PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Diego Santos (ranked 2918 p4p, 2746 weight class) and Greg Trouble (ranked 416 p4p, 395 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Santos
vs
Trouble

180 cm
25
220
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
25
215
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Diego Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Greg Trouble!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Felipe Paraventi and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Trouble.
Trouble works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

Trouble stands up and beckons Santos to his feet.
Trouble throws a leg kick

and Santos counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Trouble is trying to keep Santos in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Trouble is looking for a triangle but Santos pushes his legs off easily.
Trouble is adopting a defensive guard.
Trouble utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trouble striking off his back but it's not causing Santos any problems.
Trouble throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Santos has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Trouble has control of Santos's left arm, preventing Santos from doing any damage.

Trouble looking for subs off his back but Santos has passed one foot through into half guard.
Trouble tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Santos has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Trouble tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Trouble wants to control but Santos is having none of it.
Trouble in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

It looks like Greg Trouble has been cut.
Santos lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Trouble hang on?

Santos wants to finish this one by submission but Trouble is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Santos.
Trouble is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Santos looking to control but Trouble is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
We've been hearing good reports from Santos's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos is stalling here but it's allowed Trouble to get half guard.
Santos is thwarting Trouble's attempts to control the position.
Santos throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Trouble controlling the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Trouble tries to get to full guard but Santos has control of the leg.
Santos throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Santos wants to control but Trouble is keeping him busy.
Santos wants to pass to mount but Trouble is defending the position.
Santos with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Santos trying to control the action but Trouble is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Santos misses with a few strikes there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Santos dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Greg Trouble's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Trouble tries for a takedown but Santos sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Trouble avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Santos pushes Trouble up against the cage in a clinch.
Trouble has had enough of the clinch but Santos keeps him there for the moment.
Santos is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Trouble can do to turn this around?

Trouble has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Santos uses from the top position.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Trouble is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Trouble controls Santos momentarily but Santos frees himself.
Santos postures up in Trouble's guard and throws a big left but Trouble blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Trouble preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Trouble is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos tries to stand but Trouble is controlling from the bottom.
Santos postures up.
Trouble wants to sweep here but Santos controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Diego Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice takedown defense from Santos. No joy for Trouble on that attempt.

Santos moves into the clinch successfully.

Santos breaks the clinch.
Santos closes the distance looking to clinch
and Trouble counters with a right hand to the body.
Trouble fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Santos could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Santos gets caught napping as Trouble dives in and scores a takedown. Santos manages to retain guard.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Trouble from controlling successfully.
Diego Santos overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Santos looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Trouble trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.

Trouble gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Santos throws a leg kick which misses Trouble's front leg but catches the back leg as Trouble tries to avoid it.

Trouble drives through with a takedown into Santos's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Trouble is standing up over Santos. Santos looks to escape but Trouble dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Trouble wants to control but Santos is keeping him busy.
Santos wants to control but Trouble postures up.
Trouble is looking to take a break and control but Santos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Santos struggling a bit here.
Santos tries to buck Trouble off but Trouble is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos is trying to control Trouble's posture but Trouble avoids it.
Santos looks to move to half guard but instead Trouble has passed into mount! Damn!
Trouble with shots to the head and body - Santos looks very uncomfortable down there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Trouble landing strikes from the mount and Santos is in trouble!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Trouble landing strikes from the mount.
Santos flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Santos keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Greg Trouble showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Greg Trouble's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Trouble is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Santos's half guard.
Trouble with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Trouble wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santos keeps working.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Trouble is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trouble stalling.
Trouble's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Santos works his way to full guard. Good work.

Trouble gets to his feet - Santos follows without any prompting.
Trouble shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Santos but Santos pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Trouble shoots in and drives through. Santos sprawls well.
Trouble defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Santos.

Santos decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Santos wants to take a breather but Trouble is having none of it.
Santos is just content to waste time from the top position. Trouble takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Santos wants to stand but Trouble has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Trouble looking for a sweep. Not yet Trouble, not yet.
Trouble managing to control the position.
Trouble looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Trouble works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Trouble dives in and scores a takedown into Santos's guard.
Santos is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Trouble sitting in guard here, content to control.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Trouble from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Trouble slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Santos is working an open guard so Trouble takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Santos lands a leg kick that knocks Trouble off balance momentarily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Santos is looking to clinch.
A punch combination from Trouble misses.
Trouble fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Greg Trouble comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Trouble has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Greg Trouble!