PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tito Santana (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thiago Sanchez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Santana
vs
Sanchez

165 cm
22
170 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

185 cm
37
184 lbs
19 - 21 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Tito Santana!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 21 - 0, fighting out of London, Thiago Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Paul Tew and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez wants to clinch but Santana slips to the side

and Santana counters with a shoot takedown. Sanchez fights it but they end up in guard.
Sanchez keeping full guard, as Santana tries to pass.
Sanchez wants to stand up but Santana is controlling him.
Santana looking to pass the guard.
Santana has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Santana wants to stand but Sanchez is controlling his posture from full guard.
Santana prevents Sanchez from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santana wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santana stops Sanchez from standing up.
Santana pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sanchez is keeping the position for now.
Sanchez is looking to stand up but Santana isn't so interested in that idea.
Santana wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is keeping the position.
Sanchez wants to get back to his feet but Santana is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sanchez keeping full guard, as Santana tries to pass.
Sanchez wants to stand up but Santana is controlling him.
Sanchez keeping full guard, as Santana tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santana passes Sanchez's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Santana tries to pass to full mount but Sanchez defends it.

Santana is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Santana wants to pass to mount but Sanchez is defending the position.
Sanchez is in trouble now - Santana has advanced to mount!

Santana is working for a guillotine from mount but Sanchez frees his head quite easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Santana moves to take his opponent's back.

Santana is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Sanchez defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Sanchez has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

Sanchez showing good submission defense here.

Santana working for a choke but Sanchez reverses nicely into Santana 's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santana looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sanchez is one step ahead there.

Santana working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sanchez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sanchez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Santana manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tito Santana dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sanchez doesn't manage to clinch there - Santana circles away.
Sanchez fails with an attempt to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Santana.
Sanchez tries to clinch there but Santana circles away.
Sanchez swats away the attempt to clinch by Santana.
Santana shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Sanchez counters with a left and a right that stings Santana.
Sanchez misses with the combination.

Sanchez clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sanchez breaks the clinch.
Santana changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sanchez tries to avoid it but Santana manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sanchez to the ground. Sanchez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tito Santana. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sanchez moves into the clinch.
Sanchez is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Santana has Sanchez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Sanchez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Sanchez has had enough of the clinch but Santana keeps him there for the moment.
Santana has Sanchez pressed against the cage, preventing Sanchez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Sanchez wants to break free but Santana has control.

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

Sanchez pushes Santana up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santana jumps guard but Sanchez turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Sanchez is pressed up against the cage. Santana has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Sanchez down to the mat. Sanchez avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Sanchez dips to his left and cracks Santana with an uppercut!
Sanchez misses with a wild combination.
Sanchez feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Santanas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sanchez wants to clinch up but Santana keeps it at a distance.
Sanchez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Santana counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Santana.
Santana tries to pull guard but Sanchez won't allow it.
Santana is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sanchez struggles to land a body shot inside as Santana controls his hands.

Santana manages to pull guard.
Santana wants to sweep here but Sanchez controlling him for the moment.

Sanchez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Santana is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sanchez defends well.
Sanchez trying to stand up but can't free himself from Santana's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez gets to his feet. Santana looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Sanchez pushes Santana up against the cage in a clinch.

Sanchez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sanchez tried to score with a low kick but Santana checks it.
Santana is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Santana misses with a takedown attempt
and Sanchez counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
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!

Sanchez moves into the clinch successfully.
Santana is trying to pull guard but Sanchez has him pressed against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sanchez tries to circle away but Santana has him pinned against the cage.
Santana jumps guard but Sanchez stands there with Santana around his waist. Santana gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Sanchez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Sanchez bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Santana's head backwards.
Santana misses with a takedown
and Sanchez counters with a series of strikes. Santana will be more careful next time no doubt.
Santana shoots in but no luck this time.
Santana fails with the takedown
and Sanchez counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tito Santana. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanchez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sanchez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Santana swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sanchez wants to clinch.
Sanchez circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez lands a glancing blow to the side of Santana's head.
Thiago Sanchez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Santana shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Sanchez counters with a one-two to the body.

Santana is rocked!
Sanchez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sanchez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Santana paws at him with a jab and circles away.
That kick from Sanchez tenderised Santana's leg. Santana is trying to keep his angry face on.
Santana has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Sanchez finds it's way round the side to connect with Santana's head.
Oh Santana is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sanchez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Santana fails with the takedown
and Sanchez counters with a huge left! Santana is in big trouble! He's backing up but Sanchez isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Santana from any more damage. A dominating finish by Sanchez!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Thiago Sanchez!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Thiago Sanchez made sure he mentioned Merciless Gladiators, along with how happy he was to win his fight.