PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Scott Smyth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rocco Escobar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Escobar has chosen Boom - POD as his entrance music. Scott Smyth has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Smyth
vs
Escobar

200 cm
23
147 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

169 cm
24
148 lbs
4 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Scott Smyth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rocco Escobar!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Escobar moves out of range of the strikes.
Smyth works Escobar's body with a nice hook.
Escobar tries to clinch up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Escobar.
Escobar sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Smyth is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Escobar has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Escobar wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smyth keeps working.
Smyth tries to bench press Escobar off him but Escobar keeps the position.
Smyth parries the strikes from Escobar easily there. Escobar is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Smyth to escape.
Smyth is trying to improve his position.
Escobar landing a few strikes.
Smyth knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Escobar on the ground.
Escobar wants to control for a moment but Smyth uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smyth trying to mount his opponent but Escobar defends it.
Escobar is not content to let Smyth control the position.
Smyth is stalling here. Escobar is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Smyth seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Escobar has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Escobar is trying to get an arm triangle but Smyth is defending well.
Smyth struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Escobar content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Smyth tries to bench press Escobar off him but Escobar keeps the position.
Smyth gets back to half guard.
Still in half guard, Escobar seems content to control.
Smyth is trying to get back to full guard.
Escobar missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Smyth's head.
Smyth looks like he's trying to stand up.
Escobar throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Escobar trying to control the pace.
Smyth tries to get to full guard but Escobar has control of the leg.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Escobar takes one to the side of the head.
Escobar misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

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.
Smyth smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Escobar drops his hands momentarily and Smyth takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Smyth throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Escobar avoids a punch combination nicely.
Smyth thows a body shot but no joy.
Escobar takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Escobar.
Smyth wants to control but Escobar postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocco Escobar dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Escobar closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Escobar lands in his opponent's guard.
Smyth really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Escobar thows a big elbow that misses.
Smyth looking to hit a scissor sweep but Escobar is one step ahead there.
Smyth will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Escobar postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Escobar slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Escobar looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar trying to control but Smyth is working from the bottom.
Escobar loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Escobar thows a big elbow that misses.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Smyth uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Escobar.
Smyth is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Smyth throws a hook but Escobar avoids it easily.
Smyth uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Escobar.
Escobar shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Smyth as he avoids it easily.
Smyth dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Smyth keeps the fight on the outside.

Escobar scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smyth is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Escobar's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Escobar works his way into side control.
Smyth is trying to improve his position.
Smyth wants to control but Escobar postures up.
A lull in the action here.
Smyth is looking to regain half guard here but Escobar keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar is staying tight to Smyth's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Escobar advances to mount.
Smyth working to try and regain half guard.
Escobar thowing shots but they're missing.
Smyth is desperately trying to improve his position but Escobar has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Escobar looking to control but Smyth is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Escobar looking to control and managing it successfully.
Escobar prevents Smyth from getting the reversal.
Smyth tries to hold on but Escobar postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smyth is bucking up trying to escape but Escobar cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Escobar takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocco Escobar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Smyth fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Smyth slips under a jab.
Escobar lands a slapping body shot.
Escobar moves in looking to clinch but Smyth pushes him off.
Escobar tries to close the distance and clinch but Smyth swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Smyth throws a jab when Escobar was well out of range.
Escobar fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Smyth looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Smyth lands a head shot.
Smyth throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Smyth bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Escobar's head backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Smyth to score with a decent uppercut.
Smyth takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Escobar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Escobar moves out of range as Smyth strikes.
Smyth is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Escobar tries to clinch up.
Jab from Smyth.
Scott Smyth seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smyth fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Escobar looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Escobar throws out a loose jab but Smyth uses good head movement to avoid it.
Escobar digs a good body shot into Smyth's ribs.
Smyth misses with a shot to the body

and Escobar counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar looking to sit in guard and control but Smyth gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Smyth postures up.
Escobar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Escobar trying to keep a closed guard but Smyth is proving a slippery customer.
Smyth trying to control but Escobar is working from the bottom.
Escobar has Smyth pulled in close to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Escobar wants to take a breather but Smyth is having none of it.
Escobar missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Escobar working over Smyth with some ground and pound. Smyth looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Escobar not doing much here.
Smyth works his way to full guard. Good work.
Escobar looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escobar thows a big elbow that misses.
Escobar trying to control but Smyth is working from the bottom.
Rocco Escobar is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Escobar is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Escobar being controlled here momentarily.
Escobar is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Scott Smyth has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Smyth throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rocco Escobar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Escobar winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rocco Escobar!