PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Federiq Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Touch RustRod (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santos comes to the cage accompanied by Lou Reed - Walk On the Wild Side. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Santos
vs
RustRod

172 cm
21
145 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

225 cm
70
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Powerful takedowns
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Federiq Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Touch RustRod!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Jorge Garcia and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos swings for the body but RustRod moves out of range.
Santos throws a hook to the side of RustRod's head but RustRod sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
RustRod fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Santos misses with a looping right.
RustRod connects with a high kick.

It looks like Federiq Santos has been cut.
A punch combination from RustRod misses.

RustRod closes the distance and clinches.
Santos on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Santos is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
RustRod using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Santos has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
RustRod throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Santos wants to break free but RustRod has control.
RustRod lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
RustRod is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
RustRod lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
RustRod can't find room to land a body shot as Santos controls the action.

Santos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
RustRod moves in looking to clinch but Santos pushes him off.
RustRod has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Santos finds it's way round the side to connect with RustRod's head.
Santos drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
RustRod lands a two punch combo.
RustRod is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
RustRod thumps Santos with a low kick.
Touch RustRod seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Santos crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from RustRod - the referee stops the clock and Santos gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says RustRod. Santos manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A decent looking body kick lands there for RustRod.
Santos is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by RustRod.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos walks forward, straight into a front kick from RustRod.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from RustRod. Santos shrugs it off though.
RustRod is looking to clinch.
Santos takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Santos misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from RustRod.
Santos takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Santos tests RustRod's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Santos throws a jab when RustRod was well out of range.
RustRod lands a head kick!
RustRod lands a head kick. Santos smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Santos is rocked!
Santos takes a swing at RustRod's ribcage but misses.
RustRod lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Oh Santos is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Santos keeps the fight on the outside.
Santos seems to have got his legs back now.
Santos throws a body punch but RustRod moves out of range.
Santos swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
RustRod throws a nice head kick!
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!
RustRod is looking to clinch but Santos is avoiding it.
RustRod keeps Santos at a distance using the push kick.
A head kick from RustRod lands but Santos takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

A head kick lands from RustRod that sends Santos to the canvas. Santos tries to scramble back to his feet but RustRod brings him back down into side control.
Santos is breathing heavily.
RustRod working the ground and pound.
Santos avoids any damage from the ground and pound of RustRod.
Santos is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
RustRod cracks Santos with a big right hand but Santos just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
RustRod in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
RustRod cracks Santos with a big right hand but Santos just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Santos might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
RustRod lands some shots froms side control.
Santos is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Santos is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
RustRod throwing shots but missing, from side control.
RustRod really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Santos. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Santos regains half guard.
Santos tries to get to full guard but RustRod has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
RustRod thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Santos to regain full guard.

Santos escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. RustRod gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
RustRod slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Santos is looking for a sweep.
Santos is working hard here to advance position.
RustRod landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
RustRod is working Santos over with some ground and pound from side control.
RustRod in side control, throwing shots but Santos defends.
RustRod working the head and body with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
RustRod working the head and body with strikes.
Santos is working to avoid the ground and pound but RustRod connects with a decent elbow.
RustRod lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
RustRod working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
RustRod throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
RustRod working away.
RustRod landing a few strikes.
RustRod landing strikes.
RustRod scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Santos to see if he's OK.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santos takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
RustRod cracks Santos with a big right hand but Santos just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
RustRod cracks Santos with a big right hand but Santos just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Santos wants to control but RustRod postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Touch RustRod dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Federiq Santos's cut.
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.

Santos cracks RustRod with a right hand to the side of the head.
Touch RustRod seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Santos misses with a body shot.
Santos looks to throw the jab but RustRod is out of range.
Touch RustRod is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
RustRod uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Santos.

RustRod closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Santos did well to prevent RustRod getting side control.
RustRod is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Santos reverses the position - he's now on top in RustRod's guard.

RustRod is looking for a triangle here but Santos uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
RustRod is looking for a sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
RustRod is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Santos off and has taken his back!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santos is trying to get back to his feet but RustRod has full control of the position and if anything, Santos has just worked his way into a worse spot.
RustRod is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. RustRod gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. RustRod gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. RustRod apologises and we restart here on the feet.
RustRod tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos circles away from the clinch attempt.
RustRod tries to clinch up.
RustRod tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Santos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
RustRod tries to clinch there but Santos circles away.
Santos cracks RustRod with an open hand slap.
A nice inside leg kick there by RustRod. That's going to slow Santos down.
RustRod sizes up Santos with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
RustRod tries to clinch up but Santos circles away and keeps his distance.
Santos missing with a left hand there. RustRod was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Santos on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Santos misses with a hook. RustRod ducked under it nicely.
RustRod uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Santos has time to react.
Santos walks into a left hand.
Santos avoids the body shot from RustRod.
RustRod throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Santos.
RustRod lands a two punch combo.
Santos misses with a wild body shot.

RustRod gets a clinch.
RustRod throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Santoss head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
RustRod lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Santos or not.

Santos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
RustRod throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Federiq Santos's cut is getting worse.
RustRod throws a leg kick which misses Santos's front leg but catches the back leg as Santos tries to avoid it.
RustRod uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Santos.
RustRod punishes Santos's body with a nice straight punch.
Santos throws a hook but RustRod blocks it.
Santos tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Santos throws a jab but it's blocked by RustRod.
RustRod throws a nice looking combination but Santos bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
RustRod tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Santos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
RustRod throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Santos takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
RustRod throws a body punch but Santos moves out of range.
RustRod connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
RustRod is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Santos swats away the attempt to clinch by RustRod.
RustRod rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Santos moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
RustRod uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Santos has time to react.
RustRod has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
RustRod scoring well with a low kick there.
RustRod blocks a jab.
A slapping body kick lands there for RustRod.
RustRod moves in looking to clinch but Santos pushes him off.
RustRod tries to clinch there but Santos circles away.
RustRod throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Santos stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
RustRod wants to clinch up but Santos keeps it at a distance.
Santos throws a right and a left that RustRod avoids nicely.
RustRod comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
RustRod throws a nice head kick!
RustRod moves in looking to clinch but Santos pushes him off.

RustRod moves into the clinch.
RustRod is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Santos can't break the clinch.
RustRod keeps control of Santos as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
RustRod lands a left hand that snaps the head of Santos backwards.
RustRod throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Santoss head.
RustRod working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Knees to the body from RustRod.
RustRod with a knee to the head.
Santos takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
RustRod is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
RustRod connects with a knee to the head.
RustRod lands a nice knee to the body.
RustRod lands a shoulder strike.
A left hand lands to the body for RustRod.
Santos tries to break the clinch but RustRod is controlling the position.
Santos is trying to force a seperation but RustRod has the dominant position.
Santos takes a knee right on the jaw!
RustRod tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Santos avoids it.

Santos breaks from the clinch.
RustRod moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
RustRod cracks the inside of Santos's front leg.
Santos throws an overhand right that lands on RustRod's shoulder, as RustRod tries to avoid the shot.
Santos on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
RustRod chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Santos walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
RustRod throws a series of strikes that have Santos backpedaling.
RustRod tries to close the distance and clinch but Santos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
RustRod wants to clinch up but Santos keeps it at a distance.
RustRod slips under a jab.
Santos throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Touch RustRod showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Federiq Santos's cut.
That's time! Santos's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

A punch combination from Santos misses.
RustRod closes the distance and lands a one-two.
RustRod tries to clinch up.

RustRod closes the distance and clinches.
RustRod tries a body shot but Santos blocks it.
RustRod misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Santos.
RustRod connects with a nasty looking knee right to Santos's face.

Santos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
RustRod defending well as Santos loads up on a big left hand.
RustRod looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
RustRod fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Santos throws a jab when RustRod was well out of range.
RustRod uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Santos.
RustRod blocks a low kick nicely.
RustRod swats away the attempt to clinch by Santos.
RustRod tries to close the distance and clinch but Santos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A big right from Santos misses.
RustRod lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

RustRod clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos is trying to break free.
RustRod scores with a knee to the head.
RustRod throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Santos on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
RustRod pushes Santos back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
RustRod misses with an elbow strike.
Santos looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
RustRod lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
RustRod working Santos over with knees to the body.
RustRod creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Santos is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
RustRod pushes off an throws an elbow but Santos leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Santos breaks from the clinch.
Santos misses with a wild body shot.
Santos throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
RustRod tries to close the distance and clinch up but Santos swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Santos swats away the attempt to clinch by RustRod.

RustRod gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Santos is looking to break free of the clinch but RustRod has double underhooks.
RustRod with a knee to the head.
RustRod digs a right hand into Santos's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Santos's gas tank.
RustRod with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right from RustRod on the inside.
RustRod has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Santos is trying to break free.
RustRod throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Santos working hard to break the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. RustRod obliges.
RustRod softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A right hand to the body from RustRod.
RustRod works on Santos's body with a couple of short punches.
RustRod working Santos over with knees to the body.
RustRod working aggressively here.
RustRod swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Santos manages to break the clinch.
Federiq Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
RustRod throws a head kick that Santos semi-blocks.
Santos pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
RustRod throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Santos misses with a looping right.
Santos throws a hook but RustRod blocks it.

RustRod moves into the clinch successfully.

Santos breaks from the clinch.
RustRod swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Santos is really struggling to find his range with his punches. RustRod's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Santos swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos throws out a loose jab but RustRod uses good head movement to avoid it.
RustRod throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Santos fails to land with a series of punches.
Santos fakes high and swings low for a body shot but RustRod manages to avoid it.
Santos on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by RustRod. RustRod obviously looking to wear him down.
RustRod moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
RustRod displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
A big right from Santos misses.
RustRod lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

RustRod closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
RustRod has Santos pressed against the cage, preventing Santos from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Santos breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
RustRod darts in trying to clinch

and Santos counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
RustRod digs a right hand into Santos's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Santos's gas tank.
A frustrated look appears on Santos's face as he tries to break the clinch.
RustRod lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Santos backwards.
RustRod putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Santos in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
RustRod blocks a body shot from Santos.
RustRod lands a good knee to the midsection. Santos won't want to take too many of those.
Nice body punch from RustRod.
RustRod throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
RustRod lands a knee to the head.

Santos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
RustRod thuds his right hand into Santos's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
RustRod has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Santos finds it's way round the side to connect with RustRod's head.
RustRod moves in looking to clinch but Santos pushes him off.
Nice defenses there by RustRod.
RustRod lands a head kick. Santos smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
RustRod ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A chopping leg kick lands by RustRod.

RustRod fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Santos, pushing him back against the cage.
Santos avoiding damage as RustRod throws knees to the body.
Santos working hard to break the clinch.
RustRod lands a right hand that snaps the head of Santos backwards.
RustRod digs a right hand underneath Santos's ribcage. Santos let out a lung full of air as it connected.
RustRod tries to work over Santos's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Santos tries to work over RustRod's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
RustRod lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
RustRod lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Santos backwards.
A short uppercut from RustRod.

And that's the end of the fight!
Touch RustRod comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well RustRod has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Touch RustRod!