PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Juan Escobar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Quan Raiden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Escobar comes to the cage accompanied by Brujeria by La Coka Nostra. Raiden is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Boss Battle. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Escobar
vs
Raiden

175 cm
31
163 lbs
19 - 11 - 1

179 cm
27
167 lbs
23 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

White Gorilla Nutrition
[CBK] The Smashwear Corporation

[CBK] The Smashwear Corporation

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Juan Escobar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Quan Raiden!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Robert Douchet and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raiden moves out of range as Escobar strikes.
Raiden throws an overhand right that lands on Escobar's shoulder, as Escobar tries to avoid the shot.
Raiden looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Raiden stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Raiden wants it to stay on the feet.
Escobar slips a jab and a cross from Raiden.
Raiden scores with a jab to the body.
Raiden throws a combination. Escobar tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Escobar fails to land with a series of punches.
Raiden throws a half hearted mid kick.
Escobar loads up on a big right hand but Raiden slips the punch.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Escobar checks a leg kick.
Escobar shoots in for a takedown but Raiden shows good takedown defense.
Raiden misses with a right hand
and Escobar counters with a right hand to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Escobar checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar cracks Raiden with a right hand to the side of the head.
An inside leg kick from Raiden misses.
Escobar takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Raiden, right into the meat.
Escobar has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Raiden finds it's way round the side to connect with Escobar's head.
Raiden throws a poor cross that misses
and Escobar counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Raiden moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Escobar takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Nice sprawl there from Raiden as Escobar shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juan Escobar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Escobar connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Escobar tries to clinch up.
Raiden falls off balance throwing a combination

and Escobar moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Escobar tries to throw a body punch but Raiden avoids it by throwing Escobar back against the cage.
Escobar tries a body shot but Raiden blocks it.
Raiden scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Escobar wants to break the clinch but can't.
Escobar misses with a body punch.
Escobar blocks an uppercut.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Escobar misses with a body punch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Raiden.

Escobar pulls Raiden into guard.

Escobar looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Raiden passes into half guard.

Escobar looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raiden is keen to just control but Escobar is a slippery customer.

Escobar is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Raiden pulls his head out easily.
Escobar moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Escobar is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Raiden engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Escobar looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Escobar has an active guard here but Raiden has managed to pass into half guard.
Escobar slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Escobar can't keep his opponent in guard - Raiden advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Raiden content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Juan Escobar 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.

Escobar ducks under a wild hook from Raiden.
Raiden chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Raiden getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Escobar feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Raidens jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Raiden moves away from the strike by Escobar.
A nice inside leg kick there by Raiden. That's going to slow Escobar down.
Escobar throws a right and a left that Raiden avoids nicely.
Escobar lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Raiden pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Raiden lands a two punch combo.
Raiden ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Escobar slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar lands with an overhand left.
Quan Raiden seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Escobar misses with a low kick.
Raiden throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Raiden feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Escobar's calf.
Raiden lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Escobar swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Escobar checks a leg kick.
Raiden lands a glancing blow to the side of Escobar's head.
Escobar is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Escobar gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Raiden connects with an inside leg kick.
Raiden paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar is trying hard to land a takedown here. Raiden sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Raiden scores with a jab.
Raiden lands a nice leg kick that just misses Escobar's sensitive parts.
Raiden pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice takedown defense from Raiden. No joy for Escobar on that attempt.
Escobar is looking to clinch.
Escobar misses the shot to the body.
Raiden connects with an inside leg kick.
A head kick by Raiden misses
and Escobar counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Raiden looks to land a left hand but Escobar moved out of range nicely.
Raiden misses the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Raiden checks it well.
Raiden with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A slapping leg kick lands for Raiden.
Raiden has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Escobar.
Escobar misses the shot to the body.

Escobar forces Raiden back against the cage and clinches.
Raiden misses with a punch on the inside.
Escobar scores with a shoulder strike.

Escobar successfully pulls guard.

Escobar is looking for a triangle but Raiden pushes his legs off easily.
Raiden slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Escobar gets back to half guard.
Raiden content to control rather than advance.

Escobar looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Escobar manages to get to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Raiden avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Quan Raiden will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Escobar takes a jab right on the kisser.

Escobar manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Raiden on his heels. He'll look to pass Raiden's guard now, I'm sure.
Escobar not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Raiden lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Escobar!
Escobar really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Escobar wants to hold on but Raiden pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar is wriggling around trying to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Escobar is working hard here to advance position.
Escobar wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Escobar tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Raiden really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Escobar. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Raiden controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar is looking to improve his position but Raiden isn't that keen on the idea.
Escobar bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Escobar won't allow Raiden to sweep him here.
Raiden is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Escobar pushes down on Raiden's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Escobar tries to pass the half guard into mount. Raiden knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar is just content to waste time from the top position. Raiden takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Escobar slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Escobar lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Escobar throws a big elbow that misses.
Raiden can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Escobar controls the pace.
Juan Escobar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escobar wants to control from the top but Raiden keeps moving.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Escobar slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Raiden avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Escobar.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Escobar tries to advance to mount but can't.

Escobar is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Raiden has escaped the position, nice work there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juan Escobar showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Escobar has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Juan Escobar!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Juan Escobar waved his t-shirt featuring White Gorilla Nutrition's logo in front of the cameras.