PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cigano Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mando Rugas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Dos Santos
vs
Rugas

225 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 9 - 0

182 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Experienced

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 0 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cigano Dos Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mando Rugas!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Hirohito Nitta and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dos Santos tries to clinch up but Rugas circles away and keeps his distance.
Rugas keeps the fight on the outside.
Dos Santos tries to clinch up.

Rugas feints and as Dos Santos raises his hands in defense, Rugas changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rugas throwing strikes from guard but Dos Santos blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rugas works over Dos Santos with some ground and pound from guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rugas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rugas showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Dos Santos keeping moving, preventing Rugas from controlling successfully.
Rugas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dos Santos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Dos Santos is working an open guard so Rugas takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Dos Santos feints and as Rugas raises his hands in defense, Dos Santos changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Dos Santos knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rugas on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos stopping the sweep attempt from Rugas.
Rugas is trying to keep Dos Santos in close.
Dos Santos will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rugas lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Dos Santos!
Rugas scoring with strikes but Dos Santos is staying in there.
Rugas trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Dos Santos's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rugas raining down shots from the mount!
Dos Santos is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Rugas wants to control the pace but Dos Santos is squirming around nicely.
Rugas fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Dos Santos is squirming around, avoiding Rugas's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
A nice elbow there by Rugas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rugas trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rugas working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Dos Santos is breathing heavily.
Rugas dominating with strikes here.
Dos Santos is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dos Santos in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Rugas landing shots from mount.
Rugas has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rugas working the ground and pound effectively.
Rugas tries to control but Dos Santos wriggling away.

That's four 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.
Rugas landing strikes from the mount and Dos Santos is in trouble!
Rugas landing strikes from the mount and Dos Santos is in trouble!
Rugas punishing his opponent with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rugas scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Rugas fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Rugas dominating with strikes here.
Rugas with the ground and pound from mount.
Rugas looking to finish Dos Santos with some ground and pound. This is bad for Dos Santos!
The referee warns Dos Santos that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rugas punishing his opponent with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mando Rugas dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Dos Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rugas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mando Rugas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dos Santos tries to clinch up but Rugas circles away and keeps his distance.
Dos Santos is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dos Santos moves in looking to clinch but Rugas pushes him off.
Dos Santos slaps away a takedown attempt from Rugas, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rugas swats away the attempt to clinch by Dos Santos.
Dos Santos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dos Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rugas paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Rugas looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Dos Santos!
Dos Santos is in a horrible position here. Rugas smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rugas looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Rugas working for a submission but Dos Santos is keeping him at bay.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos wants to control but Rugas is having none of it.
Rugas trying to control but Dos Santos is having none of it.
Rugas with a couple of short strikes.
Dos Santos is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Rugas landing strikes from the mount and Dos Santos is in trouble!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Dos Santos wants to get back to his feet.
Rugas landing shots from mount.
Rugas is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Dos Santos can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rugas pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Rugas fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Rugas working Dos Santos over with strikes here.
Dos Santos is in a horrible position here. Rugas smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Rugas.
Dos Santos takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Rugas scoring with strikes but Dos Santos is staying in there.
Rugas in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Rugas working Dos Santos over with strikes here.

Rugas looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Rugas connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Rugas lands with some strikes.
BOOM! Rugas connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Rugas unloads with some shots from mount but Dos Santos bucks and avoids them well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rugas looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rugas tries to control but Dos Santos wriggling away.
Rugas lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rugas cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Rugas wants to control the pace but Dos Santos is squirming around nicely.
Dos Santos is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rugas connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
BOOM! Rugas connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mando Rugas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. And we move into the final round!

Rugas is trying hard to land a takedown here. Dos Santos sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Dos Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rugas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dos Santos.
Dos Santos is looking to clinch.
Dos Santos keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rugas closes the distance and clinches up with Dos Santos, looking for a takedown. Rugas pushes Dos Santos against the cage but Dos Santos circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cigano Dos Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mando Rugas.
Rugas shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Dos Santos as he avoids it easily.
Dos Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rugas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rugas swats away the attempt to clinch by Dos Santos.
Dos Santos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dos Santos tries to clinch there but Rugas circles away.
Rugas misses with a takedown attempt

and Dos Santos counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Dos Santos lands a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Dos Santos turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Rugas gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Rugas manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos preventing the sweep.
Rugas is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Rugas has his foot on Dos Santos's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Dos Santos works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rugas tries to strike from the bottom.
Dos Santos preventing the sweep.

Dos Santos is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Rugas has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Dos Santos is looking to defend but Rugas has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Dos Santos! Rugas pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Dos Santos taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Mando Rugas!