PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Salem Espinoza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and J B (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Espinoza
vs
B

185 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

195 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Salem Espinoza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, J B!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Colin Fotheringham and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Espinoza shoots in for a double leg but B sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Espinoza avoids a punch combination nicely.
Espinoza tries to clinch but B moves out of range.
Espinoza shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Espinoza clinches up with B and pushes him back against the cage.
B is trying to break the clinch but Espinoza has him pressed against the cage.
B is trying to break the clinch but Espinoza has him pressed against the cage.

B breaks the clinch.
A combination from B does no damage.
B throws a series of punches but Espinoza avoids them all with ease.
Espinoza avoids a punch combination nicely.
Espinoza tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Espinoza clinches up against the cage.
B is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Espinoza taking a breather.
Espinoza seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
B throws a right and a left that Espinoza avoids nicely.
Horrible takedown by Espinoza or perhaps it was just good defense by B which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salem Espinoza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Espinoza is breathing heavily.
B throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Espinoza has closed the distance and engaged B in a clinch.
Espinoza tries to land knees in the clinch but B avoids the damage to the body.
Espinoza is working for takedown but B is calmly controlling the position for now.
Espinoza prevents B from breaking the clinch.
Espinoza is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
B wants to break the clinch but can't.
B tries to break the clinch but Espinoza is controlling the position.
Espinoza looking to slow down the pace here.
A head punch on the inside from Espinoza fails to land.
Espinoza working aggressively here.
Espinoza tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. B smiles and moves away.
J B is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two 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.
Espinoza will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
No joy there for B, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
B throws a series of punches but Espinoza avoids them all with ease.
Espinoza tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but B swivels and escapes.
B swinging wilding here.
Espinoza dodges the punch combination from B.
B misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
B slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
B throws a nice looking combination but Espinoza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Espinoza stalks B and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into B's face. B staggers backwards, shaken.

Espinoza moves into the clinch.

B is fighting off a takedown attempt but Espinoza is just too persistent for him and manages to trip B to the mat. B regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Espinoza is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
B wants to stand but Espinoza is controlling the position.
Espinoza is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
B wants to stand but Espinoza is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Espinoza stands up from B's guard - Espinoza perhaps looking for a knockout.
B throws a combination that misses
and Espinoza counters with a right hand to the body.
Espinoza shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says B as he avoids it easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Espinoza.
Espinoza shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts B as he jumps to the side.
Espinoza tries to clinch but B moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salem Espinoza dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
B lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Espinoza fails with an attempt to clinch.
B tests Espinoza's chin there with a solid looking shot.
B misses with a double jab

and Espinoza counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

B breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Espinoza fails in his attempt to clinch.
B misses with a series of wild punches.

Espinoza closes the distance and clinches.

Espinoza breaks the clinch.
Espinoza looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? B is fending him off so far but Espinoza persists. Nope, B circles away and we're back to standing.
A left and a right from B both land. Nice combination.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
B throws a left and a right that both miss

and Espinoza counters by clinching up.

B breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
B swats away the attempt to clinch by Espinoza.
B throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Espinoza counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
B scores with a nice right hand.
Espinoza slips a jab and a cross from B.
B misses with a combination
and Espinoza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Espinoza is looking to clinch.
Espinoza doesn't manage to clinch there - B circles away.
B throws a series of strikes that have Espinoza backpedaling.
Espinoza tries to clinch there but B circles away.

Espinoza clinches with his opponent.
Espinoza throws a punch but it's blocked by B.
Espinoza has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. B is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Espinoza looking to stall.
B is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Espinoza pushes B back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Espinoza tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salem Espinoza. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
B wants to break free but Espinoza has control.
B is trying to break free.

Espinoza manages to break the clinch.
Espinoza scores with the left hand. B knows he should have avoided that one.
B misses with a few strikes there.
B throws a combination that misses

and Espinoza counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Espinoza.

Espinoza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
B misses with a two punch combination.
B swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Espinoza counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for B!
Espinoza sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as B is looking to escape.
B wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Espinoza content just to control the position here.
Espinoza landing strikes from the mount.
Espinoza controlling the position easily from mount.
B is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salem Espinoza dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Espinoza gets a clinch.
Espinoza drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Espinoza jumps guard but B stands there with Espinoza around his waist. Espinoza gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

B manages to break the clinch.
B lands a nice looking body shot.
Espinoza tries to clinch but B is having none of it.
A big left from Espinoza misses.
B misses with a combination

and Espinoza counters by moving into the clinch.

B escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
B misses with a wild combination.
Nice shot by B.

That's one minute gone in the round.
B tries to bum rush Espinoza with a series of wild strikes but Espinoza uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice takedown defense from B. No joy for Espinoza on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salem Espinoza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Espinoza lands a right hook to the body.
Espinoza shoots for a takedown but B saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Espinoza stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Espinoza steps to the side to avoid the strikes from B.
Espinoza throws a right and a left that both miss.

Espinoza has B up against the cage in a clinch.

Espinoza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Salem Espinoza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Espinoza lands a body shot.
Espinoza throws a sloppy body shot
letting B counter with a right hand.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Espinoza doesn't manage to clinch there - B circles away.

Espinoza clinches up with B and pushes him back against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Espinoza creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Espinoza tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Espinoza just leaning against B, taking a breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza prevents B from breaking the clinch.
A short right from Espinoza on the inside.
Espinoza controlling the action here for a moment.
Espinoza is working for takedown but B is calmly controlling the position for now.

Espinoza has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics B uses from the top position.
B must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Espinoza is trying to control the position but B postures up.
B preventing the sweep.
B wants to get up but he can't break Espinoza's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Espinoza had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. B is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Espinoza Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take B's back instead.
B is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza misses with an elbow to the head.
Espinoza lands punches and elbows.
Espinoza is riding his opponent, not letting B buck him off.

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.
B has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
B covering up well and avoiding damage.
Espinoza slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
B is trying to get back to his feet but Espinoza has full control of the position and if anything, B has just worked his way into a worse spot.
J B has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
I would not like to be B right now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Salem Espinoza showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Espinoza, 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

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