PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steel Adams (ranked 1092 p4p, 3681 weight class) and Ricardo Esponosa (ranked 151 p4p, 397 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Adams
vs
Esponosa

179 cm
25
160
9 - 6 - 0

181 cm
24
163
6 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steel Adams!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ricardo Esponosa!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Columbo Gatti and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Adams connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Esponosa's hands.
Esponosa misses the jab.

Esponosa clinches.
Esponosa has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Adams after a bit of a struggle.

Esponosa drags the fight down to the ground.
Adams trying to control but Esponosa is working from the bottom.

Esponosa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Adams can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Esponosa is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Adams is aware though and is defending well.
Adams wants to control from the top but Esponosa keeps moving.
Adams seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Esponosa throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Adams wants to pass the guard but Esponosa is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esponosa looking to control.

Adams has gone for a leg lock! Esponosa slips out almost immediately though and dives into Adams's guard.

Adams has his foot on Esponosa's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Esponosa works his way back into a safe position though.

Adams escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Esponosa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Esponosa controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Adams is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Esponosa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Adams keeping moving, preventing Esponosa from controlling successfully.
Esponosa not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Adams wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Esponosa is now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Adams is looking for a sweep. Esponosa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Esponosa is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Adams trying to hold on to Esponosa's head to control him but Esponosa postures up.

Adams looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Esponosa seems to be working for a kimura but Adams defends the submission attempt.
Esponosa prevents Adams from improving his position.
Adams is trying to control but can't.
Adams is staying active underneath Esponosa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Adams looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Adams is looking to control Esponosa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Adams avoid being mounted?
Adams wants to get back to full guard.
Esponosa is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Esponosa is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Adams defends it well.
Adams is positioning himself well to prevent Esponosa advancing to mount.

Esponosa looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Adams looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

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.

Adams looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Esponosa is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Adams trying to control from the bottom.
Esponosa is looking to take a break and control but Adams is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Adams has hold of Esponosa's hands but Esponosa slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Esponosa is looking to take a break and control but Adams is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Adams has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Esponosa is working away from the top position though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Esponosa dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Esponosa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Adams avoids it really well and circles away.

Adams takes the fight into the clinch.
Esponosa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Adams tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Esponosa's elbow.
Adams can't find room to land a body shot as Esponosa controls the action.
Adams lands on the inside with an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Adams throws a punch but it's blocked by Esponosa.
Adams lands with a light punch inside.
Adams has a couple of punches blocked by Esponosa.
Adams softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Esponosa is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Adams to keep the fight standing.
Steel Adams has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Esponosa.
Adams lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Esponosa or not.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adams throws a punch but it's blocked by Esponosa.
Adams stops a takedown attempt from Esponosa.
Esponosa is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Adams to keep the fight standing.
Adams scores with a shoulder strike.
Adams swings wildly with an uppercut but Esponosa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Esponosa tries to pull guard but Adams forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Esponosa blocking some punches.
Adams fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Adams lands an uppercut.
Adams lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Adams pushes Esponosa back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Adams misses with a punch on the inside.
Esponosa takes a shot to the head.

Esponosa manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Adams looking to sit in guard and control but Esponosa gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

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!
Esponosa forces his way into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esponosa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Adams looking for submissions off his back.

Esponosa is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Adams controlling the position well.
Adams is looking to control Esponosa's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Adams avoid being mounted?
Esponosa wants to control but Adams is keeping him busy.
Adams has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Esponosa is working away from the top position though.

Esponosa is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Adams actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esponosa wants to take a breather but Adams is having none of it.

Adams is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Esponosa pulls his head out easily.
Esponosa sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Adams has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Esponosa is working away from the top position though.

Esponosa moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Adams.
Esponosa working away.
Adams is not content to let Esponosa control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Adams is trying to control Esponosa's posture but Esponosa avoids it.

Esponosa thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Adams can't do much from the bottom here.
Adams is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Adams manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Adams is refusing to be controlled, as Esponosa sits in half guard.

Adams looking for a kimura from the bottom but Esponosa passes into side control!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Steel Adams dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Esponosa shoots and misses
and Adams counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Esponosa takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Adams clinches up against the cage.
Esponosa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Adams pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Good body shot from Adams.
Adams fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Esponosa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Steel Adams has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Esponosa.
Esponosa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Adams pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Adams lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Adams works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Adams softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Adams misses with a punch to the body.
Esponosa tries to pull guard but Adams forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Adams scores with a shoulder strike.
Esponosa tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Adams just stands there and leans against the cage.
Adams swings wildly with an uppercut but Esponosa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Adams is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Esponosa can do to turn this around?
Esponosa is looking for a takedown.
Esponosa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adams scores with a shoulder strike.
Adams is pressed up against the cage. Esponosa has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Adams down to the mat. Adams avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Adams sizes up Esponosa with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Adams has closed the distance and engaged Esponosa in a clinch.
Esponosa tries to pull guard but Adams won't allow it.
A right hand to the body from Adams.
Adams scores with a shot to the side of Esponosa's head.
Esponosa tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Adams just stands there and leans against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Adams.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Esponosa.
Adams lands a left hand that snaps the head of Esponosa backwards.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Adams.
Esponosa fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Adams softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Adams lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Adams lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Esponosa is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Adams.
Esponosa is still on wobbly legs! Can Adams finish him?
Adams lands a left hand.
Adams creates some distance for himself and unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Esponosa's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Esponosa drops to his knees and Adams pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Steel Adams!
Steel Adams thanked the fans post fight for their support.
Ricardo Esponosa was interviewed post fight and said 'We’ll get it next time '.