PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Romeu Sokoudju (ranked 5199 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cristiano Eskinaldo (ranked 4251 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sokoudju
vs
Eskinaldo

187 cm
25
158 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
158 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Romeu Sokoudju!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cristiano Eskinaldo!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Topper Green and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sokoudju.
Sokoudju is looking to score with low kicks.

Sokoudju changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Eskinaldo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Eskinaldo tries to bench press Sokoudju off him but Sokoudju keeps the position.
Sokoudju is staying tight to Eskinaldo's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Sokoudju has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Sokoudju works to advance to full mount. Eskinaldo defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Sokoudju is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Eskinaldo can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Eskinaldo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sokoudju. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sokoudju controlling from mount.
Sokoudju with the ground and pound from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sokoudju looking for a guillotine from mount but Eskinaldo is having none of it.
Sokoudju lands a heavy elbow.
Eskinaldo wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Eskinaldo is in all sorts of trouble here.

Sokoudju is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Eskinaldo can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Eskinaldo is desperately trying to improve his position but Sokoudju has a good base and remains in mount.
Eskinaldo wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Eskinaldo can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sokoudju wants to control the pace but Eskinaldo is squirming around nicely.
Eskinaldo can't escape the position.
Eskinaldo's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Sokoudju sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Sokoudju prevents Eskinaldo from getting the reversal.
Eskinaldo really wants to buck Sokoudju off and get back to his feet.
Eskinaldo looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Sokoudju is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Eskinaldo has managed to escape the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eskinaldo takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Sokoudju looking to finish Eskinaldo with some ground and pound. This is bad for Eskinaldo!
Eskinaldo wants to control but Sokoudju is having none of it.
Eskinaldo is looking to improve his position but Sokoudju isn't that keen on the idea.
Sokoudju looking to control but Eskinaldo is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sokoudju working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sokoudju looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Sokoudju gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sokoudju.
Cristiano Eskinaldo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Eskinaldo clinches with his opponent.
Eskinaldo stalling the fight.
Stalling in the clinch from Eskinaldo.
The crowd are getting on Eskinaldo's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Eskinaldo scores with a nice short uppercut.
Eskinaldo lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sokoudju backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Eskinaldo misses with a punch on the inside.
Sokoudju trying to land knees to the body.
Sokoudju is trying to break free.
Sokoudju really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Eskinaldo has Sokoudju pressed against the cage.
Eskinaldo gets underhooks to prevent Sokoudju's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Romeu Sokoudju. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A hook to the body from Eskinaldo.
A short right from Eskinaldo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Romeu Sokoudju 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.

Sokoudju tries to keep at a distance but Eskinaldo has taken the fight into the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Eskinaldo fails to land.
Eskinaldo lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Sokoudju wants a takedown but no success here.
Eskinaldo scores with a shoulder strike.
Eskinaldo swings wildly with an uppercut but Sokoudju uses good head movement to avoid it.

Sokoudju manages to break the clinch.

Sokoudju tries to keep at a distance but Eskinaldo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sokoudju swings wildly with an uppercut but Eskinaldo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sokoudju is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Eskinaldo can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eskinaldo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Sokoudjus head.
A short right from Eskinaldo.
A left hand lands to the body for Eskinaldo.
Eskinaldo working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eskinaldo scores with a nice hook to the head.
Sokoudju missing with knees to the body.
A short left from Eskinaldo.
Eskinaldo scores with a nice hook to the head.
A body shot lands from Eskinaldo.
Sokoudju has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Eskinaldo after a bit of a struggle.
Sokoudju wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Eskinaldo.
Eskinaldo lands a hook that snaps the head of Sokoudju backwards.
Eskinaldo digs a right hand into Sokoudju's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Sokoudju's gas tank.
Cristiano Eskinaldo seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Eskinaldo lands a left hand.

Sokoudju is rocked!
Eskinaldo lands a nice uppercut.
Oh Sokoudju is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Eskinaldo lands a nice uppercut.
Eskinaldo creates some distance for himself and unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Sokoudju's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Sokoudju drops to his knees and Eskinaldo pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Cristiano Eskinaldo!