PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ramirez Escobar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gokhan Saki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Escobar
vs
Saki

210 cm
19
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
19
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ramirez Escobar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gokhan Saki!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Radbod Blank and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Decent striking displayed by Saki there.

Escobar closes the distance and pushes Saki back into the ropes.

Escobar successfully pulls guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Escobar wants to sweep here but Saki controlling him for the moment.
Saki trying to control but Escobar is working from the bottom.
Escobar looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Escobar looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Saki would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Escobar wants to sweep here but Saki controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saki tries to free his leg and advance position but Escobar is retaining full guard.
Escobar really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Saki wants to control from the top but Escobar keeps moving.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Gokhan Saki wasn't active enough on the ground.
Escobar shoots for a double leg takedown but Saki sprawls well. He's pushed Escobar's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Escobar gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Saki to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Saki tries to stand but Escobar is controlling from the bottom.
Escobar wants to sweep here but Saki controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Saki got a little sloppy there for a moment and Escobar has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Saki has managed to get both his arms back between Escobar's legs - danger averted.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Escobar keeping moving, preventing Saki from controlling successfully.
Escobar has a closed guard, preventing Saki from standing up.

Saki gets to his feet. Escobar looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Saki throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Escobar's waist but Escobar gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Saki off to one side.
Saki throws a head kick but Escobar moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saki looks for a takedown but Escobar sprawls well.
Escobar stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Escobar wants it to stay on the feet.
Ramirez Escobar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gokhan Saki.
Saki tries for a takedown but Escobar circles away easily

and Escobar counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Escobar.
Saki looks gassed!
Saki throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Escobar tries to stand but Saki is controlling from the bottom.
Escobar will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Saki trying to keep a closed guard but Escobar is proving a slippery customer.
Escobar won't allow Saki to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escobar is stalling in the full guard.
Escobar has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Saki is proving hard to escape from.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Escobar wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Escobar shoots in and gets a takedown into Saki's guard.
Escobar keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Saki's head.
Saki thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Saki looking for a sweep. Not yet Saki, not yet.
Saki trying to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ramirez Escobar dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Saki shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Escobar as he avoids it easily.
Saki dives in and grabs Escobar's left leg, looking for a takedown. Escobar pushes down on Saki's head and hops out.
Escobar misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Saki moves in looking to clinch but Escobar pushes him off.

Escobar looking to score a takedown here. Saki is defending well but Escobar drives through and ends up in Saki's guard.
Escobar controls from within his opponent's guard.
Escobar seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Saki for as long as he can get away with.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Saki is looking to stand up but Escobar isn't so interested in that idea.

Ramirez Escobar has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Escobar shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Saki defends it nicely.
Saki tries to clinch up but Escobar circles away and keeps his distance.
Saki shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Escobar pinned against the cage. Escobar gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ramirez Escobar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gokhan Saki.
Escobar looks for the body kick but Saki saw that one coming.

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

Saki shoots in and bounces Escobar off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Saki won't allow Escobar to sweep him here.
Saki slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Saki is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Escobar knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Escobar sneaks back into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saki is looking to take a break and control but Escobar is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Escobar tries to roll over but Saki keeps him under control.
Saki is looking to take a break and control but Escobar is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Saki stands up out of the half guard.
Saki will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Escobar closes the distance and pushes Saki back into the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Escobar drags the fight down to the ground.
Ramirez Escobar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Escobar had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Saki defends it easily.
Saki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Escobar is keeping the position for now.
Escobar can't keep his opponent in guard - Saki advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Saki decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Saki fails to land the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Gokhan Saki will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Saki is looking to clinch.
Saki tries for a takedown but Escobar sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Saki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Escobar swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ramirez Escobar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Saki gets the takedown into side control.
Escobar sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Saki seems to be looking for submissions.
Saki missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Saki is working for a submission of some sort.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saki works his way into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar regains half guard.
Saki is looking to take a break and control but Escobar is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Escobar avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Saki.
Escobar is looking to improve his position.
Escobar is staying active underneath Saki, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Escobar tries to kick Saki off in order to stand up. Saki Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Escobar wants to control but Saki postures up.
Saki in side control, throwing shots but Escobar defends.
Saki tries to stand but Escobar is controlling his head.
Escobar avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Saki.
Saki tries to score with some ground and pound. Escobar controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Saki trying to control the action but Escobar is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saki is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Saki working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Escobar is looking for a sweep.
Sloppy strikes there by Saki.
Escobar tries to escape but Saki is in control.
Saki throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Escobar defending against the ground and pound.

Saki stands up and beckons Escobar to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
No joy there for Saki, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Saki looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Escobar!

And that's the end of the fight!
Gokhan Saki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Saki has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight for Gokhan Saki!
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight for Ramirez Escobar!
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight for Gokhan Saki!

Gokhan Saki wins by split decision!