PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leandro Espada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Ninja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Espada might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to "Juice" by Rakim. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Espada
vs
Ninja

186 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

200 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Leandro Espada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Johnny Ninja!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Jonathan Paton and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ninja shoots in for a takedown but Espada shows good takedown defense.
Espada tries to bum rush Ninja with a series of wild strikes but Ninja uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Espada slips under a jab from Ninja.
Espada slaps away a takedown attempt from Ninja, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ninja looks gassed!
Espada lands a nice leg kick that just misses Ninja's sensitive parts.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A bone on bone clash there as Ninja blocks the leg kick.

Espada closes the distance and pushes Ninja back into the cage.
Ninja is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Espada is defending well for now.

Ninja is fighting off a takedown attempt but Espada is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Ninja to the mat. Ninja regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Espada showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Espada throwing strikes but missing.
Espada postures up in Ninja's guard and throws a big left but Ninja blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espada is stalling in the full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Espada accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ninja keeping moving, preventing Espada from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Espada content to stall in guard here.
Espada's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Espada trying to control but Ninja is working from the bottom.
Espada is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Leandro Espada just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Espada throws a combination. Ninja tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

It looks like Johnny Ninja has been cut.
Espada misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Espada digs a good hook to Ninja's body.
Espada lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ninja circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja dives in and grabs Espada's left leg, looking for a takedown. Espada pushes down on Ninja's head and hops out.
Leandro Espada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Ninja.
Espada scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Ninja takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ninja is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Espada.
Ninja misses with a double jab
and Espada counters with a series of strikes. Ninja will be more careful next time no doubt.
Ninja wants to clinch but Espada slips to the side

and Espada counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ninja not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Ninja is looking for a triangle but Espada pushes his legs off easily.
Ninja is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espada stopping the sweep attempt from Ninja.
Ninja trying to control the position.
Ninja is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Espada preventing the sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ninja is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Espada defends well.
Ninja looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leandro Espada dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ninja has his takedown stuffed

and Espada holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Espada has hold of one of Ninja's legs. Ninja is fighting the takedown attempt but Espada gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Espada is looking to work some ground and pound but Ninja has wrist control.

Ninja is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ninja being controlled here, momentarily.
Espada has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ninja trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Ninja not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Ninja working for a triangle but Espada defends it easily.
Espada knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ninja on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja wants to stand up but Espada is controlling him.
Espada preventing the sweep.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ninja showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Espada.
Espada throws a series of punches but Ninja moves out of range.

Espada has Ninja up against the cage in a clinch.

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

Espada's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ninja slips a jab and a cross from Espada.
Ninja with a lazy takedown attempt
and Espada counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ninja darts in trying to clinch

and Espada counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ninja wants to get back to his feet.
Ninja is looking to improve his position.
Ninja is looking to control Espada's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ninja avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espada throwing shots but Ninja is blocking nicely.
Espada content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ninja moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ninja is trying to keep Espada in close.
Espada wants to control from the top but Ninja keeps moving.
Ninja keeping full guard, as Espada tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Ninja is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Espada is controlling him.
Espada might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Espada trying to control the position from guard on top but Ninja is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ninja is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Espada is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ninja can do to turn this around?

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Danga de danga de dang - Espada scores with a four punch combination!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leandro Espada dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ninja misses with a takedown attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Espada throws a right and a left that both miss.
Leandro Espada is winning the standup battle so far.
Ninja tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Espada counters by moving into the clinch.
Ninja jumps guard but Espada stands there with Ninja around his waist. Ninja gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Espada pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Espada throws a leg kick which misses Ninja's front leg but catches the back leg as Ninja tries to avoid it.
Ninja is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Espada.
Ninja shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Espada counters by clinching up.
Leandro Espada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Ninja.
Espada drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Espada.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Ninja jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Espada walks away with a smile on his face. Ninja gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ninja closes the distance looking to clinch
and Espada counters with a left and a right that stings Ninja.
Ninja misses with a takedown

and Espada counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ninja!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espada content just to control the position here.
Ninja tries to hold on but Espada pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Espada lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Espada controlling his opponent.
Ninja really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espada trying to control but Ninja is having none of it.
Ninja keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Ninja is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Espada looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ninja regains half guard.

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.
Espada trying to control the action but Ninja is working from the bottom.
Ninja works his way to full guard. Good work.
Espada trying to control but Ninja is working from the bottom.
Ninja manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Espada manages to get himself to full guard.
Ninja sitting in guard, not really doing much.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leandro Espada showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Espada has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 30:26
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:26
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leandro Espada!