PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Escobarre (ranked 2650 p4p, 2082 weight class) and Danny Raggazza (ranked 359 p4p, 284 weight class). Escobarre kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Xzibit- Alcoholic . I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Escobarre
vs
Raggazza

185 cm
46
181
31 - 11 - 0

175 cm
23
165
4 - 4 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 31 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pablo Escobarre!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Danny Raggazza!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Albert Achterberg and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raggazza moves out of range as Escobarre strikes.
Raggazza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Escobarre.
Escobarre takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Raggazza throws a right hand that Escobarre ducks under and follows up with a left that Escobarre also avoids with ease.
A big left from Escobarre misses.
Raggazza throws a combination. Escobarre tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Raggazza displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Escobarre throws out the jab.
Raggazza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Escobarre.
Escobarre throws a good cross that connects.

Escobarre gets the takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Raggazza avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Escobarre.

Escobarre working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Escobarre postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Escobarre 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.
Raggazza is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobarre wants to lay and pray for a moment but Raggazza keeps working.
Raggazza is looking for a sweep.

Escobarre is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Raggazza knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Raggazza tries to buck Escobarre off but Escobarre is having none of it.
Escobarre trying to control the action but Raggazza is working from the bottom.
Escobarre working the ground and pound.
Raggazza manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Raggazza is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Escobarre pulls his head out easily.
Escobarre content to control rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raggazza is looking to improve his position.
Raggazza makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Raggazza.
Raggazza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Escobarre trying to control the position from guard on top but Raggazza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Raggazza wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Raggazza keeping full guard, as Escobarre tries to pass.
Raggazza throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raggazza working a defensive guard but Escobarre manages to pass into side control anyway.
Escobarre lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Escobarre lands some shots froms side control.
Raggazza is working to avoid the ground and pound but Escobarre connects with a decent elbow.
Escobarre scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Raggazza to see if he's OK.
Raggazza is looking for a sweep.
Raggazza manages to get back to half guard.
Escobarre looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Raggazza with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Raggazza wants to control but Escobarre is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Escobarre seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Raggazza is rocked!
Raggazza works his way to full guard. Good work.
Raggazza is still in real trouble! Can Escobarre finish him?

Raggazza working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Escobarre doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Escobarre manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Escobarre won't allow Raggazza to sweep him here.
Raggazza keeping full guard, as Escobarre tries to pass.
Raggazza seems to have recovered his senses.
Escobarre looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Raggazza is on top in guard.

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Escobarre manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Raggazza manages to get himself to full guard.

Raggazza looking for a sweep. Not yet Raggazza, not yet.
Escobarre postures up.
Escobarre is working Raggazza over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Raggazza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Escobarre stays in close to Raggazza's body and controls the position.
Raggazza keeping moving, preventing Escobarre from controlling successfully.
Escobarre stopping the sweep attempt from Raggazza.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Pablo Escobarre dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Raggazza works Escobarre's body with a nice hook.
Raggazza thows a left - swing and a miss!
Raggazza lands with a nice body punch.
Raggazza throws a body punch but Escobarre moves out of range.
Raggazza connects with a body shot that sends Escobarre's belly button to the back.
Raggazza misses with a hook. Escobarre ducked under it nicely.
Raggazza falls off balance throwing a combination
and Escobarre counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Escobarre throws an overhand right that lands on Raggazza's shoulder, as Raggazza tries to avoid the shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raggazza misses the shot to the body.
Raggazza misses with a hook to the body

and Escobarre counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Raggazza wants to control but Escobarre passes into side.
Pablo Escobarre overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Raggazza struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobarre working the ground and pound.
Raggazza is not content to let Escobarre control the position.
Escobarre working the ground and pound.
Raggazza regains half guard.

Escobarre is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Raggazza trying to control but Escobarre postures up.
Escobarre blocks the strikes from Raggazza.
Raggazza has hold of Escobarre's hands but Escobarre slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Escobarre prevents Raggazza from improving his position.
Escobarre trying to control the action but Raggazza is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobarre working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Raggazza is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Raggazza manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Raggazza lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Raggazza cracks Escobarre with a solid left hand.

Escobarre escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Raggazza gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Raggazza stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Escobarre swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Raggazza chips away with some ground and pound.

Raggazza got a little sloppy there for a moment and Escobarre has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Raggazza has managed to get both his arms back between Escobarre's legs - danger averted.
Raggazza is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raggazza throws a big right hand that misses.

Raggazza avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Raggazza postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Escobarre is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Raggazza can do to turn this around?
Raggazza stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Escobarre swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Raggazza engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Raggazza preventing the sweep.
Raggazza lands a couple of digs.
Raggazza postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Raggazza content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Escobarre working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Raggazza.
Escobarre is adopting a defensive guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escobarre looking for a sweep. Not yet Escobarre, not yet.
Raggazza is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Raggazza wants to control from the top but Escobarre keeps moving.
Raggazza cracks Escobarre with a solid left hand.
Raggazza wants to pass the guard but Escobarre is keeping the position.
Raggazza slips nicely into half guard.
Raggazza working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Escobarre regains full guard. Nicely done.
Escobarre working a defensive guard here.
Escobarre avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Danny Raggazza will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Escobarre uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Raggazza.
Escobarre appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Escobarre fails with an attempt to clinch.
Raggazza is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Raggazza throws a left and a right that both miss
and Escobarre counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Raggazza avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Raggazza looks to score with a jab to the body but Escobarre is just out of range.
Raggazza staying out of range there.
A lazy left from Raggazza finds it's target.
Raggazza looks to score with a jab to the body but Escobarre is just out of range.
Raggazza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Escobarre.
Escobarre walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raggazza loads up on a big right hand but Escobarre slips the punch.
Escobarre just misses with a punch to the body.
Raggazza feints the counter takedown.
Escobarre cracks Raggazza with a good jab.
Raggazza darts in looking for a takedown but Escobarre gets double underhooks and turns Raggazza into the cage.
Escobarre misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raggazza keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Raggazza now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Escobarre misses the shot to the body.
Raggazza swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Escobarre waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Raggazza.
Escobarre misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Raggazza.
Escobarre misses with a straight left.
Raggazza looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Raggazza works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Raggazza lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Raggazza.
Raggazza throws a big shot that misses.
Danny Raggazza seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Raggazza shoots for a takedown but Escobarre saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Raggazza moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Raggazza connects with a jab.
Raggazza throws a body punch but Escobarre moves out of range.
Raggazza takes a jab right on the kisser.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raggazza avoids the body shot from Escobarre.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Raggazza throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Escobarre counters with a nice body shot.
Escobarre takes one to the chin there.
Escobarre moves away from the strike by Raggazza.
Raggazza is looking to land body kicks.
Escobarre throws a looping overhand right but Raggazza ducks down to avoid it.
Raggazza swings for the body but Escobarre moves out of range.
Raggazza throws a half hearted mid kick.
Escobarre misses with a series of wild punches.
Raggazza throws a body shot but no joy.
Nice cross by Escobarre.
Escobarre punishes Raggazza's body with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raggazza takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Escobarre thuds a left hand into Raggazza's body.
Escobarre uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Raggazza.
Escobarre misses with the combination.

Escobarre closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Raggazza is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Escobarre is defending well.
Pablo Escobarre has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Danny Raggazza.
Escobarre misses with a punch to the body.
Escobarre blocks an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Escobarre.
Escobarre lands a hook that snaps the head of Raggazza backwards.
Raggazza looking for a takedown.
Escobarre lands a big right hand that drops Raggazza! The killer instinct kicks in and Escobarre finishes his opponent with a series of strikes from mount. A dominating finish by Escobarre!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Pablo Escobarre!
After winning the bout, Pablo Escobarre thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.