PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marco Kolo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hector Escobar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Escobar has chosen Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N' Roses as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kolo
vs
Escobar

198 cm
26
219 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

190 cm
29
218 lbs
16 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great low kicks
KO power

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marco Kolo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hector Escobar!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kolo lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Kolo lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Kolo fails to land with a series of punches.
Escobar shoots and misses
and Kolo makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Escobar really felt that one!
Escobar shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kolo as he avoids it easily.
Kolo stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kolo wants it to stay on the feet.
Marco Kolo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hector Escobar.
Escobar looks gassed!
Kolo lets loose with a powerful body kick. Escobar will feel that in the morning.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kolo taking a breather.
Kolo seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kolo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kolo goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

It looks like Hector Escobar has been cut.
Escobar with a lazy takedown attempt

and Kolo counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kolo.
Escobar is trying to drag Kolo to the mat but Kolo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
The referee calls for Kolo to work.

Kolo breaks the clinch.
Kolo leaves Escobar with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kolo works Escobar's body with a nice hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kolo lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Marco Kolo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kolo drives through and clinches with Escobar against the cage.
Escobar wants a takedown but no success here.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Escobar is trying desperately to land a takedown but Kolo is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Escobar.

Kolo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kolo lands a nice looking kick to the body. Escobar takes a step back to recover.
Nice body kick there by Kolo.
Marco Kolo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Kolo pushes Escobar up against the cage in a clinch.
Kolo taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Escobar is trying to break the clinch but Kolo has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kolo slowing the pace effectively.

Kolo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kolo scores with a spinning back kick!
Kolo throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Escobar has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Kolo.
Kolo scores with a nice body kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kolo buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Kolo has taken the fight to the clinch.
Kolo will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Escobar up against the cage.
Kolo gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Marco Kolo.
Kolo lands with a nice body kick.

Kolo instigates a clinch.
Kolo's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Escobar drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kolo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kolo manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Kolo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marco Kolo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hector Escobar's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kolo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kolo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Escobar can do to turn this around?
Escobar takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Kolo throws a wild body kick that Escobar sees coming a mile off.
Kolo delivers a nice body kick.
Escobar with a poor takedown
and Kolo counters with a solid body kick.
Kolo throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Kolo moves into range and clinches up with Escobar.
A right handed body shot lands from Kolo.
Kolo lands a nice shot to the body.
Escobar is breathing heavily.

Kolo breaks from the clinch.
Escobar takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Nice body kick from Kolo.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kolo instigates a clinch.
Kolo is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Marco Kolo.

Escobar drives through and clinches with Kolo against the cage.
Kolo holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Kolo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kolo counters with a nice low kick that buckles Escobar's knee momentarily.
Escobar shoots in but no luck this time.
Marco Kolo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hector Escobar.
Kolo lands a nice looking body kick.
Marco Kolo is winning the standup battle so far.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kolo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Kolo moves into range and clinches up with Escobar.
The referee calls for Kolo to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kolo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Escobar shoots and misses
and Kolo counters with a nice low kick that buckles Escobar's knee momentarily.

Kolo gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Kolo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kolo lands a leg kick that knocks Escobar off balance momentarily.
Escobar has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kolo.
Kolo lands with a kick to the ribs.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Kolo, right into the meat.
Escobar has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kolo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escobar takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kolo.
Kolo pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Kolo clinches.
Kolo will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Escobar up against the cage.
Kolo lands a shot to the body.
Kolo lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Escobar backwards.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Escobar letting Kolo take a breather here.
Kolo stops a takedown attempt from Escobar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marco Kolo dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Hector Escobar's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Kolo instigates a clinch.
Escobar is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kolo is defending well.
Kolo taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Kolo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Escobar takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Nice body kick there by Kolo.
Escobar on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Kolo dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Escobar. That did some damage!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Escobar takes one to the side of the head.
Escobar sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Kolo lets loose with a powerful body kick. Escobar will feel that in the morning.
Escobar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Kolo lands a big head kick that sends Escobar tumbling to the mat! Kolo takes a step backwards and waves Escobar back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Escobar is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Escobar is still on wobbly legs! Can Kolo finish him?
Kolo connects with a solid leg kick.
Kolo scores with the left hand. Escobar knows he should have avoided that one.
Kolo with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Kolo gets a clinch.
Kolo stalling the fight.
Kolo prevents the takedown attempt.
Escobar seems to have recovered his senses.

Kolo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Escobar tries to keep at a distance but Kolo has taken the fight into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kolo is pushing Escobar up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar is trying to drag Kolo to the mat but Kolo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Marco Kolo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hector Escobar.
Kolo taking a breather.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Marco Kolo.

Kolo darts in and clinches Escobar up against the cage.
Escobar jumps guard but Kolo stands there with Escobar around his waist. Escobar gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kolo stops a takedown attempt from Escobar.

Kolo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Kolo connects with the punch.
Escobar takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

Kolo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Escobar letting Kolo take a breather here.

Kolo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Kolo moves into the clinch.
Marco Kolo has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Kolo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kolo scores with a crisp jab that stopped Escobar in his tracks.

Kolo moves into the clinch.
Hector Escobar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marco Kolo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escobar is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kolo is defending well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Escobar is trying to break the clinch but Kolo is controlling him.
Escobar goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kolo prevents it.
Escobar's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Kolo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Kolo has managed to clinch.

Kolo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Escobar takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Escobar throws a series of punches but Kolo avoids them all with ease.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marco Kolo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Kolo has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:24
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:24
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marco Kolo!