PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gary Espinoza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Aldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jose Aldo is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Espinoza
vs
Aldo

168 cm
25
139 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 Sydney, Gary Espinoza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jose Aldo!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Damien Edna and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A chopping leg kick lands by Aldo.
Aldo stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Aldo wants it to stay on the feet.
Espinoza looks to land a right hand but Aldo moved out of range.
Aldo pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Aldo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Espinoza napping and manages to drive through into side control!
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Espinoza is trying to get back to his feet.
Aldo throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Aldo is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Espinoza knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Espinoza is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Aldo off and has taken his back!

Aldo defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Espinoza's arms.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Aldo is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Espinoza lands strikes to the head.
Aldo is covering up but some of the strikes from Espinoza are getting through and doing damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aldo tries to escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aldo is trying to remain composed but Espinoza is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Aldo is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Espinoza scores with punches from the back.
Espinoza tries to keep control of the position but Aldo is staying busy.
Espinoza controlling the position well here. Aldo rolled but Espinoza kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Aldo covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
I really don't envy Aldo right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Aldo staying busy and making it hard for Espinoza to control.
Espinoza lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Aldo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Espinoza wants to control but Aldo is keeping busy.

Aldo is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Espinoza gets his way!
Espinoza keeps control of the position easily here as Aldo tries to buck him off.
Espinoza landing with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza has the hooks in. Aldo is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
I would not like to be Aldo right now.
Espinoza lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Aldo tries to break free.
Espinoza looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Espinoza lands punches and elbows.
Aldo trying to get back to his feet but Espinoza is in full control for now.
Espinoza is punishing Aldo with strikes - can he finish him?!
Aldo breaks Espinoza's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Aldo looks gassed!
Aldo throwing strikes but missing.
Espinoza pulls Aldo in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aldo throws a big right hand that misses.
Espinoza is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Espinoza keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Aldo is looking for a sweep. Espinoza is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ground and pound from Espinoza.
Espinoza not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Aldo is staying active underneath Espinoza, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gary Espinoza dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Espinoza tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Aldo swivels and escapes.
Aldo misses with a wild combination.
Gary Espinoza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aldo scores with a jab.

Aldo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Espinoza sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Espinoza is looking to escape.
Aldo tries to pass to full mount but Espinoza defends it.
Espinoza tries to get to full guard but Aldo has control of the leg.
Aldo wants to free his trapped foot but Espinoza is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Aldo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Espinoza has one foot on Aldo's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Aldo lands a nice looking body shot.
Espinoza dodges the punch combination from Aldo.
Espinoza showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Aldo.
Espinoza tries to clinch but Aldo moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Aldo.

Aldo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Gary Espinoza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Aldo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Espinoza is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Aldo pulls his head out easily.
Aldo is pressing down on Espinoza's thigh, looking to free his foot. Espinoza is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza keeping control of the position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Aldo lands a nice short elbow.
Espinoza blocking the ground and pound attempt from Aldo.
Espinoza avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Aldo.
Espinoza has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Aldo working over Espinoza with some ground and pound. Espinoza looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Aldo is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Espinoza is looking to control Aldo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Espinoza avoid being mounted?
Aldo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Espinoza is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Aldo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Aldo's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aldo is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Espinoza tries to keep control of the position but Aldo is staying busy.
Aldo tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Espinoza throws a sloppy strike and Aldo uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Aldo has ended up in Espinoza's guard.
Espinoza tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Aldo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Aldo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Aldo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Aldo postures up.
Aldo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Aldo is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Espinoza is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Espinoza has escaped and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Aldo is keeping the position for now.
Aldo is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Espinoza works a leg free and moves into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Espinoza looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Espinoza trying to control from half guard but Aldo is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Aldo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Aldo lands with a kick to the temple. Espinoza shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Aldo misses with a head kick.
Espinoza pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Aldo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Aldo misses with a few strikes there.
The fight stays on the outside here - Espinoza looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Aldo shoots in and bounces Espinoza off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Espinoza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Espinoza is on top in guard.
Espinoza stands up over Aldo, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espinoza showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Espinoza lands a couple of digs.
Espinoza passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Aldo is looking to reverse the position.
Check out the look on Espinoza's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Espinoza has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Aldo!
Espinoza breaks from Aldo's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Espinoza with the ground and pound from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza with a couple of short strikes.
Espinoza can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Aldo is looking to escape.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Aldo bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Aldo got a little sloppy there for a moment and Espinoza has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Aldo has managed to get both his arms back between Espinoza's legs - danger averted.
Aldo throws a strike but Espinoza rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Aldo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Aldo wants to sweep but no luck.

Espinoza stands up and waves to Aldo to follow him.
Espinoza is looking to clinch but Aldo is avoiding it.
No joy there for Aldo, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Espinoza scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza wants to take a breather but Aldo manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Espinoza.
Espinoza pushing down on Aldo's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Aldo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Aldo is trying to stand back up but Espinoza is controlling him

Espinoza is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aldo gets full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gary Espinoza showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Espinoza 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gary Espinoza!