PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nate Tua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Javier Esteban (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Javier Esteban has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Tua
vs
Esteban

176 cm
21
153 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

175 cm
21
167 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Nate Tua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Javier Esteban!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Jeff Smith and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Esteban tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Tua paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Esteban lands with a good body shot.
Tua walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Esteban throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Esteban swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Tua drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Tua is trying to get an arm triangle but Esteban is defending well.
Tua in side control, throwing shots but Esteban defends.
Esteban really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tua. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Esteban is trying to get back to his feet.

Tua working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Esteban parries the strikes from Tua easily there. Tua is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Esteban to escape.
Tua in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Esteban is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Tua is controlling him well.
Tua trying to control the position but Esteban is working away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Esteban is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Tua asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Tua misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Esteban is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
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.
Tua trying to control the position but Esteban is working away.
Tua tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Sloppy strikes there by Tua.

Tua decides to stand up, so the ref orders Esteban to his feet.
Esteban misses with a body shot.

Tua lands a big head kick that sends Esteban tumbling to the mat! Tua takes a step backwards and waves Esteban back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Esteban is rocked!

It looks like Javier Esteban has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Esteban looks to score with a jab to the body but Tua is just out of range.
Esteban tries to clinch up.
Tua throws a head kick but Esteban moves out of range.
Tua shoots in but Esteban avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Esteban misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tua.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tua throws a head kick that misses.
Esteban scores with a shot to the body.
Esteban is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Tua rather than just go for the knockout.
Tua on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Esteban tries to clinch up but Tua circles away and keeps his distance.
Tua closes the distance and clinches up with Esteban, looking for a takedown. Tua pushes Esteban against the ropes but Esteban circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Tua swats away the attempt to clinch by Esteban.
Tua tries a head kick but it misses.
Esteban doesn't manage to clinch there - Tua circles away.
Esteban dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Tua fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nate Tua. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tua closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Esteban quickly recovers to half guard.
Esteban tries to kick Tua off but Tua keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Tua stands up out of the half guard.
Tua looks for a takedown but Esteban sprawls well.
Tua is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esteban connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Tua gets the takedown into side control.
Esteban is trying to buck Tua off.
The referee asks Tua politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Tua prefers to stall for the moment though.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tua misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Esteban wants to get back to his feet.

Tua decides to stand back up. Tua steps back and let's Esteban get back to his feet.
Tua staying out of range there.
Esteban fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Tua is out of range.
Tua fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Esteban lands a really nice looking cross but Tua seems unphased.
Good exchange - Esteban coming out on top.
Tua shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Esteban defends it nicely.

Tua closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Tua's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Esteban tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tua was well out of range. Poor timing from Esteban.
Tua keeps the fight on the outside.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Esteban tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Esteban rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tua moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Esteban tries to clinch but Tua moves out of range.
Esteban tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Tua counters with a three punch combo that has Esteban backing up. Esteban nods at Tua to acknowledge the strikes.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Tua's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tua blocks a head kick by Esteban.
Tua lands a head kick. Esteban smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Tua steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Esteban.
Esteban throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Esteban tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tua swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Esteban tries to close the distance and clinch but Tua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Esteban tries to work over Tua's front leg with a kick but Tua checks it.
Tua closes the distance and clinches up with Esteban, looking for a takedown. Tua pushes Esteban against the ropes but Esteban circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Esteban wants to clinch.
Decent striking displayed by Esteban there.
Esteban connects with a body shot.
Tua shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Esteban as he avoids it easily.

Tua has taken the fight to the clinch.
Tua keeps control of Esteban as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Tua is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Esteban gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Esteban.
Esteban lands a body punch.
Tua is trying to pull guard but Esteban has him pressed against the ropes.

Tua's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Tua clinches up against the ropes.
A nice right hand lands inside from Esteban.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Esteban gets underhooks to prevent Tua's takedown attempt.

Tua breaks the clinch.

Tua closes the distance and clinches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Esteban working hard to break the clinch.
Esteban lands a body punch.
Esteban wants to break free but Tua has control.
A short uppercut from Esteban.

Tua pulls Esteban into guard.
Esteban trying to stand up but can't free himself from Tua's guard.
Esteban wants to stand and escape but instead Tua has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Esteban wants to stand but Tua is controlling the position.

Tua stands and steps away. Esteban gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Esteban tries to clinch up
and Tua counters with a head kick.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Tua throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Esteban's waist but Esteban gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Tua off to one side.
Tua misses with a takedown attempt - Esteban sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Esteban's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Esteban duly obliges.

Tua forces Esteban back against the ropes and clinches.
Esteban throws a punch but it's blocked by Tua.

Tua manages to break the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Esteban looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Esteban looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Tua fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Esteban to the ground. Tua is now in Esteban's guard.

Tua gets to his feet - Esteban follows without any prompting.
Esteban throws a body punch but Tua moves out of range.

Tua shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Esteban's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Esteban wants to stand up but Tua is controlling him.
Tua stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Esteban swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Tua trying to control but Esteban is working from the bottom.
Tua won't allow Esteban to get back to his feet.
Tua slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Tua wants to lay and pray for a moment but Esteban keeps working.
Tua 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.

Tua tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Esteban is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Tua wants to lay and pray for a moment but Esteban keeps working.
Esteban is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Esteban is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Tua in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Esteban is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:28 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Nate Tua!