PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gray Meyer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Santos
vs
Meyer

178 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
20
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Santos!
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, Gray Meyer!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Felipe Paraventi and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meyer circles away from the clinch attempt.
Meyer throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Meyer shoots in for a double leg but Santos sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Meyer closes the distance and clinches up with Santos, looking for a takedown. Meyer pushes Santos against the cage but Santos circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Santos moves to clinch but Meyer breaks away

and Meyer counters by moving into the clinch.
Santos tries to throw a body punch but Meyer avoids it by throwing Santos back against the cage.
Meyer lands a right hand that snaps the head of Santos backwards.
Santos slows down the pace here.
Santos is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Thiago Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gray Meyer.
Santos throws a knee to the head but misses.
Meyer takes a knee right on the jaw!
Santos misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Santos tries a knee to the head but Meyer blocks it.
Santos is trying to stall.
Santos prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos trying to land knees to the body.
Santos unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Santos with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Santos obliges.
Santos scores a nice knee to the body.

Meyer manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Meyer has a closed guard, preventing Santos from standing up.

Santos gets to his feet - Meyer follows without any prompting.
Santos throws a nice outside leg kick.
Santos lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Meyer circles away quickly and effectively.

Meyer rushes Santos and presses him up against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Santos misses with an elbow strike.
Santos misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Meyer avoiding damage as Santos throws knees to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Santos.
Santos lands a nice knee to the body.
Meyer looks gassed!
Meyer tries for a takedown. No joy.
Meyer wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Santos dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Meyer wants a takedown but no success here.
Come on Santos - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Santos landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Santos looking to throw knees to the head but Meyer is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meyer with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Santos with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Santos looking to slow down the pace here.
Meyer digs a right hand underneath Santos's ribcage. Santos let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A knee to the head by Santos.
Santos stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Santos with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Meyer decides to pull guard.
Meyer wants to sweep but no luck.
Santos knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Meyer on the ground.

Meyer is working an open guard so Santos takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Santos tries to clinch up but Meyer circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer connects with a body shot that sends Santos's belly button to the back.
No luck for Meyer with that takedown attempt.

Meyer dives in and scores a takedown into Santos's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Meyer controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Meyer prevents Santos from getting back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Meyer not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Santos on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Santos tries to get out of the position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Meyer trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Santos dominated that round.
That's time! Santos's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Santos tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Meyer closes the distance and clinches.
Santos misses with a knee to the head.
Santos with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Meyer on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Santos obliges.
Meyer takes a knee to the side of the body.
Meyer fails to pull guard.
Meyer has had enough of the clinch but Santos keeps him there for the moment.
Santos lands a good knee to the midsection. Meyer won't want to take too many of those.
Santos landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Meyer is breathing heavily.
Meyer has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Santos is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
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 is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Santos lands a good knee to the midsection. Meyer won't want to take too many of those.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos stalling in the clinch.
Santos scores a nice knee to the body.
Santos lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Meyer takes a knee to the side of the body.
Santos leaning against his opponent.
Santos lands a knee to the head.
Santos lands an elbow inside.
Santos scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Santos can't find room to land a body shot as Meyer controls the action.
Santos with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Santos tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Meyer avoids it.
Meyer is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meyer has had enough of the clinch but Santos keeps him there for the moment.
Meyer looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Meyer jumps guard but Santos turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Thiago Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gray Meyer.
Santos has Meyer pushed against the cage.
Santos is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Santos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Meyer has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Meyer is trying to push Santos away but Santos has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Meyer successfully pulls guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Santos wants to control from the top but Meyer keeps moving.
Santos wants to stand and escape but instead Meyer has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meyer trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Meyer prevents Santos from getting back to his feet.

Santos is working an open guard so Meyer takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Meyer misses with the combination.
Meyer keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Meyer fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Santos to the ground. Meyer is now in Santos's guard.
Meyer works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Meyer controlling the action here.
Santos is staying active underneath Meyer, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santos wants to sweep but Meyer has passed to side control!
Meyer is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Santos's shoulder. That is not cool.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Santos dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Meyer misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Meyer tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Santos swivels and escapes.
Santos wants to clinch up but Meyer keeps it at a distance.
Santos feints and then cracks Meyer's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Meyer down.
Santos defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Meyer.
Thiago Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gray Meyer.

Meyer has Santos up against the cage in a clinch.
Santos unloads a knee to the mid-section. Meyer lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Santos lands a knee to the head.
Meyer takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Santos is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Meyer can't fight it off and eventually Santos manages to take the fight to the floor. Meyer looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Santos looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Santos decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Santos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Meyer shoots in but Santos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Meyer is looking to chop away at Santos's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Meyer manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Meyer gets tackled into the cage by Santos. Santos maintains the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Santos.
Meyer is trying to pull guard but Santos turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Meyer lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Santos backwards.
Meyer is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Santos scores a nice knee to the body.
Thiago Santos has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Santos is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Santos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Meyer has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Santos missing with knees to the body.
Santos tries to land a knee to the head but Meyer blocks with his arms.
Come on Santos - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Meyer tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Meyer avoids it.
Meyer wants to take the fight to the mat but Santos manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Meyer tries to pull guard but Santos forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Santos goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Meyer tries for a takedown. No joy.
Meyer takes a knee right on the jaw!
Thiago Santos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Santos missing with knees to the body.
Meyer wants to take the fight to the mat but Santos manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Santos with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Santos dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Meyer's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer is trying to break the clinch but Santos is controlling him.
Santos working aggressively here.
Meyer wants a takedown.
Santos lands an elbow just above Meyer 's eye.
Meyer takes an elbow to the forehead.
Santos slowing the pace effectively.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meyer tries a knee to the head but Santos blocks it.
Gray Meyer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Meyer tries to land a knee to the head but Santos blocks with his arms.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Santos showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Santos, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27

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