PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marcelo Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Concen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Marcelo Santiago has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Santiago
vs
Concen

155 cm
21
150 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

173 cm
26
151 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Dangerous GnP
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Marcelo Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Victor Concen!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Vladimir Khabensky and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Concen scores with a takedown into Santiago's guard.
Concen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Santiago has his foot on Concen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Concen works his way back into a safe position though.
Concen wants to stand but Santiago is controlling his posture from full guard.
Santiago might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Concen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Santiago, up you get!
Santiago looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Concen tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago with a lazy takedown attempt

and Concen counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Concen.

Santiago lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Concen is defending against the submission attempts here by Santiago.
Concen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Concen.
Santiago wants to control from the top but Concen keeps moving.
Santiago won't allow Concen to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Concen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Santiago is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Concen is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Concen has escaped and now he's on top!

Concen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Santiago looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Concen wants to get up but he can't break Santiago's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Santiago escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Concen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Concen wants to stand and escape but instead Santiago has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Santiago postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Concen tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santiago stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Concen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Santiago postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Concen is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Santiago, into his guard.

Santiago looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Concen wants to stand and escape but instead Santiago has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

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 Marcelo Santiago will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Santiago shoots in and drives through. Concen sprawls well.

Santiago fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Concen to the ground. Santiago is now in Concen's guard.
Santiago wants to pass the guard but Concen is keeping the position.
Santiago trying to control the position from guard on top but Concen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santiago prevents Concen from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Concen has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Santiago prevents Concen from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Santiago is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Concen has escaped the position, nice work there.
Concen felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Santiago wants to take a breather but Concen manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Santiago.
Concen is adopting a defensive guard.
Let's hope that Concen has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

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.
Santiago looking to sit in guard and control but Concen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Concen is stalling in the full guard.
Concen wanted to stand there but Santiago had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Concen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Santiago has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Concen has managed to get both his arms back between Santiago's legs - danger averted.
Concen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Santiago looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Concen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Marcelo Santiago overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Santiago is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Santiago being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Santiago gets tackled into the cage by Concen. Concen maintains the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Concen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Concen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Santiago swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Victor Concen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Concen moves into the clinch successfully.
Santiago tries to pull guard but Concen won't allow it.

Concen has clasped his hands together around Santiago's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Santiago is looking to reverse the position.
Concen working away.
Concen lands a nice forearm strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santiago wants to control but Concen postures up.
Santiago manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Concen slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Concen gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Santiago darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Santiago is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Concen is doing well to control the position and prevent Santiago from advancing to side control.
Concen is refusing to be controlled, as Santiago sits in half guard.

Santiago looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Concen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Concen.
Santiago throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Concen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Concen wants to sweep here but Santiago controlling him for the moment.

That's four 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.
Santiago trying to control but Concen is working from the bottom.
Concen managing to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Concen closes the distance and clinches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Concen takes a shot to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Concen.

And that's the end of the fight!
Victor Concen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Concen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Victor Concen!