PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Essien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Aldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Essien
vs
Aldo

175 cm
24
155 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

178 cm
28
150 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

RMC - Rio Mma Clothing

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xavier Essien!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jose Aldo!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aldo scores with a hook to the body. Essien takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Aldo works the jab nicely.
Aldo tries to close the distance and clinch but Essien swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Aldo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Aldo throws a low kick but Essien moves out of range easily.

Aldo gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Essien to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Essien scoring with punches to the head and body.
Essien has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Aldo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Essien trying to control the position from guard on top but Aldo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Essien drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Essien jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Aldo looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Essien passes into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Aldo is looking to control Essien's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Aldo avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aldo is trying to stand up here but Essien is controlling him well.
Essien content to control rather than advance.

Essien is trying to work for a kimura but Aldo is defending well.

Essien seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Aldo is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:45 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Xavier Essien!
A very excited looking Xavier Essien made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.