PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diego Gelder (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santiago comes into the arena with What's My Name-DMX blaring out of the sound system. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Santiago
vs
Gelder

188 cm
22
192 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Abtastic Nutrition
Hulk Supplementz

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Antonio Santiago!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Diego Gelder!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Donald Grub and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gelder closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gelder lands in his opponent's guard.

Gelder is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gelder must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Santiago is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Gelder trying to control but Santiago is working from the bottom.

Santiago throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Gelder escapes and throws Santiago's legs to the side, diving into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gelder thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Santiago tries to bench press Gelder off him but Gelder keeps the position.
Gelder lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Santiago tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gelder grinds an elbow into Santiago's temple.
Gelder works to advance to full mount. Santiago defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Santiago can't escape the position.

Santiago defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Gelder.
Santiago wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

Gelder seems to be going for a rear naked choke. He has an arm under Santiago's chin but Santiago turns very nicely into Gelder's guard. Good BJJ skills being displayed there by Santiago.
Gelder looking for a sweep. Not yet Gelder, not yet.
Gelder looks gassed!
Santiago pushes down on Gelder's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Gelder is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gelder won't allow Santiago to pass to mount.

Gelder is defending against the submission attempts here by Santiago.
Santiago trying to mount his opponent but Gelder defends it.
Gelder tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Santiago is looking to advance position but Gelder won't allow it.
Gelder is trying to control but can't.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Santiago shoots and misses

and Gelder counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Santiago is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Gelder pulls his head out easily.

Gelder wants to work for an arm triangle but Santiago is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santiago works his way to full guard. Good work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gelder's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Gelder wants to control from the top but Santiago keeps moving.

Santiago looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Gelder has picked Santiago up and slammed him! Santiago can't keep hold of the triangle and Gelder manages to pass to side control!
Santiago tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gelder wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Santiago regains half guard.

Gelder is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Gelder is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Santiago defends it well.
Santiago slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gelder looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gelder passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Santiago takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Santiago tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Gelder is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Santiago has escaped the position, nice work there.
Santiago manages to get back to half guard.

Gelder wants to work for an arm triangle but Santiago is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Santiago gets full guard.
Santiago lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Gelder!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santiago lands a big elbow.
Santiago landing strikes, looking to finish!

Santiago working for a submission but Gelder is keeping him at bay.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Gelder dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gelder fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Santiago feints and as Gelder raises his hands in defense, Santiago changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gelder is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Diego Gelder has got the better of the ground game so far.
Santiago postures up.

Gelder throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Santiago scoring with punches to the head and body.
Gelder working a defensive guard here.
Santiago stands and throws Gelder's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Santiago looks up at the clock and then as Gelder takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Santiago smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Gelder is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Santiago off and has taken his back!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santiago rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Santiago gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gelder's guard.
Gelder manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Santiago manages to get himself to full guard.
Gelder looking to pass the guard.
Gelder wants to control from the top but Santiago keeps moving.

Gelder drops back looking for a leg! Santiago is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Santiago manages to kick Gelder off! Gelder jumps back into Santiago's guard.
Santiago keeping full guard, as Gelder tries to pass.

Gelder avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Santiago working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gelder doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gelder manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gelder is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Santiago bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gelder's guard.
Santiago working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gelder's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Santiago drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Santiago jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

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

Santiago drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Santiago jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Santiago landing with the ground and pound.
Santiago working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Santiago scoring with some ground and pound.
Gelder striking from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gelder has his foot on Santiago's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Santiago works his way back into a safe position though.
Santiago stands and throws Gelder's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Gelder gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Santiago wants to pass to mount but Gelder is defending the position.

Gelder looking for submissions off his back.
Gelder moves into full guard.

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

Gelder has his foot on Santiago's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Santiago works his way back into a safe position though.
Gelder trying to keep a closed guard but Santiago is proving a slippery customer.
Santiago advances position into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Santiago has hold of Gelder's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Gelder seems comfortable defending it but Santiago has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Gelder is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Gelder is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Santiago couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:06 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Antonio Santiago!
Antonio Santiago retains his middleweight title!