PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Josh Laston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oscralo De Santiuya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Laston comes to the cage accompanied by Ice Cube - Today was a Good Day. The crowd seem to be enjoying De Santiuya's choice of entrance music: The Tokens - The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Oscralo De Santiuya will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Laston
vs
De Santiuya

185 cm
23
198 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

182 cm
23
194 lbs
9 - 10 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josh Laston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Oscralo De Santiuya!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Daniel Franklin and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Laston tries to clinch there but De Santiuya circles away.
Laston scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

It looks like Oscralo De Santiuya has been cut.
Laston throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
De Santiuya keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Laston jabs at De Santiuya's body.

Laston clinches.

De Santiuya breaks the clinch.
Laston definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Laston lands a lovely overhand right.
Josh Laston seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
De Santiuya slips a jab from Laston.
De Santiuya moves in looking to clinch but Laston pushes him off.
Laston misses with a double jab.
Laston throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Good work by De Santiuya as he checks the leg kick.
Laston misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laston tries to clinch but De Santiuya moves away
and De Santiuya counters with a series of strikes. Laston will be more careful next time no doubt.
A combination from Laston does no damage.
Laston wants to clinch but De Santiuya slips to the side
and De Santiuya counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Laston tries to close the distance and clinch but De Santiuya swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
De Santiuya moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
De Santiuya keeps the fight on the outside.
De Santiuya throws a right and a left that both miss.
Laston moves to clinch but De Santiuya breaks away
and De Santiuya counters with a solid body kick.
Laston wants to clinch but De Santiuya slips to the side
and De Santiuya counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Laston wants to clinch.
Josh Laston is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Laston rushes De Santiuya and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laston is trying to force a seperation but De Santiuya has the dominant position.
Laston tries to break the clinch but De Santiuya is controlling the position.
Laston is trying to push De Santiuya away but De Santiuya has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Laston is trying to break the clinch but De Santiuya has him pressed against the cage.
Laston has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

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

Laston has taken the fight to the clinch.
Laston wants to get back to striking at distance but De Santiuya won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Laston's face as he tries to break the clinch.

De Santiuya manages to break the clinch.
Laston throws out a loose jab but De Santiuya uses good head movement to avoid it.
Laston tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. De Santiuya manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Laston throws a combination but it was largely blocked by De Santiuya.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laston dodges the punch combination from De Santiuya.
Laston misses with a looping right.
Laston misses with a double jab.
De Santiuya circles away from the clinch attempt

and De Santiuya counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

De Santiuya pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Laston darts in trying to clinch

and De Santiuya counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by De Santiuya.

De Santiuya manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Laston gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Laston tries to break the clinch but De Santiuya is controlling the position.
Laston wants to get back to striking at distance but De Santiuya won't allow it.

Laston pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
De Santiuya swats away the attempt to clinch by Laston.
Laston misses with a jab, cross combination.

Laston clinches with his opponent.
De Santiuya has Laston pressed against the cage, preventing Laston from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Laston breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Laston closes the distance but De Santiuya moves to the side
and De Santiuya counters with a nice uppercut.

Laston moves into the clinch successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Laston dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Oscralo De Santiuya's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Laston lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Laston misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Laston misses with a double jab.
Laston misses with the combination.
Laston misses with a wild combination.
Laston tries to close the distance and clinch up but De Santiuya swats him away and circles back towards the center.
De Santiuya lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Laston fails with an attempt to clinch.
Laston tries to clinch up
and De Santiuya counters with a solid body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laston tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
De Santiuya closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Laston is looking to clinch but De Santiuya is avoiding it.
Laston closes the distance but De Santiuya moves to the side
and De Santiuya counters with a low kick, right behind Laston 's knee.

Laston rushes De Santiuya and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Laston is trying to break the clinch but De Santiuya is controlling him.
Laston tries to break free but De Santiuya pushes him back against the cage.

De Santiuya breaks from the clinch.
De Santiuya keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Laston.
De Santiuya keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Laston.
Laston closes the distance looking to clinch
and De Santiuya counters with a one-two to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by De Santiuya.
Laston moves out of range of the body kick.
Laston misses with a double jab.
Laston lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but De Santiuya circles away quickly and effectively.
Laston is looking to clinch.
Laston tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but De Santiuya paws at him with a jab and circles away.
De Santiuya throws a series of punches but Laston avoids them all with ease.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Laston throws a series of punches but De Santiuya moves out of range.
De Santiuya's coach down at Den of Tears (22 coaches, $350 fee) was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on De Santiuya's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
De Santiuya looks to land a combination. Laston sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Laston tries to close the distance and clinch but De Santiuya swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
De Santiuya scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laston darts in trying to clinch
and De Santiuya counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
De Santiuya keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Laston.
Laston misses with an uppercut
and De Santiuya counters with a big head kick but Laston shrugs it off.
Laston has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

De Santiuya has Laston up against the cage in a clinch.

De Santiuya breaks the clinch.
De Santiuya slips a jab and a cross from Laston.
De Santiuya circles away from the clinch attempt

and De Santiuya decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Laston's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
De Santiuya preventing the sweep.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
De Santiuya is looking to stand up but Laston won't let him.

De Santiuya stands up from Laston's guard - De Santiuya perhaps looking for a knockout.
Laston wants to clinch.
De Santiuya tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Laston falls off balance throwing a combination
and De Santiuya cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oscralo De Santiuya showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Oscralo De Santiuya's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Laston throws a right and a left that both miss.
Laston misses with a wild combination.
Laston looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Laston takes the fight into the clinch.
Laston wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
De Santiuya keeps control of Laston as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

De Santiuya breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
De Santiuya keeps the fight on the outside.
Laston fails in his attempt to clinch.
De Santiuya swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
De Santiuya throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Laston misses.
Laston moves to clinch but De Santiuya breaks away
and De Santiuya counters with a left and a right that stings Laston.
De Santiuya dodges the punch combination from Laston.
Laston keeps the fight on the outside.

Laston instigates a clinch.

De Santiuya jumps into guard, dragging Laston to the mat.
De Santiuya wants to get back to his feet but Laston is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
De Santiuya looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Laston's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Laston wants to control from the top but De Santiuya keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laston stops De Santiuya from standing up.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Laston wants to control from the top but De Santiuya keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Josh Laston.
Laston jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Laston wants to clinch up but De Santiuya keeps it at a distance.
Laston tries to clinch but De Santiuya is having none of it.
Laston looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Laston showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from De Santiuya.
De Santiuya buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Santiuya avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Laston slips a jab and a cross from De Santiuya.
De Santiuya showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Laston.
Laston throws a nice looking combination but De Santiuya bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Laston forces De Santiuya back against the cage and clinches.
A frustrated look appears on Laston's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Laston's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
De Santiuya shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Laston as he avoids it easily.
A combination from De Santiuya does no damage.
De Santiuya blocks a head kick by Laston.
Laston tries to land a body kick
and De Santiuya counters with a left and a right that stings Laston.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De Santiuya throws a right and a left that both miss.
Laston is looking to clinch.
Laston throws a leg kick but De Santiuya sees it coming and moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Laston.
Laston takes a kick to the side of the head.
Laston pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces De Santiuya back to the cage. Laston follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Laston tries to clinch but De Santiuya moves out of range.

Laston moves into the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
De Santiuya wants a takedown but no success here.
Laston tries to break free but De Santiuya pushes him back against the cage.

De Santiuya breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Laston showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Laston 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Laston!
An out of breath Josh Laston thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
Oscralo De Santiuya was interviewed post fight and said 'Josh Laston is nothing but a chump, I would beat the living shit out of him in our rematch. He's scared.'.