PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Claudio Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimi Manuwa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Santos
vs
Manuwa

185 cm
18
200 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

193 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Claudio Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jimi Manuwa!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Steven Brown and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos fails to land the takedown.
Santos shoots for a double leg takedown but Manuwa sprawls well. He's pushed Santos's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Manuwa scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Manuwa shoots in but Santos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Santos.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Claudio Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Santos fails with a takedown attempt.
Santos looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Manuwa is fending him off so far but Santos persists. Nope, Manuwa circles away and we're back to standing.
Danga de danga de dang - Manuwa scores with a four punch combination!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Crunch! Manuwa slams his shin into Santos's torso.
Manuwa cracks Santos with an open hand slap.
Manuwa jabs Santos to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Santos is breathing heavily.
Manuwa throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Santos takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

Manuwa clinches with his opponent.
Santos controlling the action here for a moment.
Manuwa wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Santos can't get the takedown.
Santos manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Manuwa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Santos. No joy for Manuwa on that attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Manuwa. No joy for Santos on that attempt.
Santos shoots for a takedown but Manuwa saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Manuwa plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Manuwa scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Manuwa has a takedown stuffed.
Santos takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Santos is rocked!
Manuwa throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Manuwa swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Manuwa clinches.
Santos changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Manuwa fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Manuwa is defended easily by Santos.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manuwa cracks Santos with a right hand to the side of the head.
Manuwa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Manuwa lands with a nice combination. Santos backs away looking to recover.
Manuwa throws a series of punches but Santos moves out of range.
Santos is looking to clinch but Manuwa is avoiding it.
Santos swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Sloppy strikes from Manuwa. Those never looked like landing.
Manuwa tries to clinch up but Santos circles away and keeps his distance.

Santos dives in and scores a takedown into Manuwa's guard.
Manuwa is wriggling around but Santos manages to pass to half guard.
Santos misses with a head shot. Manuwa uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manuwa keeping moving, preventing Santos from controlling successfully.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Santos sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Santos stands up and waves to Manuwa to follow him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimi Manuwa dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A solid body kick from Manuwa.
Santos fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Manuwa avoids it really well and circles away.
Manuwa lands a front kick.
Nice jab there from Manuwa.
Santos fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Santos keeps the fight on the outside.
Manuwa throws a sloppy head kick and Santos moves out of range easily.
Manuwa with a poor takedown

and Santos counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Santos.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Santos.
Manuwa is trying to push Santos away but Santos has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Santos has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Manuwa is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Claudio Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos can't get the takedown.
Santos keeps control of Manuwa as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Manuwa has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Santos looking to stall.

Manuwa breaks the clinch.
Santos fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters circling a little - Manuwa finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Manuwa throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Manuwa scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Manuwa displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
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!
A solid leg kick lands there for Manuwa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Manuwa lands a jab-cross combination.
Santos takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Manuwa moves into the clinch.

Manuwa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Manuwa scores with a three punch combo!
Manuwa scores with a three punch combo!
Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Manuwa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Santos keeps the fight on the outside.
Manuwa is looking to clinch.
Santos shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Manuwa as he jumps to the side.
Manuwa scores with a head kick. Santos tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manuwa tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Santos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Manuwa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Santos avoids it really well and circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Santos.
Manuwa connects with a high kick.
Manuwa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Santos throws a push kick but Manuwa slaps the foot to one side.

Santos gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Manuwa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Manuwa has taken the fight to the clinch.
Santos is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manuwa is looking to break free of the clinch but Santos has double underhooks.

Manuwa manages to break the clinch.
Santos keeps the fight on the outside.
Manuwa stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Manuwa wants it to stay on the feet.
Manuwa delivers a nice body kick.
Manuwa with a jab.
Manuwa throws a right and a left that both miss.
Manuwa throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Santos's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Santos shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Manuwa pinned against the cage. Manuwa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Manuwa stalks Santos and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Santos's face. Santos staggers backwards, shaken.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimi Manuwa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Santos throws a sloppy head kick and Manuwa moves out of range easily.
Santos fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Santos walks into a jab.
Santos walks into a left hand.
Manuwa fails with a takedown attempt.
Manuwa throws a nice head kick!
Manuwa moves in looking to clinch but Santos pushes him off.
Manuwa bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Santos shoots in and drives through. Manuwa sprawls well.
Manuwa shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Santos defends it nicely.
Santos takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Jimi Manuwa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Manuwa keeps Santos at a distance using the push kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manuwa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Santos avoids it really well and circles away.
Claudio Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jimi Manuwa.
Manuwa throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Santos's head.
Manuwa scores with a push kick.
Santos closes this distance looking for a takedown but Manuwa circles away.
Santos displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Manuwa.
Horrible takedown by Santos or perhaps it was just good defense by Manuwa which made him look bad.
Santos fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Santos is trying hard to land a takedown here. Manuwa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Manuwa tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Santos swivels and escapes.
Santos closes this distance looking for a takedown but Manuwa circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Santos.
Manuwa lunges at Santos with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Santos's hand.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Santos.
Manuwa closes the distance and clinches up with Santos, looking for a takedown. Manuwa pushes Santos against the cage but Santos circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Santos fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Manuwa closes this distance looking for a takedown but Santos circles away.
Santos stuffs the takedown.
Manuwa scores with a spinning back kick!
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!
Manuwa displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Santos.
Manuwa scores with a kick to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos wants to clinch.
Claudio Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Santos swats away the attempt to clinch by Manuwa.
Manuwa scores with a hook to the body. Santos takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Manuwa tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Santos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Manuwa scores with a nice strike.
Manuwa takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Santos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Manuwa with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Manuwa scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Manuwa scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Santos throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Manuwa tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Santos is in Manuwa's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manuwa wants to stand and escape but Santos is having none of it.

Santos drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Santos jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Santos's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Manuwa wants to get back to his feet but Santos passes into half guard.
Santos is taking a breather. Manuwa says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Claudio Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jimi Manuwa is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santos thows a huge punch but Manuwa dodges it nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jimi Manuwa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Manuwa winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimi Manuwa!