PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Juan Santos (ranked 3132 p4p, 166 weight class) and Ken Sterling (ranked 5281 p4p, 236 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Juan Santos has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Juan Santos seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Santos
vs
Sterling

162 cm
18
139 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
19
143 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Juan Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ken Sterling!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos misses with a combination
and Sterling counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sterling connects with a single shot there.
Santos throws a series of punches but Sterling avoids them all with ease.
Santos backing away here, and Sterling unleashes a leg kick that just misses.

Santos gets caught flat footed, as Sterling shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Sterling trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santos is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sterling is controlling him.

Santos escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sterling gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos has Sterling pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sterling looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sterling wants to stand but Santos has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Sterling trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sterling wants to stand but Santos is controlling his posture from full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Santos looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Sterling scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sterling misses with a double jab.
Sterling misses with the combination.
Santos feinted with a counter takedown.
Santos walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Santos feints and as Sterling raises his hands in defense, Santos changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sterling is adopting a defensive guard.
Sterling wants to get back to his feet but Santos is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sterling shoots in for a double leg but Santos sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Sterling gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Santos is looking for a takedown.
Santos tries a body shot but Sterling blocks it.
Sterling jumps guard but Santos turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Santos struggles to land a body shot inside as Sterling controls his hands.
Santos is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Sterling pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Santos with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Sterling manages to break the clinch.
Sterling stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sterling wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juan Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos tries to clinch up.
Sterling stuffs the takedown.
Sterling steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Santos.
Santos is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos moves in looking to clinch but Sterling pushes him off.
Sterling unleashes a big counter combination but Santos bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Sterling shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Santos pinned against the cage. Santos gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Santos closes the distance and pushes Sterling back into the cage.
Sterling wants to break free but Santos has control.

Sterling jumps into guard, dragging Santos to the mat.
Santos sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Sterling controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Sterling dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Santos pushes Sterling up against the cage in a clinch.
Santos looking for a takedown.
Sterling misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Santos.

Santos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Santos fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Sterling takes the fight into the clinch.
Santos stops a takedown attempt from Sterling.
Santos tries to score a body lock takedown but Sterling shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juan Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sterling pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sterling has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sterling fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Santos appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Sterling tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Santos swivels and escapes.
It looked like Santos was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Sterling scores with a head kick. Santos tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sterling throws a combination that misses

and Santos counters by clinching up.
Santos throws a head punch that misses.
The referee calls for Santos to work.

Santos breaks from the clinch.
Sterling misses with a head kick.
Santos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Santos tries to clinch there but Sterling circles away.
Sterling lands a high kick!
Santos lands a jab to Sterling's midsection.
Santos throws a sloppy head kick and Sterling moves out of range easily.

Sterling fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Santos sprawls well initially but Sterling persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Santos has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Sterling is on him like a limpet, forcing Santos back against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sterling wants to get back to striking at distance but Santos won't allow it.
Sterling is working for takedown but Santos is calmly controlling the position for now.

Sterling manages to pull guard.
Sterling is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Sterling is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sterling is controlling Santos's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Santos slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Sterling is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Santos slaps away a takedown attempt from Sterling, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sterling with a poor takedown

and Santos counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Sterling is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Sterling pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sterling is looking to clinch.
Santos seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Santos fails to land with a series of punches.
Juan Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sterling fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Santos moves into the clinch.

Santos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Santos misses with a kick to the body.

Santos closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Sterling wants the takedown. Santos is fighting it off but Sterling persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Santos's guard against the cage.
Sterling throws an elbow that misses. Santos uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sterling's guard. Nice move by Santos!

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Santos fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sterling misses with a takedown attempt
and Santos counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sterling connects with a high kick.
Santos stuffs the takedown.
It looked like Santos was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Sterling tries to close the distance and clinch up but Santos swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sterling tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Santos manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sterling shoots for a double leg takedown but Santos sprawls well. He's pushed Sterling's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Juan Santos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ken Sterling.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santos fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Santos instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sterling decides to pull guard.
Santos not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Santos trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Sterling is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Santos is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Sterling is trying to keep Santos in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Santos moves into the clinch.

Sterling breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sterling tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Santos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
As Sterling looks to move away, Santos throws a big counter combo but Sterling just gets out of the way.

Sterling shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Santos is trying to defend but Sterling finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Santos controlling the position well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santos tries to get to full guard but Sterling has control of the leg.
Sterling wants to lay and pray for a moment but Santos keeps working.
The fighters are battling for position here. Santos manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Santos keeping moving, preventing Sterling from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Sterling is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Sterling stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Santos is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sterling sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Santos closes the distance and clinches.

Sterling wants the takedown. Santos is fighting it off but Sterling persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Santos's guard against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sterling controlling from the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ken Sterling.
I think Sterling 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ken Sterling!