PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Santiago Areias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Donald Markham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Areias
vs
Markham

184 cm
26
148 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

178 cm
25
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Good knees
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Santiago Areias!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Donald Markham!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Edson Gomes and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Markham wants to clinch up but Areias keeps it at a distance.
Markham tries to clinch there but Areias circles away.
Markham throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Areias tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Markham manages to circle out of the way.
Markham shoots in for a takedown but Areias shows good takedown defense.
Markham wants to clinch up but Areias keeps it at a distance.
Areias misses with a takedown attempt - Markham sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Markham tries to close the distance and clinch but Areias swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Areias shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Markham as he avoids it easily.
Markham shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Markham wants to clinch up but Areias keeps it at a distance.
Areias was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Markham misses with a head kick.
Markham closes the distance and clinches up with Areias, looking for a takedown. Markham pushes Areias against the cage but Areias circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Markham throws a lazy head kick

and Areias holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Areias pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Areias moves into the clinch.

Markham manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Areias trying to control but Markham is working from the bottom.
Areias stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Markham swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Markham looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Areias trying to control the position from guard on top but Markham is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Areias drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Markham dives on top into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Markham stands and steps away. Areias gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Markham is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Markham wants to clinch.
Markham tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Areias defends well and Markham ends up having to push Areias into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Santiago Areias has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donald Markham.
Markham shoots in for a takedown but Areias shows good takedown defense.
Areias dives in for a single leg takedown but Markham sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Areias misses with a two punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Areias stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Areias wants it to stay on the feet.
Areias went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Markham gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Areias counters by clinching up.

Areias manages to break the clinch.
Markham scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Areias avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Areias fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Markham, pushing him back against the cage.

Areias jumps guard and drags Markham to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Markham trying to control but Areias is working from the bottom.
Areias not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Markham is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Areias on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Areias tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Areias avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Areias is trying to keep Markham in close.
Areias really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Markham won't allow Areias to sweep him here.

Markham avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

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

and Areias holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Areias tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Areias tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Markham smiles and moves away.

Markham tries to keep at a distance but Areias has taken the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santiago Areias dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Areias has managed to clinch.
Markham is looking to take this one to the mat.

Areias escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Markham has his takedown stuffed
and Areias counters with a nice leg kick.
Markham shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Areias as he avoids it easily.
Santiago Areias has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donald Markham.
Areias scores with a nice body kick.

Areias moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Markham looking for a takedown.
Markham is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Areias pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Areias content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Markham gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Areias.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markham tries for a takedown. No joy.
Markham is breathing heavily.
Areias tries to pull guard but Markham won't allow it.
Markham tries to work over Areias's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Markham goes for a takedown in the clinch but Areias prevents it.

Areias manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Areias is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Markham can do to turn this around?
Areias preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Areias keeping moving, preventing Markham from controlling successfully.
Areias tries to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Markham thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Areias is looking to stand up but Markham isn't so interested in that idea.
Markham scoring with some ground and pound.
Markham stands up over Areias, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Areias trying to control the position.
Markham lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Markham wants to control from the top but Areias keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Markham drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Markham jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Areias looking for a sweep. Not yet Areias, not yet.
Areias is looking to sweep but instead, Markham has passed into half guard.
Markham controlling the pace.

Markham is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Areias sees it coming and defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Areias is trying to stand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Markham decides to stand up.
Markham fails with a takedown attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The fight stays on the outside here - Markham looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Markham will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Santiago Areias 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Horrible takedown attempt by Markham or perhaps it was just good defense by Areias, which made it look bad.
Markham tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Areias counters with a nice body kick.
Areias shoots for a double leg takedown but Markham sprawls well. He's pushed Areias's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
As Areias backs off Markham throws a huge counter combo but Areias manages to avoid it all.
Markham misses with a straight left.
Areias swats away the attempt to clinch by Markham.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Markham.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Areias shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Markham but Markham pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Markham tries to clinch there but Areias circles away.
Areias defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Markham.
And Areias counters with a quick kick to the body but Markham blocks it.
Santiago Areias has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Donald Markham.
Markham takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markham stuffs the takedown attempt from Areias. Areias gets slowly back to his feet.
Areias blocks a low kick nicely.
As Markham tries to get set, Areias tries to push him back and clinch up but Markham manages to avoid the attempt.
Markham keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Areias throws a head kick but Markham moves out of range.
Areias shoots for a takedown but Markham saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Areias fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Markham unleashes a big counter combination but Areias bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Markham is looking to clinch but Areias is avoiding it.
Markham has a takedown stuffed.
Areias shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Markham as he avoids it easily.
Areias chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Markham fails with a takedown attempt.
Areias throws a big counter combination but Markham scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Markham tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Areias defends well and Markham ends up having to push Areias into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Areias misses with a few strikes there.
Markham feints the counter takedown.

Areias clinches up against the cage.
Areias tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Markham just stands there and leans against the cage.

Areias turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Areias manages to end up in side control.

Markham sneaks out the side door and pushes Areias away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Areias throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Markham.
Markham fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Areias went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Markham shoots in looking for a takedown but Areias manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Markham's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Areias shoots in and drives through. Markham sprawls well.
Santiago Areias is winning the standup battle so far.
Markham tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Areias manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Areias lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Markham has a takedown stuffed.

Areias gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Markham tries to break the clinch but Areias is controlling the position.
Markham jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Areias walks away with a smile on his face. Markham gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Markham tries for a takedown but Areias sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Markham takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Areias fails to land the takedown.

Areias gets a double leg takedown into Markham's guard.
Markham working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Markham looking for a sweep. Not yet Markham, not yet.
Donald Markham has got the better of the ground game so far.
Areias trying to stand up but can't free himself from Markham's guard.
Donald Markham has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Santiago Areias is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Areias knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Markham on the ground.
Markham keeping full guard, as Areias tries to pass.

And that's the end of the fight!
Santiago Areias showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Areias, 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Santiago Areias!