PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leonard Espinoza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Santos Villavera (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.

Espinoza
vs
Villavera

182 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Leonard Espinoza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Santos Villavera!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Thiago Cunha and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Espinoza dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Espinoza doesn't manage to clinch there - Villavera circles away.
Espinoza tries to clinch up.
Espinoza fails with the takedown.
Espinoza shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Villavera but Villavera pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nice takedown defense from Villavera. No joy for Espinoza on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonard Espinoza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Espinoza fails with the takedown.
Espinoza tries to clinch but Villavera moves out of range.
Espinoza misses with a takedown attempt - Villavera sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espinoza shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Villavera as he avoids it easily.
Espinoza is looking to clinch.
No luck for Espinoza with that takedown attempt.
Espinoza throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Villavera scores with a nice head shot.
Villavera misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Villavera scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Espinoza.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nice shot lands for Villavera.
Villavera throws out a leg kick but Espinoza moves out of range and Villavera only half commits.
Villavera lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Espinoza will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Espinoza is breathing heavily.
Villavera cracks Espinoza with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Nice cross by Villavera.
Espinoza tries to clinch up but Villavera circles away and keeps his distance.
No luck for Espinoza with that takedown attempt.
Espinoza is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Villavera throws out a powerful jab.
Villavera scores with the left hand. Espinoza knows he should have avoided that one.
Espinoza shoots for a double leg takedown but Villavera sprawls well. He's pushed Espinoza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Espinoza on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Villavera moves out of range of the body kick.
Espinoza takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Villavera throws a nice looking combination but Espinoza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Villavera scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Villavera connects with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza throws a looping overhand right but Villavera ducks down to avoid it.
Villavera tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Espinoza is looking to clinch.
Espinoza fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Villavera misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Espinoza walks into a stiff left hand from Villavera.
Villavera lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Villavera misses with a low kick.
Espinoza looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santos Villavera dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Villavera lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Villavera ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Villavera lunges at Espinoza with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Espinoza's hand.
Villavera pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Espinoza fails to land the takedown.
Espinoza is looking to clinch but Villavera is avoiding it.
Villavera scores with a crisp jab that stopped Espinoza in his tracks.
A decent looking cross lands there for Villavera.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Villavera is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Villavera cracks Espinoza with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Villavera will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Villavera scores with a nice head shot.
Espinoza misses with a double jab
and Villavera counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Villavera misses with the combination.
Espinoza with a poor takedown
and Villavera counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Espinoza gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Villavera counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonard Espinoza. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza misses with a double jab
and Villavera counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Nice uppercut lands for Villavera. That snapped Espinoza's head back.
Espinoza misses with a takedown attempt
and Villavera counters with a nice uppercut.
Villavera with a nice cross.
Espinoza with a lazy takedown attempt
and Villavera cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Villavera on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Espinoza. Espinoza obviously looking to wear him down.
Espinoza fails with the takedown
and Villavera counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Villavera's head.
Espinoza throws a head kick that half lands.
A nice inside leg kick there by Espinoza. That's going to slow Villavera down.
Espinoza shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Villavera counters with a stiff right hand.
Espinoza looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Espinoza shoots and misses
and Villavera counters with a straight right hand.
Espinoza shoots and misses
and Villavera counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Leonard Espinoza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Espinoza fails in his attempt to clinch.
Espinoza misses with a takedown
and Villavera counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza tries to clinch but Villavera is having none of it.
Espinoza throws a combination that misses
and Villavera counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Villavera throws a series of strikes that have Espinoza backpedaling.
Villavera looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Espinoza shoots and misses
and Villavera counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Good standup being displayed there by Villavera as he connects with a hook.
Espinoza has his takedown stuffed
letting Villavera counter with a right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Villavera uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Espinoza.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santos Villavera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A lazy left from Villavera finds it's target.
Santos Villavera seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Espinoza shoots and misses
enabling Villavera to counter with a crisp jab.
Espinoza tries to clinch up.
Villavera fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Espinoza throws a left and a right that both miss
and Espinoza takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Villavera avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Espinoza takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Espinoza throws a sloppy head kick and Villavera moves out of range easily.
Espinoza throws a left and a right that both miss
and Villavera counters with a two punch combo.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Villavera tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Villavera scores with a jab to the head.
Espinoza moves forwards but Villavera connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Villavera throws a combination. Espinoza tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Villavera with a jab.
Espinoza fails with the takedown
enabling Villavera to counter with a crisp jab.
Espinoza shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Villavera wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Villavera throws a leg kick that is checked

and Espinoza counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Villavera working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Espinoza doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Espinoza manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Villavera pushes Espinoza off and scrambles back to his feet.
Villavera lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Donk. Villavera catches Espinoza right on the button with a cross.
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!
Espinoza has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Espinoza there as he acknowledges the shot.
Espinoza tries for a takedown but Villavera circles away easily
and Villavera counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonard Espinoza. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Villavera lands with an uppercut that bounces Espinoza off the cage and back into rage.
Espinoza fails with the takedown
and Villavera counters with a nice uppercut.
Espinoza tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Villavera paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Espinoza tries for a takedown but Villavera circles away easily
and Villavera counters with a one-two to the body.
Espinoza misses with a takedown attempt
and Villavera connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Leonard Espinoza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Espinoza tries to clinch but Villavera moves away
enabling Villavera to counter with a crisp jab.
Espinoza connects with a solid leg kick.
Espinoza tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Villavera counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza tries to clinch up
enabling Villavera to counter with a crisp jab.
Espinoza with a lazy takedown attempt
and Villavera counters with a left to the body.
Villavera keeps the fight on the outside.
Espinoza tries for a takedown but Villavera circles away easily
and Villavera counters with a left and a right that stings Espinoza.
Espinoza moves in looking to clinch but Villavera pushes him off.
Leonard Espinoza has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A head kick misses from Espinoza.

And that's the end of the fight!
Santos Villavera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Villavera winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Santos Villavera!