PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Christian Medici (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Papa Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Medici
vs
Santos

186 cm
24
165 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

172 cm
25
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Christian Medici!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Papa Santos!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Daniel Cesar and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Medici scores with a one two! Santos had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Medici ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Santos moves away.
Santos connects with a crisp jab.
Medici swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Medici will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Santos slips under a jab.

Medici gets caught flat footed, as Santos shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Medici is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos preventing the sweep.
Santos wants to control from the top but Medici keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Medici is on top in guard.
Medici seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Medici trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos controlling Medici's posture.
Medici is stalling in the full guard.
Medici trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Santos is pulling down on Medici's head to control his posture.
Medici 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 showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Medici is on top in guard.
Santos is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Medici trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Medici postures up.

Santos looking for a guillotine here but Medici defends easily.
Santos not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four 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.
Medici 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Medici doesn't manage to clinch there - Santos circles away.
Medici misses with an uppercut.

Santos closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Medici to the mat! Medici manages to get full guard.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Medici is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos stopping the sweep attempt from Medici.
Medici is breathing heavily.
Medici keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Christian Medici will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Medici takes a swing at Santos's ribcage but misses.
Medici avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Christian Medici is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Medici tries to clinch but Santos moves out of range.
Santos lands a jab to Medici's midsection.
Medici looks to land a combination but Santos avoids it well.
A jab from Santos finds it's way through Medici's defenses.
Medici swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos throws a right and a left that Medici avoids nicely.
Medici throws a combination that misses

and Santos counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Santos.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Santos breaks the clinch.
Medici swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Christian Medici seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Medici is fending him off so far but Santos persists. Nope, Medici circles away and we're back to standing.
Medici misses with a combination
and Santos counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Medici looks to land a combination but Santos avoids it well.
Santos moves away from the strike by Medici.

Santos scores with a takedown into Medici's guard.
Santos slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Santos is looking to work some ground and pound but Medici has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Santos accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Medici keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.

Medici is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santos wants to control from the top but Medici keeps moving.
Santos passes Medici's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos passes to side control.
Santos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Medici keeps working.
Santos might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Medici kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Santos takes a little break here. Medici wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Santos working the body and head with strikes.
Santos advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Santos tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Despite being in the dominant position, Papa Santos just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Santos misses with a body shot.
Medici doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Santos counters with a nice double leg into side control. Medici won't be happy with that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santos sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Medici is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Santos is looking to take a break and control but Medici is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Papa Santos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Medici displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Santos throws out the jab.
Medici misses the shot to the body.

Santos is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Medici's half guard.
Santos takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Santos is keen to just control but Medici is a slippery customer.
Santos looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Medici with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Medici is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santos wants to take a breather but Medici is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos stops Medici from getting back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Santos scores with a crisp jab that stopped Medici in his tracks.
Medici moves away from the strike by Santos.
A jab from Santos does it's job there.

Santos drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Santos trying to control but Medici is working from the bottom.
Santos loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Santos trying to control but Medici is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Medici can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Santos controls the pace.
Santos wants to control from the top but Medici keeps moving.
Santos advances to half guard.
Santos controlling the pace.
Santos frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Medici is trying desperately to improve 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.
Santos in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
BOOM! Santos connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Santos lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Medici taking shots to the head.

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.
Medici is wriggling around trying to escape.
Santos unloading with bombs!
Papa Santos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Santos can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Medici is looking to escape.
Medici is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Santos pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Medici is bucking up trying to escape but Santos cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Papa Santos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Santos 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Papa Santos!