PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Escobar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fireaway Flanagan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Escobar kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is KoRn En Vivo Mtv. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Escobar
vs
Flanagan

160 cm
38
156 lbs
33 - 22 - 0

171 cm
30
153 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Pablo Escobar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Fireaway Flanagan!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Elvis Blanc and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Escobar misses the body punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Escobar lands with a hook. Flanagan tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Escobar throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Escobar tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Flanagan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Flanagan looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Flanagan scores with a jab to the body.
Flanagan tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Escobar was well out of range. Poor timing from Flanagan.
Escobar throws a body punch but Flanagan moves out of range.
Flanagan throws a hook but Escobar avoids it easily.
Escobar attempts a counter takedown but Flanagan avoids it well and moves away.
Escobar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Escobar lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Escobar fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Flanagan to the ground. Escobar is now in Flanagan's guard.
Escobar trying to control the position from guard on top but Flanagan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Escobar working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Escobar wants to pass the guard but Flanagan is keeping the position.
Escobar slips nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flanagan is not content to let Escobar control the position.
Escobar stalling away here and it's allowed Flanagan to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Flanagan is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Escobar is aware though and is defending well.
Flanagan trying to control the position.
Escobar 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.

Escobar decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Flanagan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Escobar is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Flanagan's half guard.
Flanagan is pressing down on Escobar's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Flanagan is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Escobar controls from within his opponent's guard.
Escobar wants to pass the guard but Flanagan is keeping the position.
Flanagan lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Escobar had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Flanagan defends it easily.

Escobar throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flanagan controls from within his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Flanagan trying to control the position from guard on top but Escobar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Escobar 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.
Escobar has Flanagan pulled in close to control his posture.

Escobar is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Flanagan 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.

Escobar is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Escobar had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Flanagan defends it easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Escobar working for a triangle but Flanagan defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Pablo Escobar will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Escobar takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Flanagan missing with a left hand there. Escobar was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Escobar with a poor takedown
and Flanagan counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The fighters circle momentarily. Flanagan darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Flanagan swings widly with a right hand

and Escobar counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Escobar.
Flanagan managing to control the position.
Flanagan trying to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Escobar wants to control from the top but Flanagan keeps moving.
Flanagan has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flanagan trying to control the position.
Escobar scoring with punches to the head and body.
Flanagan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Escobar throws an elbow that misses. Flanagan uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Escobar's guard. Nice move by Flanagan!

Escobar is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Flanagan is aware though and is defending well.
Escobar keeping moving, preventing Flanagan from controlling successfully.

Escobar looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Flanagan engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Escobar looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Escobar is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Flanagan is aware though and is defending well.

Escobar has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Flanagan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Flanagan stays in close to Escobar's body and controls the position.
Flanagan throwing strikes from guard but Escobar blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Escobar looking for a guillotine here but Flanagan defends easily.
Flanagan tries to stand but Escobar is controlling from the bottom.
Escobar utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Pablo Escobar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Escobar escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Flanagan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Flanagan stands and throws Escobar's legs to the side, diving into side control.

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.
Flanagan working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Escobar is trying to get back to half guard.
Escobar is not content to let Flanagan control the position.
Escobar tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Flanagan easily slips into full mount!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Escobar really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fireaway Flanagan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Escobar is looking to clinch but Flanagan is avoiding it.
Flanagan lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Flanagan misses with a hook.
Escobar misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Flanagan.
Flanagan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Flanagan takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Escobar misses with a looping right.
Escobar tries to clinch
and Flanagan counters with a good low kick that Escobar was not able to check.

Flanagan gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Escobar to score an easy takedown into full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Escobar is looking to work some ground and pound but Flanagan has wrist control.
Escobar looking to pass the guard.
Escobar postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar is fighting to break Flanagan's control of his arms but Flanagan is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Flanagan's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Flanagan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Escobar tries to free his leg and advance position but Flanagan is retaining full guard.
Flanagan scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.
Escobar keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Flanagan's head.
Escobar pushes down on Flanagan's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Escobar is pressing down on Flanagan's thigh, looking to free his foot. Flanagan is holding on for now.
Flanagan looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Flanagan looking for submissions off his back.
Flanagan trying to control here.

Escobar is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Escobar tries to pass the half guard into mount. Flanagan knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Flanagan wants to get back to his feet.
Escobar thows a huge punch but Flanagan dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Flanagan does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Escobar looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Flanagan has a takedown stuffed.
Flanagan scores with a leg kick.
A jab lands there for Escobar.
Flanagan slips under a jab.
Escobar takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Flanagan tries to bum rush Escobar with a series of wild strikes but Escobar uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Flanagan takes one to the side of the head.
Flanagan takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Flanagan has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Escobar swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Decent striking displayed by Escobar there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flanagan lands with a nice body punch.
Flanagan drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Flanagan staying out of range there.
Escobar swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Flanagan looks to score with a jab to the body but Escobar is just out of range.
Escobar tries to counter with a takedown but Flanagan is quick to defend against it.
Escobar throws a hook but Flanagan blocks it.
Flanagan looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Flanagan scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Escobar moves out of range as Flanagan strikes.
Escobar throws out a loose jab but Flanagan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Flanagan appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Flanagan digs a good body shot into Escobar's ribs.
Escobar takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Escobar throws a jab but it's blocked by Flanagan.
Flanagan connects with a body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Escobar clinches up with Flanagan and pushes him back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pablo Escobar showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Escobar 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pablo Escobar!
During a confident post fight interview, Pablo Escobar thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.