PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rui Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Darker (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
Darker

180 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Rui Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Chris Darker!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Colin Fotheringham and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Darker closes the distance and clinches.
A bit of stalling here from Darker.
Darker jumps guard but Santos stands there with Darker around his waist. Darker gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Santos tries to pull guard but Darker forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Darker wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Darker tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Santos is trying to pull guard but Darker has him pressed against the cage.

Santos pulls guard successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Darker got a little sloppy there for a moment and Santos has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Darker has managed to get both his arms back between Santos's legs - danger averted.
Darker tries to free his leg and advance position but Santos is retaining full guard.
Darker trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Darker loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Darker gets to his feet. Santos looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Darker misses with a double jab.
Santos tries to clinch but Darker moves out of range.
Darker fails with a takedown attempt.
Rui Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Darker.
Santos jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Santos shoots in looking for a takedown. Darker tries to sprawl out of it but Santos keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Darker manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Santos checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Santos closes the distance and pushes Darker back into the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Santos - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Darker managing to block the knees to the body from Santos.
Santos goes for a takedown in the clinch but Darker prevents it.
Darker managing to block the knees to the body from Santos.
Darker wants to stall.
Darker is looking for a takedown.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Santos tries to pull guard but Darker holds him up against the cage and eventually Santos drops back down to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos displaying some good clinch control by pressing Darker up against the cage.
Santos gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Darker.

Santos has Darker pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Santos pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Darker tumbling to the mat - Santos dives into Darker's guard.
Darker keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
Darker is striking from the bottom but Santos uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darker moves into full guard.
Darker seems keen to control Santos's posture.

Darker has his foot on Santos's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Santos works his way back into a safe position though.
Darker striking off his back but it's not causing Santos any problems.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Darker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Darker looking for a sweep. Not yet Darker, not yet.
Santos trying to stand up but can't free himself from Darker's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Chris Darker will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Santos looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Santos gets tackled into the cage by Darker. Darker maintains the clinch.
Darker managing to block the knees to the body from Santos.
Santos gets underhooks to prevent Darker's takedown attempt.
Stalling in the clinch from Santos.

Santos pulls Darker into guard.
Darker throwing strikes but missing.
Darker trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
Darker throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darker is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Darker postures up.

Darker gets to his feet - Santos follows without any prompting.
Santos leaves Darker with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Santos tries to keep at a distance but Darker has taken the fight into the clinch.
Santos is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Darker is keeping busy.
Darker is trying to push Santos away but Santos has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Santos just misses with a elbow thrown towards Darker's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries to pull guard but Darker won't allow it.
Santos pressing his opponent against the cage.
Knees to the body from Santos.
Darker blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Darker tries to pull guard but Santos won't allow it.
Rui Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Darker.
Darker throws a knee to the head but misses.
Darker is trying to pull guard but Santos has him pressed against the cage.
Darker wants to break free but Santos has control.
Darker misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Santos.
Darker is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Santos is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darker can't break the clinch.
Santos slowing the pace effectively.
Darker is looking to take this one to the mat.
Darker is breathing heavily.
Santos gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Santos manages to pull guard.

Santos is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Santos is looking for a takedown.
Nice elbow from Santos.
Santos is looking to take this one to the mat.
The referee calls for Santos to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos fails to pull guard.
Darker wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Santos has him pressed against the cage.
Santos keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Darker's efforts to push away.
Darker has had enough of the clinch but Santos keeps him there for the moment.
Santos tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Darker just stands there and leans against the cage.
Santos is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Darker gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Santos tries to pull guard but Darker forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Darker tries to pull guard but Santos forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Santos prevents the takedown attempt.
Santos wants to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Rui Santos will probably get the nod.
That's time! Santos's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Darker misses with a leg kick

and Santos counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A nice right hand lands inside from Darker.
Santos is trying to pull guard but Darker turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Santos fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Santos is trying to maintain a safe position but Darker gets an underhook and turns Santos into the cage.
Darker drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Santos gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Darker gets underhooks to prevent Santos's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rui Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos has Darker pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Darker manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Santos is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Darker is keeping busy.
Santos jumps guard but Darker stands there with Santos around his waist. Santos gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darker fails to pull guard.
Santos tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Darker just stands there and leans against the cage.

Darker pulls guard successfully.

Darker pushes Santos off and gets back to his feet.
Darker shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Santos pinned against the cage. Santos gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Darker fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Santos manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darker closes this distance looking for a takedown but Santos circles away.
Santos shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rui Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Darker is trying hard to land a takedown here. Santos sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Santos fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Santos leaves Darker with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Darker misses with a series of wild punches.
Santos shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Darker shoots in looking for a takedown. Santos tries to sprawl out of it but Darker keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Santos manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos wants to clinch.
Darker shoots in but Santos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Santos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Darker gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Darker has managed to clinch.
Santos jumps guard but Darker turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Darker has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Darker is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Santos will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Darker up against the cage.
Darker blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Santos tries to pull guard but Darker won't allow it.
Santos is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Santos blocks an elbow strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Chris Darker.
I think Darker 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!