PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dave Handerson (ranked 427 p4p, 642 weight class) and Santiago Santos (ranked 52 p4p, 79 weight class). Handerson comes to the cage accompanied by America - A Horse With No Name. 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?

Handerson
vs
Santos

198 cm
26
255
16 - 4 - 0

200 cm
27
260
9 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Conviction
© Trap House

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Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dave Handerson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Santiago Santos!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Dillan Fox and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Handerson rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Santos counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Santos tries to move into range but Handerson moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Handerson looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Handerson lands a really nice looking cross but Santos seems unphased.
Handerson feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Santoss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Santos takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Santos takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Santos misses with an uppercut.
Handerson cracks Santos with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Handerson manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Santos on his heels. He'll look to pass Santos's guard now, I'm sure.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Handerson looking to sit in guard and control but Santos gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Santos won't allow Handerson to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handerson is trying to keep Santos in close.
Santos stopping the sweep attempt from Handerson.

Handerson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Handerson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Santos is aware though and is defending well.
Handerson working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Handerson looking for a guillotine here but Santos defends easily.
Handerson has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Santos wants to pass the guard but Handerson is keeping the position.

Handerson looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Santos has picked Handerson up and slammed him! Handerson can't keep hold of the triangle and Santos manages to pass to side control!
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Handerson wants to control but Santos postures up.
Handerson is letting Santos control him for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Handerson is trying to get back to half guard.
Handerson gets back to half guard.
Handerson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Handerson trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Santos manages to pass to mount!
Handerson tries to hold on but Santos pushes him away.
Handerson is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Handerson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Santos can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Handerson is looking to escape.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Handerson is looking to improve his position but Santos isn't that keen on the idea.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Dave Handerson will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Handerson swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Santos counter with a right hand.
Santos steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Handerson.
It seemed like Santos was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Santos getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Santos pivots, looking for a leg kick but Handerson is out of range and Santos settles back down.
Santos is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Santos throws a right and a left that Handerson avoids nicely.
Handerson slips under a jab.
Handerson half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Dave Handerson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Santos takes one on the chin but seems OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Handerson lands with a cross.
Santos misses with a looping right.
A slow jab from Santos misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Handerson manages to avoid it.
Handerson feinted with a counter takedown.
Santos wants to slow Handerson down by chopping away at his legs.
Handerson attempts a counter takedown but Santos avoids it well and moves away.
Santiago Santos is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Handerson throws a poor cross that misses
letting Santos counter with a right hand.
Handerson looks for a takedown but Santos sprawls well.
Handerson misses with a body shot
letting Santos counter with a right hand.
Santos takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Handerson shoots in and bounces Santos off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Handerson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Handerson trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Handerson passes Santos's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Handerson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santos keeps working.
Dave Handerson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Handerson sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handerson prevents Santos from improving his position.
Handerson lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Santos felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Santos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Handerson scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Handerson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Handerson tries to pass to full mount but Santos defends it.
Santos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos is trying to maintain the position but Handerson is very close to passing his half guard.
Santos taking some punishment here, with Handerson in his half guard.
Handerson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Handerson seems to be working for a kimura but Santos defends the submission attempt.

Handerson looking for a submission but Santos manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Handerson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Handerson dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Santos misses with a hook.
Handerson misses with a hook to the body
and Santos counters with a nice uppercut.
Santos tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Handerson was well out of range. Poor timing from Santos.

Handerson scores with a takedown into Santos's guard.
Handerson throws a big elbow that misses.
Handerson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Handerson wants to control from the top but Santos keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Handerson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Handerson throwing strikes from guard but Santos blocks nicely.
Handerson with a nice head shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handerson is looking to work some ground and pound but Santos has wrist control.
Handerson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Santos avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Santos trying to control the position here.
Handerson stopping the sweep attempt from Santos.
Handerson landing with the ground and pound.
Handerson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Handerson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Handerson controlling from the top position.
Santos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Handerson throwing strikes from guard but Santos blocks nicely.
Handerson works over Santos with some ground and pound from guard.
Handerson throws a big elbow that misses.
Handerson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Handerson lands a couple of digs.
Handerson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Santos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Handerson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Handerson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Handerson working some strikes from top position.
Handerson is in close to Santos's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Santos looking for a sweep. Not yet Santos, not yet.
Santos lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Handerson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Santos can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Handerson wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Santos is now in half guard.
Handerson wants to improve his position but Santos is controlling well.
Handerson 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Handerson is pressing down on Santos's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Santos postures up.
Santos really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Handerson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

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

Handerson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Santos can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Handerson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Santos can do to turn this around?
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Santos looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Handerson clearly takes that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Handerson takes a swing at Santos's ribcage but misses.
Handerson swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Santos counter with a right hand.
Handerson scores with a jab.
Santos misses with a straight left.
Santos throws a right hand that Handerson ducks under and follows up with a left that Handerson also avoids with ease.
Santos uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Handerson.
Santos ducks right into an uppercut from Handerson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Handerson fails with a takedown attempt.
Handerson misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Handerson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos throws a low kick but Handerson avoids it.
Handerson lands a nice looking body shot.
Handerson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Santos but Santos pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Handerson backing away here, and Santos unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
A shot to the body from Handerson misses
enabling Santos to counter with a crisp jab.

Santos gets caught napping as Handerson dives in and scores a takedown. Santos manages to retain guard.
Handerson throwing strikes from guard but Santos blocks nicely.
Santos is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Handerson throwing strikes from guard but Santos blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Handerson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Handerson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Santos looking to control.
Handerson lands a couple of elbows.
Handerson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Santos's head.
Handerson throws a strike but Santos rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

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!

Santos has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Handerson to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Santos is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Handerson pulls down on the head and he's put Santos to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Dave Handerson!
Dave Handerson is the new heavyweight champion!
Dave Handerson decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.