PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chris Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eboy Enesio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Enesio has chosen Broken, Beat Scarred by Metallica as his entrance music. Eboy Enesio is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Cross
vs
Enesio

174 cm
18
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

167 cm
23
145 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Chris Cross!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Eboy Enesio!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Chris Saunders and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cross throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Enesio throws a head kick but Cross moves out of range.
Enesio fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cross changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Enesio tries to avoid it but Cross manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Enesio to the ground. Enesio escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Enesio darts in and clinches Cross up against the cage.
Enesio prevents a body shot from Cross.
Cross swings wildly with an uppercut but Enesio uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cross is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
The referee calls for Enesio to work.
Enesio lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Enesio breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Enesio closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Enesio pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Cross is working for takedown but Enesio is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Enesio using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Enesio is stalling here.

Enesio breaks the clinch.

Enesio forces Cross back against the cage and clinches.
Cross jumps guard but Enesio stands there with Cross around his waist. Cross gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Enesio lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Cross is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Cross takes an elbow to the temple.
I was talking to Cross's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Cross wants to take the fight to the mat but Enesio manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Enesio lands a hook that snaps the head of Cross backwards.
Enesio comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Cross working hard to break the clinch.
Enesio dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Cross is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Enesio gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
The referee calls for Enesio to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cross wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Enesio has him pressed against the cage.
Cross working hard to break the clinch.
Enesio working Cross over with knees to the body.
Enesio unloads a knee to the mid-section. Cross lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Cross misses with an elbow over the top.

Enesio breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Enesio throws a series of strikes that have Cross backpedaling.
A left and a right from Enesio both land. Nice combination.
Enesio works over Cross's head and body with a nice combination.
Cross tries a head kick but it misses.

Cross takes the fight into the clinch.

Enesio breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Enesio tries to clinch up.
Cross misses with the combination.
A head kick misses from Cross.
Enesio tries to clinch up.
Enesio lands a nice hook to Cross's body. Cross takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Cross avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Enesio tries to clinch but Cross moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Enesio looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
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!
Enesio tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cross paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Eboy Enesio is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Enesio tries to close the distance and clinch but Cross swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cross avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Enesio scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Enesio fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cross, pushing him back against the cage.
Enesio using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Enesio is pushing Cross up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Cross tries a body shot but Enesio blocks it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Enesio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Enesio has closed the distance and engaged Cross in a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eboy Enesio dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Some wild striking there from Cross.
Cross keeps the fight on the outside.
Cross looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Enesio scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Enesio doesn't manage to clinch there - Cross circles away.
Enesio fails with an attempt to clinch.

Enesio pushes Cross up against the cage in a clinch.
Enesio stalling.
Cross wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Enesio has him pressed against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Enesio.
Come on Enesio - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Enesio connects with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Enesio's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Enesio tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cross manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Enesio tries to clinch up but Cross circles away and keeps his distance.
Cross will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cross throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Enesio counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Enesio has Cross pushed against the cage.

Enesio breaks from the clinch.
Cross throws a head kick but Enesio moves out of range.

Cross moves into the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Cross's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross tries to pull guard but Enesio holds him up against the cage and eventually Cross drops back down to his feet.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Enesio creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cross's defenses.
Enesio has Cross pressed against the cage, preventing Cross from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cross looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cross takes an elbow to the forehead.
Enesio landing knees to the head.
Cross can't break the clinch.
Cross takes an elbow to the temple.
Cross fails to pull the fight into his guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Cross pulls guard successfully.

Enesio stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cross clinches with his opponent.
Cross is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Enesio to keep the fight standing.
Enesio has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. So far he's outscoring his opponent in the clinch so it seems to have been worthwhile.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Enesio crunches a lovely knee into Cross's ribcage.
Eboy Enesio seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Enesio breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Enesio looks to clinch

and Cross counters by moving into the clinch.
Cross goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Enesio just leaning against Cross, taking a breather.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Cross tries to score a body lock takedown but Enesio shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Cross has had enough of the clinch but Enesio keeps him there for the moment.
Cross takes an elbow to the temple.
Enesio will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Cross up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cross tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Enesio smiles and moves away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sloppy strikes from Enesio. Those never looked like landing.
Cross is trying hard to land a takedown here. Enesio sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Enesio wants to clinch up but Cross keeps it at a distance.
Cross swats away the attempt to clinch by Enesio.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Enesio tries to clinch but Cross is having none of it.
Cross throws an overhand right that lands on Enesio's shoulder, as Enesio tries to avoid the shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eboy Enesio showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Cross's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Enesio tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cross tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cross avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cross misses with a head kick.
Enesio tries to close the distance and clinch but Cross swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Eboy Enesio seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Enesio moves out of range of the body kick.
Eboy Enesio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Enesio stuffs the takedown attempt from Cross. Cross gets slowly back to his feet.
Enesio tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Cross clinches up against the cage.
Nice body punch from Enesio - that landed with a thud.
Enesio with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Cross tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Enesio blocks a body shot from Cross.
Cross can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Enesio connects with a nasty looking knee right to Cross's face.
Enesio lands a left hand.
Cross tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Enesio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Chris Cross is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Enesio moves into the clinch.

Enesio's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cross throws a nice looking combination but Enesio bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Enesio tries to close the distance and clinch but Cross swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Enesio tries to clinch but Cross is having none of it.
Enesio works Cross's body with a nice hook.
Enesio is looking to clinch but Cross is avoiding it.
Cross shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Enesio as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Enesio scores with a one two! Cross had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Enesio forces Cross back against the cage and clinches.

Enesio breaks from the clinch.
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!
Cross avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Enesio fails with an attempt to clinch.
Enesio lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Cross shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Enesio as he jumps to the side.
Cross shoots in looking for a takedown but Enesio manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cross's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Enesio wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Enesio tries to clinch but Cross moves out of range.

Enesio instigates a clinch.
Cross is trying to pull guard but Enesio turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Cross wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cross is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Enesio slowing the pace effectively.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cross moves into the clinch.
Enesio lands a damaging elbow.

Enesio escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Enesio wants to clinch.
Cross keeps the fight on the outside.
Enesio closes the distance but Cross moves to the side

and Cross holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Cross tries to pull guard but Enesio won't allow it.
The referee calls for Enesio to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Enesio utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Chris Cross has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eboy Enesio is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cross tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Enesio's elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eboy Enesio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Enesio has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight for Eboy Enesio!
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight for Eboy Enesio!
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight for Eboy Enesio!

Eboy Enesio wins by unanimous decision!
Eboy Enesio spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.