PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mateus Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aralin Danil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mateus Santiago has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Santiago
vs
Danil

188 cm
24
185 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

189 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mateus Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aralin Danil!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Vladimir Khabensky and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Danil avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Danil shoots for a takedown but Santiago saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Santiago clinches with his opponent.
Santiago stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Danil stalling in the clinch but Santiago improves position.
Santiago is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Danil has clasped his hands together around Santiago's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Danil wants to stand but Santiago is controlling his arm.
Danil trying to control the position but Santiago is working away.

Danil decides to stand back up. Danil steps back and let's Santiago get back to his feet.
Santiago lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Danil will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Santiago leaves Danil with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Mateus Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aralin Danil.

Santiago drives through and clinches with Danil against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago slows down the pace here.
Danil tries to pull guard but Santiago holds him up against the cage and eventually Danil drops back down to his feet.
Santiago is working Danil over against the cage.
Santiago throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Danils head.
Santiago cracks Danil with a nice body shot.
Santiago scores with a shoulder strike.
Santiago lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short right from Santiago.
A left hand lands to the body for Santiago.
Danil is trying to force a seperation but Santiago has the dominant position.
Danil looks gassed!
Santiago scores with a shot to the side of Danil's head.
Danil stalling in the clinch.
Santiago lands a body shot.
The referee calls for Santiago to work.
Danil is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Santiago gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Santiago lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Danil backwards.
Danil is trying to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Santiago.
Santiago on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Danil tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Santiago is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Santiago lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Danil takes a shot to the head.
Santiago blocks a body shot from Danil.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Santiago.
Danil letting Santiago take a breather here.
A body shot lands from Santiago.
Danil keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Santiago's efforts to push away.
Santiago taking a breather.
Santiago is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Santiago.
A left hand lands to the body for Santiago.
Santiago slows down the pace here.
Santiago lands a body shot in the clinch.

Santiago manages to break the clinch.

Santiago moves into range and clinches up with Danil.
Santiago throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Santiago lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Santiago stops a takedown attempt from Danil.
Santiago tries to break free but Danil pushes him back against the cage.
Santiago stalling the fight.
Santiago wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Santiago lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Danil backwards.
Santiago holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Danil taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danil prevents Santiago from breaking the clinch.
Danil's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Santiago stops a takedown attempt from Danil.
Santiago taking a breather.
Santiago lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Danil backwards.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Santiago just leaning against Danil, taking a breather.

Danil's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Santiago wants to clinch up but Danil keeps it at a distance.
Danil tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Santiago moves into the clinch.
Danil tries for a takedown. No joy.
Santiago stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Santiago lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mateus Santiago dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Danil misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Santiago tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Danil fails with an attempt to clinch.
Danil has his takedown stuffed
and Santiago counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Danil misses with a wild combination.
Santiago is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Danil fails with the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Santiago clinches with his opponent.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Santiago.
Santiago lands a nice shot to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Santiago is leaning against Danil and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago taking a breather.
Santiago lands with a light punch inside.
Santiago lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Danil is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Santiago is keeping busy.
Santiago lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Santiago stalling.
Santiago makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Santiago lands a right hand.

Danil breaks from the clinch.

Santiago pushes Danil up against the cage in a clinch.
Come on Santiago - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago lands a left hand.
Santiago lands with a short shot to the head.
Danil looking for a takedown.
Mateus Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aralin Danil.
Santiago lands a shot to the body.
Santiago working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Danil just leaning against Santiago, taking a breather.
A body shot lands from Santiago.
A short body shot lands from Santiago as the two fighters clinch.
Danil tries to stall but Santiago uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Still in the clinch, Santiago scores with a nice short uppercut.
Santiago softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Santiago lands a nice uppercut.
Danil prevents Santiago from breaking the clinch.
Danil blocks an uppercut.
Danil tries to pull guard but Santiago won't allow it.
Danil working hard to break the clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Santiago.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danil goes for a takedown attempt but Santiago pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Santiago is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Danil with a poor takedown

and Santiago holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Danil pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Danil changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Santiago tries to avoid it but Danil manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Santiago to the ground. Santiago escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Danil swats away the attempt to clinch by Santiago.
Santiago clinches but Danil breaks the clinch

and Danil counters by clinching up.

Danil decides to pull guard.

Santiago decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
No luck for Danil with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Santiago.
Santiago tries to clinch but Danil is having none of it.
Danil throws a nice inside leg kick.
Santiago tries to clinch up.
Santiago tries to clinch but Danil is having none of it.
Danil shoots in for a takedown but Santiago shows good takedown defense.
Danil fails with an attempt to clinch.
Danil tries to clinch but Santiago is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A punch combination from Danil misses.

Santiago clinches up against the cage.
Danil tries to pull guard but Santiago holds him up against the cage and eventually Danil drops back down to his feet.
Santiago has Danil pressed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Santiago closes the distance looking to clinch

so Danil counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Santiago keeping moving, preventing Danil from controlling successfully.
Santiago looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Danil trying to control the position from guard on top but Santiago is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santiago seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Santiago manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Danil manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Danil not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Danil pushes Santiago off and gets back to his feet.
Danil has his takedown stuffed
and Santiago counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Danil thinking.

Santiago darts in and clinches Danil up against the cage.
Santiago is trying to maintain a safe position but Danil gets an underhook and turns Santiago into the cage.

Danil breaks from the clinch.
Santiago clinches but Danil breaks the clinch
and Danil counters with a head kick. That will keep Santiago thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Danil misses with a series of wild punches.
Danil circles away from the clinch attempt.
Danil dives in and grabs Santiago's left leg, looking for a takedown. Santiago pushes down on Danil's head and hops out.
Santiago cracks Danil with a right hand to the side of the head.
Santiago moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Santiago tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mateus Santiago is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Santiago swats away the attempt to clinch by Danil.
Danil darts in trying to clinch

and Santiago counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Santiago.
Danil keeps control of Santiago as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Danil manages to break the clinch.
Danil misses with a double jab

and Santiago moves into the clinch.
Santiago has had enough of the clinch but Danil keeps him there for the moment.

Danil manages to break the clinch.
Danil throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Santiago's waist but Santiago gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Danil off to one side.
Mateus Santiago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aralin Danil.
Horrible takedown by Danil or perhaps it was just good defense by Santiago which made him look bad.
Santiago tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Santiago takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Santiago fails in his attempt to clinch.
Danil shoots in for a double leg but Santiago sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Santiago keeps the fight on the outside.
Danil connects with a solid leg kick.

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.
Santiago tries to clinch up.
Danil looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Santiago is fending him off so far but Danil persists. Nope, Santiago circles away and we're back to standing.
Danil tries for a takedown but Santiago sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Danil showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Santiago.
Horrible takedown by Danil or perhaps it was just good defense by Santiago which made him look bad.
Santiago fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
The fight stays on the outside here - Santiago looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Danil tries to score a power double leg takedown but Santiago sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Danil somewhat.
Mateus Santiago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Danil dives in and grabs Santiago's left leg, looking for a takedown. Santiago pushes down on Danil's head and hops out.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Aralin Danil.
I think Santiago has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mateus Santiago!