PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Diego Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alejandro Escobedo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Escobedo has chosen el zacatecano 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.

Silva
vs
Escobedo

188 cm
21
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Diego Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Alejandro Escobedo!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Escobedo lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Silva shoots in for a double leg but Escobedo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Silva.
Nice sprawl there from Escobedo as Silva shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diego Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Escobedo looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Escobedo trying to control from half guard but Silva is working away.
Silva controlling the position for now.
Escobedo looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Silva with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Escobedo is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Silva is just riding it out for now. Escobedo eventually gives up the hold.
Silva makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobedo wants to stand and escape but instead Silva has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Silva slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Escobedo keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Escobedo trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Escobedo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Escobedo tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Silva closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Escobedo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Silva wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Escobedo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Escobedo gets back to half guard.
Escobedo is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Silva is pressing down on Escobedo's thigh, looking to free his foot. Escobedo is holding on for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Escobedo trying to get back to full guard but Silva takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Escobedo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Escobedo is bucking up trying to escape but Silva cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Silva tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Escobedo tries to reverse the position but Silva maintains control.
Silva avoids the attempt from Escobedo to control.
Escobedo is bucking up trying to escape but Silva cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Silva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

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.
Silva has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Silva'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.
Escobedo tries to control the position but Silva now has his back.
Escobedo trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Good control from Silva.
Escobedo rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alejandro Escobedo will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Escobedo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Escobedo wants to take a breather but Silva is having none of it.

Silva pushes Escobedo off and gets back to his feet.
Silva shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Escobedo pinned against the cage. Escobedo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Escobedo scores a takedown into full mount!

Silva defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Escobedo.
Silva tries to lock up and control but Escobedo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobedo scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Escobedo avoids the attempt from Silva to control.
Silva is working to get back to half guard.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Escobedo cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Escobedo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Silva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Escobedo cracks Silva with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Silva tries to hold on but Escobedo postures up.
Silva is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Silva is working hard here to advance position.
Escobedo wants to control the pace but Silva is squirming around nicely.
Silva is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Silva wants to control but Escobedo is having none of it.
Escobedo fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Silva is trying desperately to improve position.
Escobedo looking to control but Silva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Escobedo working Silva over with strikes here.
Escobedo avoids the attempt from Silva to control.
Escobedo sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Escobedo fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A nice elbow there by Escobedo.
Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Escobedo cracks Silva with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Silva keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Escobedo trying to control but Silva is having none of it.
Escobedo manages to capitalize on a mistake by Silva to take his back!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Silva is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alejandro Escobedo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Silva closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Silva prevents Escobedo from standing back up.
Escobedo moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Silva seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Silva has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Escobedo is proving hard to escape from.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Silva postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Escobedo is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Silva, into his guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobedo is pushing down on Silva's leg trying to pass to half guard. Silva is fighting to maintain full guard but Escobedo has managed to sneak the leg through.
Escobedo is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Escobedo has control of the leg.
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. Escobedo connects with a nice short shot to Silva's temple.
Escobedo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Escobedo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
Silva is trying to control but can't.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Escobedo tries to clinch up.
Escobedo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Silva.
Escobedo shoots and misses

and Silva counters with a single leg into guard. Escobedo didn't expect that.
Silva postures up.
Escobedo is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Diego Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva stands and steps away. Escobedo gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by Escobedo.
Escobedo wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.

Silva takes the fight into the clinch.
Alejandro Escobedo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Escobedo gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Silva is refusing to be controlled, as Escobedo sits in half guard.
Silva is trying to maintain the position but Escobedo is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escobedo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Escobedo trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
Diego Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Silva is looking to escape.

Silva looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Escobedo closes the distance and lands a one-two.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diego Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Escobedo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alejandro Escobedo!