PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between KJ Dempsey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Dempsey
vs
Santos

181 cm
19
214 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

188 cm
22
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

TKO Vegas

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, KJ Dempsey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Santos!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Joseph Jones and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Dempsey as Santos shoots in.

Dempsey scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Dempsey working the ground and pound from side control.
Dempsey is putting a hurting on Santos here, landing some big shots from side control.
Dempsey scores with punches from side control.
Santos is looking to reverse the position.
Dempsey is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Santos's shoulder. That is not cool.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Dempsey tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dempsey has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Dempsey wants to control but Santos is keeping him busy.

Dempsey looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Dempsey 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.
Santos avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Dempsey.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dempsey throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Santos takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Dempsey working away.
Dempsey trying to control the position but Santos is working away.

Dempsey is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Santos knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Santos is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Dempsey off and has taken his back!
Santos misses with a punch to the head.
I really don't envy Dempsey right now.
Dempsey manages to reverse the position and now he's in Santos's guard. Nice work there by Dempsey.
Dempsey advances position into side control!
Dempsey scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Santos to see if he's OK.
Santos can't do much from the bottom here.
Santos taking a bit of punishment here - Dempsey scoring with strikes.

Dempsey thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dempsey creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Santos sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Dempsey working away.
An elbow from Dempsey crashes against the mat.
Dempsey working the ground and pound.

Dempsey is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Santos knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Dempsey misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Santos sneaks back into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dempsey wants to free his trapped foot but Santos is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos wants to control but Dempsey is keeping busy.
Santos throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Santos is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Dempsey scores with a couple of nice shots.
Santos is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Dempsey scores with a couple of nice shots.

Santos looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Santos looks gassed!
Dempsey seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dempsey scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

KJ Dempsey dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Dempsey fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dempsey misses with an uppercut. Santos saw that one coming.
Nice takedown defense from Dempsey. No joy for Santos on that attempt.
Dempsey throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A punch lands to the side of Santos 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Santos avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Dempsey loads up on a big right hand but Santos slips the punch.
Dempsey connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Dempsey wants to clinch.
Santos tries for a takedown but Dempsey circles away easily

and Dempsey counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Santos's guard now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dempsey distracts Santos with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Dempsey from controlling successfully.
Santos is breathing heavily.
Santos has momentary wrist control but Dempsey slips an elbow through the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Dempsey from controlling successfully.
Dempsey passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Dempsey lands a nice forearm strike.
Dempsey wants to control but Santos is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Santos's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
KJ Dempsey overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dempsey wants to control but Santos is keeping him busy.

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.
Santos is trying to improve his position.
Dempsey controls the position.
Dempsey lands a decent elbow from side control.
Dempsey cracks Santos with a big elbow.
Dempsey working away.
Dempsey lands a decent elbow from side control.
Dempsey works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Santos is being controlled here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Dempsey working the head and body with strikes.
Dempsey scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Santos to see if he's OK.
Dempsey working the head and body with strikes.
Dempsey landing a few strikes.
Dempsey wants to control but Santos is keeping him busy.
Santos takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Santos is working to avoid the ground and pound but Dempsey connects with a decent elbow.
Check out the look on Dempsey's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Dempsey looks up at the clock and then as Santos takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Dempsey smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Dempsey in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos wants to control but Dempsey postures up.
Santos is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Dempsey working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Santos is working to avoid the ground and pound but Dempsey connects with a decent elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santos takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Dempsey working the head with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

KJ Dempsey dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Dempsey lands with a cross.
Dempsey gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Santos counters with a three punch combo that has Dempsey backing up. Dempsey nods at Santos to acknowledge the strikes.
Dempsey connects with a right hand. Santos shakes it off.
Good standup being displayed there by Dempsey as he connects with a hook.
Santos walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Santos misses with a takedown attempt

and Dempsey counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Santos!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dempsey in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Santos is rocked!
Dempsey scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Santos?
Santos is still in real trouble! Can Dempsey finish him?
Santos is bucking up trying to escape but Dempsey cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
A nice elbow there by Dempsey.

Dempsey looking to secure an arm triangle but Santos defends it well.
Santos takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Santos seems to have recovered his senses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos is trying to escape the mount.
Dempsey with a couple of short strikes.
Santos is in a horrible position here. Dempsey smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Dempsey looking for a guillotine from mount but Santos is having none of it.
Dempsey putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dempsey unloading with bombs!

Dempsey is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Santos has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Santos wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Dempsey.
Santos manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Santos is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Dempsey pulls his head out easily.
Dempsey wants to control but Santos is keeping him busy.
Dempsey takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dempsey trying to control the pace.
Dempsey is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Dempsey works his foot free and advances to mount.
The referee warns Santos that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Santos is bucking up trying to escape but Dempsey cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Dempsey trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dempsey unloading with bombs!
Dempsey breaks from Santos's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Santos is in a horrible position here. Dempsey smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Dempsey has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Santos's face.
A nice elbow there by Dempsey.
Santos regains half guard.
Ground and pound from Dempsey.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dempsey passes into side control, despite Santos's attempt to control the position.
John Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
KJ Dempsey is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
KJ Dempsey showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Dempsey has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:26
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:26
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... KJ Dempsey!