PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Grigor Vladovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jorge Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Vladovich
vs
Santos

190 cm
21
188 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

188 cm
21
204 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Grigor Vladovich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jorge Santos!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Bruno Lombardi and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vladovich throws out a powerful jab.
Santos moves out of range as Vladovich strikes.
Santos changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
A big left from Santos misses.
We've been informed that Santos has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Vladovich ducks under a wild hook from Santos.
Santos throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Santos throws a hook to the side of Vladovich's head but Vladovich sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Santos is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Vladovich.
Vladovich lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Santos swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A big left from Vladovich misses.
Santos uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Vladovich.
Vladovich slips a straight right by Santos.
Vladovich loads up on a big right hand but Santos slips the punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Vladovich.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Santos! But no joy.
Vladovich is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Santos shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Vladovich but Vladovich pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Santos lands a glancing blow to the side of Vladovich's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos misses with a hook. Vladovich ducked under it nicely.
Vladovich was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Santos scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Santos controlling from side mount.
Santos working away.
Vladovich is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Santos looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Vladovich is trying to control Santos's posture but Santos avoids it.
Vladovich is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos controls the position from side control.
Santos's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Vladovich controls the position for a moment.
Vladovich is looking to reverse the position.
Vladovich is trying to control Santos's posture but Santos avoids it.
Santos fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vladovich tries to bench press Santos off him but Santos keeps the position.
Vladovich is working hard here to advance position.
Vladovich manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Vladovich is defending against the submission attempts here by Santos.
Santos takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Vladovich is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at O'Brannigans MMA that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Vladovich avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Santos.

Santos is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Vladovich has managed to free his arm - good work.

Santos is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Vladovich defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Vladovich is trying to get back to full guard.
Vladovich blocking the ground and pound attempt from Santos.
Vladovich trying to control here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Santos misses with a body shot.
Vladovich misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Santos.
Vladovich swings for the body but Santos moves out of range.
And Santos tries to counter it with a takedown but Vladovich pushes his down on his head and steps out.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vladovich scores with a jab to the jaw.
Vladovich with a hook.
Vladovich misses with the combination.
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 Grigor Vladovich will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Vladovich moves away from the strike by Santos.
Santos lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
A slow jab from Vladovich misses its intended target.
Vladovich lands a jab to Santos's midsection.

Santos gets a takedown into half guard.

Vladovich kicks off Santos and gets to his feet.

Santos looking to score a takedown here. Vladovich is defending well but Santos drives through and ends up in Vladovich's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vladovich pulls Santos in close to his closed guard and prevents Santos from doing any damage or advancing position.
Vladovich is trying to control the position but Santos postures up.
Santos wants to control from the top but Vladovich keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos stands up over Vladovich, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Santos postures up in Vladovich's guard and throws a big left but Vladovich blocks it.

Vladovich working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Santos doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Santos manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Vladovich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Santos tries to free his leg and advance position but Vladovich is retaining full guard.
Santos works over Vladovich with some ground and pound from guard.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Vladovich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Vladovich avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Vladovich is trying to keep Santos in close.
Santos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Grigor Vladovich is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Vladovich takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Santos misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Santos misses the shot to the body.
Vladovich throws out a loose jab but Santos uses good head movement to avoid it.
Santos scores with a jab.
Santos displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Vladovich throws out the jab.
Vladovich on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Vladovich thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santos lands a big right hand that sends Vladovich crashing to the mat! Santos stays standing though and waves Vladovich back to his feet!

Vladovich is rocked!
Vladovich throws the left hand but Santos avoids the punch easily.
Oh Vladovich is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Jorge Santos seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Santos shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Vladovich's guard.
Santos is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Santos throws a big right hand that misses.
Santos trying to control but Vladovich is working from the bottom.
Santos pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Vladovich is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vladovich preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Vladovich seems to have got his legs back now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santos trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Santos working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Santos trying to control but Vladovich is working from the bottom.
Vladovich looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Vladovich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vladovich is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Santos looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
A combination from Vladovich does no damage.
Vladovich scores with a one two! Santos had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Santos ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Vladovich moves away.
Santos throws a jab but it's blocked by Vladovich.
Good shot there by Santos.
Santos connects with a good right hand that stumbles Vladovich. Vladovich circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Santos takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Vladovich scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jorge Santos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Vladovich slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
No joy there for Santos, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Vladovich swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Santos scores with a jab to the head.
Santos throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Santos drops Vladovich with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Vladovich looks back up at him and smiles so Santos waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vladovich slips a straight right by Santos.
No joy there for Vladovich, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Santos walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Some wild striking there from Vladovich.
Santos is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
A jab from Vladovich misses.
Vladovich throws a hook to the side of Santos's head but Santos sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Santos throws out a counter right but Vladovich avoids it with no problem.
Santos jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Vladovich throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Santos shoots in and drives through. Vladovich sprawls well.
Santos takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
No joy there for Santos, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Santos shoots in looking for a takedown but Vladovich manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Santos's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Vladovich looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Vladovich scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Vladovich throws a body punch but Santos moves out of range.
Vladovich clobbers Santos with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Vladovich bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Santos's head backwards.
Nice cross by Santos.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A leg kick checked by Vladovich.
Vladovich looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Santos jabs Vladovich right on the nose. Vladovich blinks but takes it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vladovich ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Vladovich misses with a few strikes there.
Vladovich throws the left hand but Santos avoids the punch easily.
Vladovich staying out of range there.
Vladovich throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Santos stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Santos tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Vladovich defends well and Santos ends up having to push Vladovich into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Grigor Vladovich has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jorge Santos.

Santos drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Santos takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Santos pushing down on Vladovich's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Santos is pressing down on Vladovich's thigh, looking to free his foot. Vladovich is holding on for now.
Vladovich keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Santos performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santos is working for a kimura but Vladovich is defending it quite comfortably.
Santos is controlling the pace.
Vladovich blocking the ground and pound attempt from Santos.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Vladovich wants to control but Santos is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Santos has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Santos not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vladovich gets full guard.
Vladovich pulls Santos in close to prevent any damage.
Vladovich has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Santos loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Santos scoring with some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jorge Santos.
I think Santos has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jorge Santos!
An out of breath Jorge Santos thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.