PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vicente Escalante (ranked 514 p4p, 1071 weight class) and Sonny Giovanni (ranked 73 p4p, 157 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Sonny Giovanni was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Escalante
vs
Giovanni

183 cm
31
192
22 - 5 - 0

189 cm
28
188
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

Conviction

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 22 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vicente Escalante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sonny Giovanni!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Percy O'Donnell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Giovanni throws a leg kick but Escalante moved away.
An attempted straight right counter from Escalante misses the target.
Escalante falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Giovanni counter with a right hand.
Escalante throws a body kick that misses.
Giovanni feints a counter leg kick.
Giovanni will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Jab, jab by Giovanni - just one landing.
Giovanni slips a jab and a cross from Escalante.
Giovanni looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Giovanni lands a nice shot to the body.
Escalante misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Giovanni.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giovanni takes one on the button.

Giovanni gets tackled into the cage by Escalante. Escalante maintains the clinch.
Our sources have told us that Escalante has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Escalante throws an elbow but it misses.
Escalante creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Giovanni's defenses.
Escalante has a couple of punches blocked by Giovanni.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A left hand lands to the body for Giovanni.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giovanni tries to throw a body punch but Escalante avoids it by throwing Giovanni back against the cage.
Giovanni pushes Escalante back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Escalante lands a left hand.
Escalante's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Escalante tries to work over Giovanni's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Escalante tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Giovanni's elbow.
Escalante lands a left hand that snaps the head of Giovanni backwards.
Escalante lands a hook to the side of the head.
Escalante pushes off an throws an elbow but Giovanni leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Escalante taking a breather.
Escalante lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Escalante tries to throw a body punch but Giovanni avoids it by throwing Escalante back against the cage.
Escalante tries to work over Giovanni's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Giovanni throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Escalantes head.
Giovanni throws a head punch that misses.

Giovanni breaks from the clinch.
Escalante throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Giovanni checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Giovanni swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Escalante drops his hands momentarily and Giovanni takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giovanni scores with a sloppy right hand. Escalante should have avoided that one.
Escalante blocks the body kick.
A swing and a miss from Escalante.
Giovanni swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
A punch lands to the side of Escalante 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Giovanni lands a lovely overhand right.
Giovanni misses with a straight left.
Escalante on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Escalante throws a leg kick which misses Giovanni's front leg but catches the back leg as Giovanni tries to avoid it.
Giovanni misses with a straight right.
Escalante throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Escalante throws a jab but it's blocked by Giovanni.
Escalante tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Escalante takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Escalante.
Escalante fails with an attempt to clinch.
An inside leg kick lands from Giovanni.
Escalante throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Vicente Escalante seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Giovanni throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
A head kick from Escalante lands but Giovanni takes it in his stride.
Giovanni tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Giovanni.
Escalante tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Giovanni manages to circle out of the way.
Escalante moves out of range as Giovanni strikes.
Escalante jabs Giovanni to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Escalante misses with a hook. Giovanni ducked under it nicely.
Giovanni throws a counter combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escalante is looking to chop away at Giovanni's legs.
Escalante tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Giovanni counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Giovanni swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Escalante moves in looking to clinch but Giovanni pushes him off.
A slapping leg kick lands for Escalante.
Escalante misses with a right hand
and Giovanni counters with a straight right hand.
Giovanni defending well as Escalante loads up on a big left hand.
Giovanni lands with an uppercut that bounces Escalante off the cage and back into range.
Giovanni is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Escalante had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Escalante fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Giovanni has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Escalante paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Escalante will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Giovanni is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Giovanni digs a good hook to Escalante's body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sonny Giovanni will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Giovanni moves out of range as Escalante throws a body kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Escalante. That's going to slow Giovanni down.
Escalante ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Giovanni moves away.
A punch lands to the side of Giovanni 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Escalante is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Giovanni.
Sonny Giovanni seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Escalante throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Escalante lands a really nice looking cross but Giovanni seems unphased.
Escalante connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Escalante throws a head punch that misses.
Giovanni working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Escalante swings wildly with an uppercut but Giovanni uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Giovanni.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giovanni misses with a hook to the ribs.
Giovanni swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Escalante wants to stall.
Still in the clinch, Escalante scores with a nice short uppercut.
Escalante lands with a light punch inside.
Giovanni swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Escalante goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Giovanni struggles to land a body shot inside as Escalante controls his hands.
Escalante lands an elbow inside that Giovanni shrugs off.

It looks like Sonny Giovanni has been cut.
Giovanni tries a body shot but Escalante blocks it.
Giovanni takes an elbow to the forehead.
Escalante misses with a punch on the inside.
Escalante stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Escalante throws an elbow but it misses.
Escalante misses with a punch to the body.
Escalante is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Escalante prevents a body shot from Giovanni.
Giovanni takes an elbow to the forehead.
Escalante's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escalante swings wildly with an uppercut but Giovanni uses good head movement to avoid it.
Escalante cracks Giovanni with a nice body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Escalante pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Escalante misses with an elbow over the top.
Escalante blocks an uppercut.
Escalante scores with a hook to the body.
Escalante misses with a punch to the body.
Giovanni takes an elbow to the forehead.
Escalante comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Giovanni prevents a body shot from Escalante.
Giovanni lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Giovanni tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Giovanni lands a right hand.
Escalante dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Escalante lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Giovanni misses with a punch to the body.
Giovanni struggles to land a body shot inside as Escalante controls his hands.
Giovanni lands a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giovanni lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A head punch on the inside from Escalante fails to land.
A nice left hand lands by Escalante.
Escalante working aggressively here.
Giovanni tries to break the clinch but Escalante is controlling the position.
Giovanni misses with a short punch on the inside.
Giovanni lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Escalante.
Giovanni misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Escalante creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Giovanni's defenses.
Nice body punch from Giovanni - that landed with a thud.
With the fighters up against the cage, Escalante throws an elbow but misses.
Escalante struggles to land a body shot inside as Giovanni controls his hands.
Giovanni blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Escalante lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Giovanni or not.
Escalante lands an elbow that stopped Giovanni in his tracks for a moment.
Giovanni lands a shoulder strike.
Escalante doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Escalante just misses with a elbow thrown towards Giovanni's brow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Giovanni lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Giovanni scores with a nice short uppercut.
Escalante creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Escalante tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Escalante throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Escalante stalling against the cage.
Giovanni wants to break free but Escalante has control.

Giovanni pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Giovanni moves out of range of the strikes.
Escalante jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Giovanni only half commits to the counter leg kick.

Giovanni gets tackled into the cage by Escalante. Escalante maintains the clinch.
Giovanni is leaning against Escalante and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Giovanni lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Escalante tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Giovanni's elbow.
Giovanni tries to work over Escalante's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Escalante misses with an elbow strike.
Giovanni fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Vicente Escalante dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sonny Giovanni's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Escalante buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Giovanni has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Escalante.
Giovanni keeps the fight on the outside.
Giovanni ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Escalante moves away.
Escalante gets off balance looking for a body kick
enabling Giovanni to counter with a crisp jab.
Escalante with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Giovanni to score with a decent uppercut.
Giovanni avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Giovanni throws a solid leg kick but Escalante takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Giovanni.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giovanni on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Escalante swings for the body but Giovanni moves out of range.
Giovanni missing with a left hand there. Escalante was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Escalante with a nice calf kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escalante scoring well with a low kick there.
Giovanni closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Escalante works the jab nicely.

Escalante rushes Giovanni and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Escalante works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Giovanni blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Giovanni dodges an elbow strike from Escalante.
Escalante doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Giovanni tries a body shot but Escalante blocks it.
Giovanni on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Escalante blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
With the fighters up against the cage, Escalante throws an elbow but misses.
Escalante can't find room to land a body shot as Giovanni controls the action.
Vicente Escalante has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Escalante lands a left hand that snaps the head of Giovanni backwards.
Giovanni swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A right hand to the body from Giovanni.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giovanni lands a hook to the side of the head.
Escalante throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Giovannis head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Giovanni blocks an elbow strike.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Giovanni.
Escalante lands with a short head shot on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Escalante.
Escalante lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Escalante lands with a short shot to the head.
Escalante tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Giovanni avoids it.
Giovanni working aggressively here.
Escalante tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Escalante.
Giovanni lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Escalante backwards.
Escalante lands a left hand that snaps the head of Giovanni backwards.
Giovanni lands with a short shot to the head.
Escalante swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Escalante misses with a punch on the inside.
Giovanni tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Escalante lands an elbow inside that Giovanni shrugs off.
Escalante tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giovanni blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Giovanni throws a punch but it's blocked by Escalante.
Giovanni blocks an elbow strike.
Giovanni tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Escalante's elbow.
Escalante pushes Giovanni back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Escalante goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Giovanni dodges an elbow strike from Escalante.
Escalante stalling in the clinch but Giovanni improves position.
Giovanni lands a hook that snaps the head of Escalante backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Giovanni.
Escalante lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Escalante prevents a body shot from Giovanni.
A head punch on the inside from Giovanni fails to land.
Escalante blocks an uppercut.
Giovanni's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Giovanni takes an elbow to the temple.
A head punch on the inside from Giovanni fails to land.
Escalante pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Escalante tries to work over Giovanni's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Escalante blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escalante lands a nice elbow.
Giovanni avoiding damage as Escalante throws knees to the body.
Escalante lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Giovanni is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Escalante scores with a shoulder strike.
Giovanni is still on wobbly legs! Can Escalante finish him?
Giovanni is leaning against Escalante and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Nice body punch from Giovanni - that landed with a thud.
Escalante misses with an elbow over the top.
Escalante misses with a short punch on the inside.
Escalante blocks an uppercut.
Giovanni dodges an elbow strike from Escalante.
Giovanni takes an elbow to the temple.
Escalante blocking some punches.
Nice elbow from Escalante.

Giovanni breaks from the clinch.
Today's fight clock is brought to you by... OOOH that's a huge shot by Escalante! Giovanni is in big trouble here - the ref steps in to save him and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vicente Escalante!
Vicente Escalante thanked the fans post fight for their support.