PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hatsu Hioki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bertrand Escher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Hioki might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Heart of Asia. Bertrand Escher has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hioki
vs
Escher

170 cm
25
157 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

168 cm
29
150 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Wolfpack Threadz

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 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hatsu Hioki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bertrand Escher!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Franklyn Lucas and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hioki misses with a leg kick.
A cross from Hioki lands.

Hioki closes the distance and pushes Escher back into the cage.
Hioki will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Escher up against the cage.
Hioki drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Escher wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hioki presses Escher against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Escher is pressed up against the cage. Hioki has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Escher down to the mat. Escher avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escher throws an overhand right that lands on Hioki's shoulder, as Hioki tries to avoid the shot.
Hioki swings for the body but Escher moves out of range.
Hioki slaps away a takedown attempt from Escher, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Escher misses with a body kick.
Hioki tries to land a leg kick but Escher saw it coming and moves away.

Hioki moves into the clinch.
Escher wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hioki misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Escher wants to break free but Hioki has control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hioki is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Escher pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hatsu Hioki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hioki will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Escher up against the cage.
Hioki tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hioki drops down looking for an ankle pick but Escher pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hioki tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Escher was well out of range. Poor timing from Hioki.
Escher checks a leg kick.
Escher checks a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hioki tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Escher is able to avoid easily.
Hioki tries to clinch up.
Hioki stuffs the takedown attempt from Escher. Escher gets slowly back to his feet.
Hioki moves away from the strike by Escher.
Hioki is looking to score with low kicks.
Hatsu Hioki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Escher shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hioki but Hioki pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Escher shoots in looking for a takedown. Hioki tries to sprawl out of it but Escher keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hioki manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hioki moves in looking to clinch but Escher pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escher displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hioki throws out the jab.
Escher keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hioki shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Escher but Escher pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hioki missing with a left hand there. Escher was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hioki misses with a takedown attempt

and Escher counters with a takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Escher tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Hioki tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hatsu Hioki dominated that round.
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.

Escher takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Escher keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Escher throws a hook to the side of Hioki's head but Hioki sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hioki misses with a hook.
Hioki lands a slapping body shot.
Escher fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Some bone on bone action there as Escher checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Escher swinging wildly here.
Escher on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hioki closes the distance and clinches.
Hioki has Escher pressed against the cage.
Escher is trying to break the clinch but Hioki has him pressed against the cage.
Hioki wants a takedown.
A frustrated look appears on Escher's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Escher wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hioki goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hioki tries to throw a body punch but Escher avoids it by throwing Hioki back against the cage.
Escher wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hioki can't find room to land a body shot as Escher controls the action.

Hioki lands a takedown into guard.
Escher trying to keep a closed guard but Hioki is proving a slippery customer.
Hioki keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Escher's head.
Escher avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Escher controlling the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hioki postures up.
Hioki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Escher is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Escher keeping moving, preventing Hioki from controlling successfully.
Hioki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Escher swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hioki advances position into side control!

Hioki is trying to get an arm triangle but Escher is defending well.

Hioki wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Escher, who protects the arm well.
Sloppy strikes there by Hioki.
Escher wants to control but Hioki postures up.
Who's going to make the next move?
Escher throws a couple of elbows from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escher striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

Hioki is trying to get an arm triangle but Escher is defending well.

Hioki is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Escher is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hioki trying to control the position but Escher is working away.
Escher manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hioki taking some punishment here, with Escher in his half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hioki is trying to maintain the position but Escher is very close to passing his half guard.
Hioki is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hatsu Hioki dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Escher avoids the body shot from Hioki.
Hioki throws a low kick but it's checked well by Escher.
Hioki misses the shot to the body.
Escher throws a series of punches but Hioki avoids them all with ease.
Hioki tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Escher was well out of range. Poor timing from Hioki.

Escher closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Hioki did well to prevent Escher getting side control.

Escher is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hioki defends it well.
Hioki is trying to get back to full guard.
Escher wants to take a breather but Hioki is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escher sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hioki defending well though.
Hioki wants to control but Escher is keeping busy.
Escher is trying to control. Hioki wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Escher working over Hioki with some ground and pound. Hioki looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Escher is working for a submission of some sort.
Hioki throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Hioki blocking the ground and pound attempt from Escher.

Hioki actively working from the bottom here.
Escher missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Escher is looking to take a break and control but Hioki is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Hioki looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escher is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Escher lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hioki trying to hold on to Escher's head to control him but Escher postures up.
Escher is nestled in close to Hioki, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hioki makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hioki.

Hioki is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Escher throws a big elbow that misses.
Escher sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Escher's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escher is working Hioki over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hioki throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Escher must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Hioki had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Escher defends it easily.
Escher trying to control the position from guard on top but Hioki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Escher accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Hioki working for a triangle but Escher defends it easily.
Escher throwing strikes but missing.
Escher works over Hioki with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hioki utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Escher landing some decent shots from guard.
Escher lands a couple of digs.
Escher scoring with punches to the head and body.
Escher is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Hioki working for a triangle but Escher defends it easily.

Escher got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hioki has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Escher has managed to get both his arms back between Hioki's legs - danger averted.
Bertrand Escher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hioki has momentary wrist control but Escher slips an elbow through the middle.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Escher is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hioki wants to sweep but no luck.
Escher working some strikes from top position.

Hioki is rocked!
Escher keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Hioki's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bertrand Escher comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hioki 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hatsu Hioki!
An intense looking Hatsu Hioki took to the microphone post fight and gave a little speech: 'Word to Big Bird'.