PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rosco Espino (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rimi Brinkleman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rosco Espino has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Espino
vs
Brinkleman

160 cm
22
160 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

168 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rosco Espino!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rimi Brinkleman!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Alec Ball and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Espino looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Brinkleman is controlling Espino's posture.
Espino preventing the sweep.
Espino postures up.
Espino trying to control but Brinkleman is working from the bottom.
Brinkleman pulls Espino in close to prevent any damage.
Espino won't allow Brinkleman to sweep him here.

Espino is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Brinkleman is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Brinkleman has escaped and now he's on top!
Espino keeping full guard, as Brinkleman tries to pass.

Espino working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Brinkleman doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Brinkleman manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Espino is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brinkleman is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Brinkleman trying to control the position from guard on top but Espino is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Brinkleman sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Espino could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Brinkleman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Brinkleman throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Espino looking for a sweep. Not yet Espino, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Espino takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Espino changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Brinkleman looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Espino is looking to take a break and control but Brinkleman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Brinkleman is looking to regain half guard here but Espino keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brinkleman is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Espino off and has taken his back!
Brinkleman controlling well, preventing Espino from escaping the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Brinkleman scores with strikes from the back.
Brinkleman is riding his opponent, not letting Espino buck him off.
Brinkleman is landing with strikes from the back.
Brinkleman has the hooks in. Espino is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Brinkleman lands strikes to the head.
Espino wants to control his opponent's hands but Brinkleman gets his hands free.
Brinkleman has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Brinkleman doesn't have the hooks in and Espino manages to turn into his guard.

Brinkleman looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Espino drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Espino jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Espino is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Espino fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Espino throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Brinkleman's waist but Brinkleman gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Espino off to one side.

Brinkleman scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Espino tries to buck Brinkleman off but Brinkleman is having none of it.
Espino regains half guard.
Espino is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Espino is pressing down on Brinkleman's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Brinkleman is looking to stand up but Espino won't let him.
Brinkleman pushing down on Espino's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espino is staying active underneath Brinkleman, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Brinkleman is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Espino is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Brinkleman pulls his head out easily.
Espino tries to kick Brinkleman off in order to stand up. Brinkleman Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Espino on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Brinkleman working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

Brinkleman is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Espino has escaped the position, nice work there.
Espino tries to improve position but can't.
Espino gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Brinkleman trying to control but Espino is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rimi Brinkleman dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Horrible takedown by Brinkleman or perhaps it was just good defense by Espino which made him look bad.
Espino shoots in for a takedown but Brinkleman shows good takedown defense.
Espino misses with a takedown attempt - Brinkleman sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Brinkleman stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rosco Espino. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Espino feints and as Brinkleman raises his hands in defense, Espino changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Espino trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Espino looking to sit in guard and control but Brinkleman gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Espino throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Brinkleman passes Espino's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Brinkleman is breathing heavily.
Espino is trying to get back to full guard.
Espino gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espino trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Brinkleman loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Espino working for a triangle but Brinkleman defends it easily.
Brinkleman missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Espino looking to hit a scissor sweep but Brinkleman is one step ahead there.

Brinkleman decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Espino, up you get!

Espino has managed to clinch.
Brinkleman prevents the takedown attempt.
Brinkleman looking for a takedown.
Brinkleman tries for a takedown but Espino manages to get underhooks.
Espino drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brinkleman tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Brinkleman has had enough of the clinch but Espino keeps him there for the moment.

Brinkleman breaks from the clinch.
Brinkleman keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Espino shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Espino drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Brinkleman sneaks back into half guard.
Brinkleman manages to get to full guard.
Brinkleman managing to control the position.
Espino pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Brinkleman is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Espino drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Brinkleman dives on top into guard.
Brinkleman trying to control but Espino is working from the bottom.
Brinkleman tries to stand but Espino is controlling from the bottom.
Espino is trying to control the position but Brinkleman postures up.
Brinkleman trying to control but Espino is working from the bottom.

Espino working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Brinkleman has passed into half guard!
Espino wants to sweep but Brinkleman has passed to side control!
Brinkleman tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

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.
Espino is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Brinkleman controlling the position from side mount.
Espino is looking for a sweep.
Brinkleman controlling the position.
Espino is not content to let Brinkleman control the position.
Espino dodges the ground and pound from Brinkleman.
Rimi Brinkleman has got the better of the ground game so far.
Brinkleman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Espino keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rimi Brinkleman will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Brinkleman tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Espino counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Espino wants to stand but Brinkleman has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Brinkleman is looking to escape.
Espino wants to pass the guard but Brinkleman is defending well.
Brinkleman is trying to maintain the position but Espino is very close to passing his half guard.
Espino is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Espino stands up and beckons Brinkleman to join him on the feet.

Espino instigates a clinch.

Brinkleman pulls guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Brinkleman wants to sweep but no luck.

Espino decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brinkleman attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Espino shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Brinkleman counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Espino avoiding damage as Brinkleman throws knees to the body.

Brinkleman manages to pull guard.
Espino postures up.
Espino won't allow Brinkleman to sweep him here.

Brinkleman is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Brinkleman is on top in guard.
Espino looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Brinkleman puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Espino wants to improve his position but Brinkleman is controlling well.
Espino moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Espino is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espino distracts Brinkleman with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Espino tries to free his leg and advance position but Brinkleman is retaining full guard.
Espino stopping the sweep attempt from Brinkleman.
Espino pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Brinkleman is keeping the position for now.
Brinkleman will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Brinkleman manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Brinkleman wants to control the pace but Espino is squirming around nicely.
Brinkleman controlling from mount.
Brinkleman trying to control but Espino is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brinkleman is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Brinkleman lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Espino flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Espino is trying to escape the mount.
Espino is trying to reverse the position but instead Brinkleman has taken his back - oops!
Espino tries to roll but Brinkleman sticks to his back.
Brinkleman doesn't have the hooks in and Espino manages to turn into his guard.
Espino lands a couple of digs.
Brinkleman is pulling down on Espino's head. It's preventing any offense from Espino, at least for the moment.
Espino wants to control from the top but Brinkleman keeps moving.

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.
Espino stops Brinkleman from standing up.
Espino tries to free his leg and advance position but Brinkleman is retaining full guard.
Espino preventing the sweep.
Brinkleman is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Brinkleman is working for a kimura but Espino is defending it quite comfortably.
Espino slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Rosco Espino has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brinkleman is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Espino is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Brinkleman rolls with it to try and escape but Espino cranks on the arm and Brinkleman is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rosco Espino!