PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brian Braida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bb Esko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Braida comes to the cage accompanied by Here I am. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Braida
vs
Esko

178 cm
28
185 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

180 cm
27
203 lbs
13 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Decent elbows
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Brian Braida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Bb Esko!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Aafke Stam and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Braida scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Braida trying to control the position but Esko is working away.
Esko is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Braida tries to advance to mount but Esko denies him.

Braida tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braida wants to control but Esko is keeping him busy.

Braida decides to stand back up. Braida steps back and let's Esko get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esko stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Esko wants it to stay on the feet.
Sloppy strikes from Esko. Those never looked like landing.
Braida throws a leg kick but Esko checks it.
Esko looks to score with a jab to the body but Braida is just out of range.
Braida uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Esko.
Esko defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Braida.
Esko misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Esko, as that shot connected.

It looks like Brian Braida has been cut.
Esko tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Braida was well out of range. Poor timing from Esko.
Braida lands a nice leg kick that just misses Esko's sensitive parts.
Braida fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brian Braida. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Braida fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Braida has Esko up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Braida tries to score a body lock takedown but Esko shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Esko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Esko throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Braida counters with a nice double leg into side control. Esko won't be happy with that.
Esko is pushing Braida's head away, looking to escape. Braida manages to hold on to the position though.
Braida is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Braida is looking to take a break and control but Esko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Braida throws an elbow but Esko slips to the side and avoids it well.
Esko is trying to buck Braida off.

Braida decides to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brian Braida dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Brian Braida's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Braida throws a head kick that misses.
Braida tries to clinch up.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Esko. Braida shrugs it off though.
Esko looks to land a combination but Braida avoids it well.
Braida tries for a takedown but Esko sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Braida throws a one two combo.
Bb Esko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sloppy strikes from Esko. Those never looked like landing.

Braida shoots in and bounces Esko off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Esko working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Braida.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Braidais looking to pass into half guard but Esko pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Esko is in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braida wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Esko manages to pass to side control.
Braida tries to get to full guard but Esko has control of the leg.
Esko tries to stand and escape but Braida is controlling the position.

That's two 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.
Braida tries to roll over but Esko keeps him under control.
Braida is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Esko's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Esko's back!

Braida is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Esko knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Esko for a finish.

Braida is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Esko is defending well though. Braida let's go of the attempt for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Esko defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Braida controls the action.
Braida trying to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Braida is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
A lull in the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brian Braida dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Brian Braida's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Braida throws a sloppy head kick and Esko moves out of range easily.
Esko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Braida looking to score a takedown here. Esko is defending well but Braida drives through and ends up in Esko's guard.

Braida is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Esko is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Esko has escaped and now he's on top!
Esko trying to stand up but can't free himself from Braida's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braida has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Esko has passed into side control.
Esko gets to mount! Braida was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Braida wants to control but Esko is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Braida tries to control the position but Esko now has his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Esko controlling well, preventing Braida from escaping the position.

Esko gets back to his feet. Braida is certainly not going to complain about that decision.
Esko throws a nice looking combination but Braida bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Esko scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Braida closes this distance looking for a takedown but Esko circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Esko looks to score with a jab to the body but Braida is just out of range.

Braida darts in and clinches Esko up against the cage.
Braida is working for takedown but Esko is calmly controlling the position for now.
Braida tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Esko just stands there and leans against the cage.
Brian Braida is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brian Braida. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Braida breaks the clinch.
Bb Esko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Braida shoots in but Esko avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A swing and a miss from Esko.
Braida takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Braida.

Esko lands a big head kick that sends Braida tumbling to the mat! Esko takes a step backwards and waves Braida back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Braida is rocked!
Bb Esko seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Esko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Oh Braida is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Esko throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Esko keeps the fight on the outside.
Esko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Esko gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Braida to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Braida wants to pass the guard but Esko is keeping the position.
Bb Esko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Braida seems to have got his legs back now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Braida wants to control from the top but Esko keeps moving.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Brian Braida wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Braida will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bb Esko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Braida has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brian Braida!
Brian Braida seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.