PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Peter Preston (ranked 4656 p4p, 25528 weight class) and Juanito Santos (ranked 550 p4p, 669 weight class). Peter Preston had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 187.9lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Peter Preston has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Preston
vs
Santos

190 cm
19
200
1 - 0 - 0

191 cm
20
187
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Peter Preston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Juanito Santos!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Peter Branson and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Preston fails with the takedown
and Santos makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Preston tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Santos was well out of range. Poor timing from Preston.
Santos fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Santos darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Santos scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Preston is trying to stand back up but Santos is controlling him
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Preston's head.
Preston trying to control from the bottom.
Santos drops an elbow to the side of Preston's head.
Santos working Preston over with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Preston is looking to improve his position.
Preston is looking to get back to is feet but Santos passes into side control.
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.
Preston wants to control but Santos postures up.
Preston is trying to improve his position.
Preston throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Preston can't do much from the bottom here.
Santos misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Preston is being controlled here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos grinds an elbow into Preston's temple.

Santos is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Preston has escaped the position, nice work there.
Santos working the ground and pound.
Preston parries the strikes from Santos easily there. Santos is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Preston to escape.

Santos decides to stand back up. Santos steps back and let's Preston get back to his feet.

Preston darts in and clinches Santos up against the cage.

Preston breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Santos has closed the distance and engaged Preston in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Santos breaks from the clinch.
Santos shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Preston as he jumps to the side.
A counter left hand to the body from Preston misses its target.
Preston misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Preston moves into the clinch.

Santos breaks the clinch.
Horrible takedown attempt by Preston or perhaps it was just good defense by Santos, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Peter Preston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Preston tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Santos swivels and escapes.
Santos throws a counter combo.
Preston is breathing heavily.
Preston throws a sloppy head kick
and Santos counters with a nice body shot.
Peter Preston seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos leaves Preston with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Santos moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

It looks like Peter Preston has been cut.

Santos takes the fight into the clinch.
Santos throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Preston is trying to pull guard but Santos has him pressed against the cage.

Santos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Santos is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Preston's half guard.
Santos lands with a punch from half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juanito Santos dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Peter Preston's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Santos changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Preston looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Preston is looking to reverse the position.
Preston manages to get back to half guard.
Preston wants to control but Santos is keeping busy.
Santos slows the pace down in half guard.
Santos takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Preston is trying to maintain the position but Santos is very close to passing his half guard.
Santos trying to control the action but Preston is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Preston is looking for a sweep. Santos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Preston on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santos trying to control the action but Preston is working from the bottom.
Juanito Santos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Santos controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Santos stands up and beckons Preston to join him on the feet.

Santos bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Preston being controlled for a moment.
Preston tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Preston is working to avoid the ground and pound but Santos connects with a decent elbow.

Santos is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Preston knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Santos working the head and body with strikes.
Santos cracks Preston with a big elbow.
Santos trying to control the action but Preston is working from the bottom.
Preston is looking to reverse the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos happy to just control the position for now.
Santos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Preston keeps working.
Santos is working Preston over with some ground and pound from side control.
Santos trying to control the position but Preston is working away.
Preston sneaks back into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Santos working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Santos drops an elbow to the side of Preston's head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juanito Santos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Peter Preston's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. 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.

Preston gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Santos counters with a stiff right hand.

Santos closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Preston has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Santos is on him like a limpet, forcing Preston back against the cage.
Preston tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Santos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Peter Preston is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Preston closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Santos has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Santos pressing his opponent against the cage.

Preston breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Preston swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Santos bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Santos working away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Preston gets back to half guard.
Santos wants to take a breather but Preston is having none of it.
Preston is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Santos's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Santos's back!

Santos defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.

Santos stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Santos shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Santos passes the guard and advances to mount!

Santos is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Preston to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Preston shrugs it off.
Santos lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Preston tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santos landing strikes from the mount and Preston is in trouble!
Santos trying to control but Preston is having none of it.
Santos controlling from the full mount.
Preston really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Santos lands a heavy elbow.
Santos can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Preston is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Preston is in a horrible position here. Santos smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Santos takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
A nice elbow there by Santos.
Santos controlling the position easily from mount.
Preston wants to hold on but Santos pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juanito Santos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Santos winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 David Hoff scores the fight 27:30
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juanito Santos!
Juanito Santos decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.