PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hometown Hero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Higino Esousa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hero comes to the cage accompanied by Hall of Fame. Esousa has chosen Porn Star by Swollen Members as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hero
vs
Esousa

185 cm
23
200 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

184 cm
18
213 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hometown Hero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Higino Esousa!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Alec Ball and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hero avoids the body shot from Esousa.
Esousa misses with a wild combination.

Hero gets a clinch.
Esousa is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hero gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Esousa is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Hero is defending well.
Hero prevents the takedown attempt.
Hometown Hero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Higino Esousa.
Hero is pressed up against the cage. Esousa has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hero down to the mat. Hero avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Higino Esousa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Esousa throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Some wild striking there from Esousa.
Esousa blocks a head kick by Hero.
Esousa throws a solid leg kick but Hero takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Esousa.

Hero decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Hero connects with a nice short shot to Esousa's temple.
Hero with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Hero is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esousa is looking for a sweep. Hero is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Hero wants to work for an arm triangle but Esousa is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Hero tries to stand but can't do so whilst Esousa controls his leg.
Hero with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Hero working over Esousa with some ground and pound. Esousa looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Esousa is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hero working the head and body with strikes.
Hero 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.
Hero is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Esousa is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hero is looking for a kimura here.
Hero trying to control the pace.
Esousa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hero. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esousa wants to control but Hero is keeping busy.
Hero tries to pass the half guard into mount. Esousa knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Hero prevents Esousa from improving his position.

Hero is looking for a kimura but Esousa is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Hero to get the leverage.
Esousa is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Hero scores with a couple of nice shots.
Esousa is trying to maintain the position but Hero is very close to passing his half guard.
Esousa tries to get to full guard but Hero has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hero seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Hero is taking a breather. Esousa says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Esousa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Esousa tries to roll over but Hero keeps him under control.
Hero is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Esousa is pressing down on Hero's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hometown Hero dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Esousa scores with a hook.
Hero on the wrong end of a nice jab.

It looks like Hometown Hero has been cut.

Hero feints and as Esousa raises his hands in defense, Hero changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Esousa working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Hero has passed into half guard!

Hero 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.
Hero wants to stand but Esousa has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hero is controlling the pace.
Esousa is trying to maintain the position but Hero is very close to passing his half guard.
Hero wants to lay and pray for a moment but Esousa keeps working.

Hero seems to be looking for submissions.
Esousa trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hero wants to free his trapped foot but Esousa is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hero wants to stand up but Esousa has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Esousa trying to get back to full guard but Hero takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Esousa is wriggling around trying to escape.
Esousa in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Hero cracks Esousa with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Esousa tries to improve his position but instead Hero has taken his back!
What can Esousa do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hero 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.
Esousa trying to control the hands but Hero breaks the grip.

Hero is persistently looking for the submission but Esousa is defending it well.
Esousa tries to break free.
Esousa trying to control the hands but Hero breaks the grip.
Esousa wants to escape the position.
Hero softening up his opponent with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hero trying to control.

Hero working for the choke.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hero keeps control of the position easily here as Esousa tries to buck him off.
Hero wants to control but Esousa is keeping busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Esousa looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Hero patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hometown Hero dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Hometown Hero'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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Hero drives through with a takedown into Esousa's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Hero wants to control from the top but Esousa keeps moving.
Hero stands and throws Esousa's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Esousa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hero tries to stand but Esousa is controlling his head.
Hero wants to control but Esousa is keeping him busy.
Hero cracks Esousa with a big right hand but Esousa just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Esousa tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hero tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Hero working away.
Esousa is trying to improve his position.
Hero in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Esousa is trying to improve his position.
Hero wants to lay and pray for a moment but Esousa keeps working.
Hero is working Esousa over with some ground and pound from side control.
Esousa tries to bench press Hero off him but Hero keeps the position.
Hero scoring with punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hero scoring with punches from side control.
Hero controlling from side mount.
Hero's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Esousa tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.

Hero working for a submission but Esousa is keeping him at bay.
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!
Esousa tries to hold on but Hero postures up.
Hero scoring with strikes but Esousa is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hero looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hero content just to control the position here.
Hero can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Esousa is looking to escape.
Higino Esousa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Esousa is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hero looking to control but Esousa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Esousa is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hero landing shots from mount.
Esousa is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hero cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

Hero looking for a guillotine from mount but Esousa is having none of it.
Esousa wants to control but Hero is having none of it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Esousa tries to reverse the position but Hero maintains control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hometown Hero showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hero, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hometown Hero!
After winning the bout, Hometown Hero thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.