PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cicero Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Rondo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cicero Dos Santos has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dos Santos
vs
Rondo

180 cm
25
175 lbs
6 - 3 - 1

180 cm
25
170 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 1, fighting out of New York, Cicero Dos Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ricky Rondo!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Gregory Folan and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rondo throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Dos Santos shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Rondo has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Dos Santos has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

Rondo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rondo lands with a good body shot.
Dos Santos displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rondo.
Dos Santos appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
No luck for Rondo with that takedown attempt.
Rondo misses with a wild combination.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Jab, jab by Rondo - just one landing.
Rondo lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rondo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Dos Santos napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Rondo wants to control but Dos Santos is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dos Santos dodges the ground and pound from Rondo.
Rondo working the ground and pound but Dos Santos is defending the strikes.
Dos Santos wants to control but Rondo postures up.
Rondo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dos Santos keeps working.
Rondo working away.
Rondo looks up at the clock and then as Dos Santos takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Rondo smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Rondo is trying to move to mount but Dos Santos reverses beautifully and ends up in Rondo's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rondo wants to sweep here but Dos Santos controlling him for the moment.
Dos Santos seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Rondo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dos Santos.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos throwing strikes from guard but Rondo blocks nicely.
Dos Santos is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Rondo is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Dos Santos has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rondo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Dos Santos is looking to take this one to the mat.
Dos Santos tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cicero Dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Dos Santos is looking to take this one to the mat.

Rondo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rondo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rondo fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Rondo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Dos Santos is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rondo pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Dos Santos drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rondo pulls his leg out and moves away.
Dos Santos takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Rondo dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Rondo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Dos Santos circles away quickly and effectively.
Dos Santos half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dos Santos.
Despite the aggression on Rondo's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Nice cross by Rondo.
Rondo scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Rondo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Dos Santos was covering up waiting for the punch and Rondo finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Dos Santos on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Dos Santos tries to get out of the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rondo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dos Santos keeping full guard, as Rondo tries to pass.
Dos Santos utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rondo trying to control but Dos Santos is working from the bottom.
Rondo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rondo wants to stand but Dos Santos has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Rondo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dos Santos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Rondo shoots for a double leg takedown but Dos Santos sprawls well. He's pushed Rondo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ricky Rondo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rondo smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rondo misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rondo scores with a crisp jab that stopped Dos Santos in his tracks.
Rondo throws a right hand that Dos Santos ducks under and follows up with a left that Dos Santos also avoids with ease.

Rondo manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Dos Santos on his heels. He'll look to pass Dos Santos's guard now, I'm sure.
Rondo postures up in Dos Santos's guard and throws a big left but Dos Santos blocks it.
Rondo won't allow Dos Santos to sweep him here.
Rondo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rondo looking to sit in guard and control but Dos Santos gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Dos Santos seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos 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.
Rondo wants to sweep but no luck.
Ricky Rondo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dos Santos postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rondo is trying to control the position but Dos Santos postures up.

Rondo is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rondo is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cicero Dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rondo breaks from the clinch.
Dos Santos takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Nice sprawl there from Rondo as Dos Santos shoots in.
Rondo is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Dos Santos with a body shot.
Rondo works the jab nicely.
Rondo lands a two punch combo.
Cicero Dos Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rondo scores with a jab to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rondo drives through and clinches with Dos Santos against the cage.
Dos Santos tries for a takedown. No joy.

Rondo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rondo scores with a crisp jab that stopped Dos Santos in his tracks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Rondo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Rondo. No joy for Dos Santos on that attempt.
Dos Santos shoots for a double leg takedown but Rondo sprawls well. He's pushed Dos Santos's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dos Santos.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cicero Dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rondo shoots and misses

and Dos Santos counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Rondo!
Rondo can't do much from the bottom here.
Check out the look on Dos Santos's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dos Santos throws a strike aimed at the side of Rondo's head but Rondo avoids it well.

Rondo throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rondo stalks Dos Santos and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Dos Santos's face. Dos Santos staggers backwards, shaken.
Nice takedown defense from Dos Santos. No joy for Rondo on that attempt.
Dos Santos drops down looking for a counter takedown but Rondo sprawls and moves away.
Dos Santos shoots in for a double leg but Rondo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Dos Santos shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rondo as he avoids it easily.

Dos Santos changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rondo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Dos Santos remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Dos Santos in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Ricky Rondo is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rondo trying to remain calm as Dos Santos controls from the top position.
Rondo tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Rondo is trying to escape the mount.
Dos Santos controlling the position easily from mount.
Rondo is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rondo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dos Santos landing strikes from the mount.
Dos Santos landing strikes, looking to finish!
Rondo bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Rondo looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos working a defensive guard here.
Rondo wants to get up but he can't break Dos Santos's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rondo trying to control but Dos Santos is working from the bottom.
Dos Santos trying to control the position here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dos Santos wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Rondo is now in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ricky Rondo.
Well Rondo 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Rondo!
Ricky Rondo decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.