos's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A jab from Mayo misses.
Mayo wants to land a leg kick but Santos is out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mayo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Santos moves away from the strike by Mayo.

Santos rushes Mayo and presses him up against the cage.
Santos taking a breather.
A short right from Mayo.
Santos lands a body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mayo works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Mayo is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Santos avoiding damage as Mayo throws knees to the body.
Santos lands a nice shot to the body.
Santos has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Mayo after a bit of a struggle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Santos takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Mayo throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Mayo has Santos pushed against the cage.
Santos is working Mayo over against the cage.
Santos taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Santos lands an uppercut.
Mayo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mayo misses with a hook from the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Santos.
Mayo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Santos drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mayo is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Santos is defending well for now.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mayo is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Mayo prevents a body shot from Santos.
Mayo being controlled against the cage.
Santos will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Mayo up against the cage.
Mayo tries a body shot but Santos blocks it.
Mayo is trying to stall.
Santos misses with a hook to the ribs.
Mayo looking to stall.
Mayo with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Santos goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Mayo's elbow.
Mayo lands a good knee to the midsection. Santos won't want to take too many of those.
Santos lands a right hand.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Santos.
Mayo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Santos blocks it with crossed arms.
Mayo tries a knee to the head but Santos blocks it.
Mayo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mayo throws a head punch that misses.
Santos blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Santos lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Santos slowing the pace effectively.
A body shot lands from Santos.
Mayo is breathing heavily.
Santos is struggling to control the position.
Mayo is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Santos lands with a short shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Good body shot from Santos.
Santos holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Santos changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Mayo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gustavo Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Santos has taken the fight to the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mayo with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Santos lands a takedown into guard.
Mayo wants to control the position but Santos says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Well, if Santos 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.

Santos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Mayo defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gustavo Santos dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Gustavo Santos's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Santos shoots in and bounces Mayo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Santos content to stall in guard here.
Santos'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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mayo wants to stand up but Santos is controlling him.

Santos is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
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.
Santos postures up.
Mayo can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Santos controls the pace.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Further stalling from Santos.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Chris Mayo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mayo tries a head kick but it misses.
A shot to the liver by Mayo. Beautiful body shot.
Chris Mayo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two 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.

Santos forces Mayo back against the cage and clinches.
Mayo blocks a body shot from Santos.
Mayo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Santos.
Santos lands a hook to the side of the head.
Santos blocks an elbow strike from Mayo.
Mayo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Santos misses with a body punch.
Santos holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Santos tries to work over Mayo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A bit of stalling here from Santos.
Santos avoiding damage as Mayo throws knees to the body.
Santos blocks an elbow strike.
Santos lands with a light punch inside.
Santos lands with a right to the head.
Santos lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Mayo or not.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Santos trying to stall but Mayo improves his position.
Mayo missing with knees to the body.
Santos changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Mayo fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Santos has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mayo trying to stall but Santos improves his position.
Mayo blocks a body shot from Santos.
Santos is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mayo can do to turn this around?
Santos holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Mayo trying to land knees to the body.
Mayo misses with a knee strike.
Gustavo Santos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Santos is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Mayo with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Santos struggles to land a body shot inside as Mayo controls his hands.
A short body shot lands from Santos as the two fighters clinch.
Mayo creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Mayo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mayo tries to land knees in the clinch but Santos avoids the damage to the body.
Mayo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mayo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Santos has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Mayo blocks a body shot from Santos.
Mayo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Santos avoids it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stalling in the clinch from Santos.
Santos taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Mayo missing with knees to the body.
Santos blocks an uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gustavo Santos showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Santos, 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gustavo Santos!