PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alejandro Morientes (ranked 4629 p4p, 4628 weight class) and Kevin Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Morientes
vs
Santos

178 cm
19
170
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
180
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alejandro Morientes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kevin Santos!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Morientes swivels and escapes.
Santos throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Morientes's waist but Morientes gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Santos off to one side.

Santos gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Morientes to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Morientes stays in close to Santos's body and controls the position.
Santos wants to get back to his feet but Morientes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Santos is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Santos is looking to sweep but instead, Morientes has passed into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morientes content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Santos is trying to maintain the position but Morientes is very close to passing his half guard.
Santos wants to get back to full guard.
Morientes seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Morientes stalling.
Morientes seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Santos for as long as he can get away with.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Morientes is nestled in close to Santos, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Santos taking some punishment here, with Morientes in his half guard.
Santos has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Morientes is working away from the top position though.
Morientes is keen to just control but Santos is a slippery customer.
Morientes seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Morientes 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 is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Morientes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Santos wants to hold on but Morientes pushes him away.
Morientes lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Morientes can't control as he wanted to and Santos manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Santos trying to control but Morientes postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos is looking to get back to is feet but Morientes passes into side control.
Santos tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Morientes working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morientes working the ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morientes wants to stand but Santos has his arm trapped.

Morientes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Santos has escaped the position, nice work there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alejandro Morientes dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Morientes scores with a takedown into Santos's guard.
Santos wants to get back to his feet but Morientes passes into half guard.

Morientes scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Morientes looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos has hold of Morientes's hands but Morientes slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Morientes wants to stand but Santos has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Morientes takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morientes has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Morientes is looking to stall here but Santos recovers full guard.
Morientes is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Santos had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Morientes defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

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

Santos has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Morientes is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Morientes goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Santos tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Morientes just stands there and leans against the cage.

Morientes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Santos shoots for a double leg takedown but Morientes sprawls well. He's pushed Santos's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Morientes tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Santos manages to circle out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Morientes shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Morientes was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Santos is trying to buck Morientes off.
Santos is breathing heavily.
Santos trying to remain calm as Morientes controls from the top position.
Santos throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

Morientes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Santos has escaped the position, nice work there.

Morientes working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries to bench press Morientes off him but Morientes keeps the position.

Morientes is trying to get an arm triangle but Santos is defending well.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Santos is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alejandro Morientes dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Santos is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Morientes lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Santos misses with a takedown attempt - Morientes sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Morientes closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Morientes just content to control the position.
Morientes trying to control the position but Santos is working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos tries to buck Morientes off but Morientes is having none of it.
Santos seems a little lost for a moment, as Morientes dominates the positioning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morientes trying to control the action but Santos is working from the bottom.

Santos explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Morientes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Santos wants to clinch up but Morientes keeps it at a distance.
Morientes leaves Santos with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Morientes fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morientes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Morientes keeps the fight on the outside.

Santos moves into the clinch.

Morientes breaks the clinch.
Santos closes this distance looking for a takedown but Morientes circles away.
Alejandro Morientes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Santos.
Morientes doesn't manage to clinch there - Santos circles away.

Santos clinches with his opponent.
Morientes is pressed up against the cage. Santos has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Morientes down to the mat. Morientes avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Santos takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Santos throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Morientes is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Santos.
Alejandro Morientes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morientes tries a head kick but it misses.

Morientes feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Santos looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Morientes passes into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morientes tries to stand but Santos is controlling his head.
Santos is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Morientes tries to stand but Santos is controlling his head.
Morientes cracks Santos with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Morientes tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Morientes lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Morientes wants to stand but Santos is controlling his arm.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Check out the look on Morientes's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Morientes tries to stand but Santos is controlling his head.
Morientes is working Santos over with some ground and pound from side control.
Morientes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Santos can do to turn this around?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Morientes is trying to get an arm triangle but Santos is defending well.
Kevin Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alejandro Morientes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Morientes controlling the position from side mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alejandro Morientes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Morientes, 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight for Alejandro Morientes!
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight for Alejandro Morientes!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Alejandro Morientes!

Alejandro Morientes wins by unanimous decision!