PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luke Bando (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Escobar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Luke Bando has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Bando
vs
Escobar

175 cm
20
210 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

198 cm
23
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Crippler's Corner

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Luke Bando!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tony Escobar!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Chad Campbell and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bando is looking to clinch but Escobar is avoiding it.

Bando gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Bando breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Escobar takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Tony Escobar has been cut.
Bando throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Escobar tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bando wants to clinch up but Escobar keeps it at a distance.
Bando wants to clinch.
Bando tries to clinch up.
Bando tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Escobar paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bando tries to clinch up.
Bando fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bando tries to clinch but Escobar moves out of range.
Escobar misses with a head kick.
Bando takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Escobar looks for a takedown but Bando sprawls well.
Bando moves in looking to clinch but Escobar pushes him off.
Bando tries to close the distance and clinch but Escobar swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bando tries to clinch but Escobar is having none of it.
Bando is looking to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bando looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Escobar throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bando moves in looking to clinch but Escobar pushes him off.
Bando throws a looping overhand right but Escobar ducks down to avoid it.

Bando has Escobar up against the cage in a clinch.
Escobar tries for a takedown but Bando manages to get underhooks.
Escobar has had enough of the clinch but Bando keeps him there for the moment.
Escobar wants to get back to striking at distance but Bando won't allow it.
Escobar fails to pull guard.
Luke Bando has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Escobar.
Escobar is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Bando is working for takedown but Escobar is calmly controlling the position for now.

Bando pulls guard successfully.
Bando wants to sweep but no luck.
Escobar trying to control the position from guard on top but Bando is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Escobar stands up and waves to Bando to follow him.
A head kick by Bando misses
and Escobar counters with a big head kick but Bando shrugs it off.

Bando drives through and clinches with Escobar against the cage.
Escobar is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bando pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Escobar looks gassed!
Escobar drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bando lands a nice knee to the body.
Knees to the body from Bando.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar tries to score a body lock takedown but Bando shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Knees in the clinch landing for Bando.
Bando tries to land a knee to the head but Escobar blocks with his arms.
Bando digs a right hand underneath Escobar's ribcage. Escobar let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Bando jumps guard.
Escobar preventing the sweep.
Bando striking from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bando looking to hit a scissor sweep but Escobar is one step ahead there.
Bando is working hard here to advance position.
Escobar has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Bando is proving hard to escape from.

Bando is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
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!
Bando lands a nice knee to the body.

Bando manages to break the clinch.

Bando gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Knees in the clinch landing for Bando.

Bando manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bando lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Escobar throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bando throws a head kick that misses.
Bando throws a leg kick which misses Escobar's front leg but catches the back leg as Escobar tries to avoid it.
Escobar wants to clinch.

Bando clinches up against the cage.

Bando breaks from the clinch.
Bando tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Escobar counters with a head kick. That will keep Bando thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Bando doesn't manage to clinch there - Escobar circles away.

Bando rushes Escobar and presses him up against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Bando.
Escobar can't get the takedown.
Bando landing knees to the body.
Escobar takes a knee right on the jaw!
Bando is pressed up against the cage. Escobar has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bando down to the mat. Bando avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bando gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bando lands a nice knee to the body.

Bando breaks the clinch.

Bando has closed the distance and engaged Escobar in a clinch.

Escobar turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Escobar manages to end up in side control.
Bando manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Escobar tries to stand but can't do so whilst Bando controls his leg.
Bando wants to get back to his feet.

Bando manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Bando tries to clinch but Escobar moves out of range.
Bando tries to clinch but Escobar is having none of it.
Escobar throws a head kick but Bando moves out of range.
Escobar is looking to land body kicks.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bando shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Escobar as he jumps to the side.
Bando tries to clinch but Escobar is having none of it.
Bando fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Bando dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tony Escobar's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bando misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bando keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Escobar.
Escobar swats away the attempt to clinch by Bando.
Bando tries to clinch up.
Bando wants to clinch.
Escobar avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Escobar shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bando with a lazy takedown attempt
and Escobar counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Bando has taken the fight to the clinch.

Escobar breaks from the clinch.
Luke Bando is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Escobar swats away the attempt to clinch by Bando.

Bando forces Escobar back against the cage and clinches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Escobar drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Bando gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bando lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Nice strikes from Bando there.
Bando thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Escobar's head.
Escobar looks like he's trying to stand up.
Bando passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Escobar!
Bando with the ground and pound from mount.
Escobar is looking to get to half guard.
Bando connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Bando won't let Escobar get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Bando punishing his opponent with strikes.
Bando wants to control the pace but Escobar is squirming around nicely.
Bando with the ground and pound from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A nice elbow there by Bando.
Bando raining down shots from the mount!
Escobar wants to control but Bando is having none of it.
Escobar wants to get back to his feet.
Bando landing strikes, looking to finish!
Escobar regains half guard.

Bando decides to stand and escape the position.
Bando darts in trying to clinch
and Escobar counters with a head kick. That will keep Bando thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Luke Bando seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar stuffs the takedown attempt from Bando. Bando gets slowly back to his feet.
Escobar with a nice cross.
Bando tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Escobar counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Bando!
Bando is working to get back to half guard.
Escobar wants to control the pace but Bando is squirming around nicely.
Bando swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Bando tries to reverse the position but Escobar maintains control.

Escobar is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Escobar avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bando looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luke Bando. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Escobar checks the leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bando fails to land the takedown.
Escobar throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Escobar.

Bando has taken the fight to the clinch.
Escobar is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bando gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Bando using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Bando.

Bando breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Escobar fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A head kick by Bando misses
and Escobar counters with a nice uppercut.
Bando misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Bando shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Escobar pushes Bando off and gets back to his feet.
Bando tries to clinch but Escobar moves away
and Escobar counters with a straight right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Luke Bando will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Tony Escobar's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Bando tries to clinch up

and Escobar counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Escobar decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Bando wants to clinch.
A shot to de liver by Bando. Beautiful body shot.
Escobar has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Bando throws a head kick that half lands.
Bando tries to close the distance and clinch up but Escobar swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bando wants to clinch up but Escobar keeps it at a distance.
Bando lands with an overhand left.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bando tries to close the distance and clinch up but Escobar swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bando darts in trying to clinch

and Escobar counters with a takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bando is trying to get back to half guard.
Escobar landing a few strikes.
Escobar prevents Bando from escaping the position.
Bando tries to improve position but can't.
Bando pushes Escobar away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Escobar gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Escobar stands up and beckons Bando to his feet.
Bando tries to clinch
and Escobar counters with a big head kick but Bando shrugs it off.
Escobar looks for the body kick but Bando saw that one coming.
Bando wants to clinch but Escobar slips to the side
and Escobar makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Bando really felt that one!
Bando is looking to clinch.
Bando tries to clinch but Escobar moves away
and Escobar counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Bando is looking to clinch but Escobar is avoiding it.

Bando closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Escobar is refusing to be controlled, as Bando sits in half guard.
Bando working Escobar over with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bando is looking to take a break and control but Escobar is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bando stops Escobar from getting back to his feet.
Escobar is refusing to be controlled, as Bando sits in half guard.

Escobar pushes Bando off and gets back to his feet.
Bando tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Escobar counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bando won't be happy with that.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Escobar decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Escobar misses with a combination
and Bando counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Bando tries to clinch there but Escobar circles away.
No joy there for Escobar, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nice body punch from Bando.
Bando darts in trying to clinch
enabling Escobar to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bando tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Escobar counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Bando gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Escobar is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Escobar tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Escobar prevents the takedown attempt.
Escobar managing to block the knees to the body from Bando.
Escobar tries for a takedown but Bando manages to get underhooks.

Bando manages to break the clinch.
Escobar throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bando tries to clinch up.
Escobar lands with a slapping head kick.
Bando tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Escobar counters with a shoot takedown. Bando fights it but they end up in guard.

Escobar decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Escobar circles away from the clinch attempt

and Escobar counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Escobar.

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

Bando is working an open guard so Escobar takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Bando clinches but Escobar breaks the clinch

and Escobar counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Tony Escobar has got the better of the ground game so far.

Bando is working an open guard so Escobar takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Escobar goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Escobar throws a head kick that misses.
A head kick misses from Escobar.
Escobar avoids the head kick by Bando.

Bando gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Escobar has clasped his hands together around Bando's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Escobar decides to stand back up.
Bando tries to clinch but Escobar moves away
and Escobar counters with a big head kick but Bando shrugs it off.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Escobar looks to land a body kick but Bando moved away.
Escobar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Escobar misses with a takedown attempt

and Bando counters by clinching up.
Tony Escobar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Luke Bando has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Escobar.
Escobar tries to break the clinch but Bando is controlling the position.

Bando breaks the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Escobar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bando 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Bando!