PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Claudio Espinoza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Hull (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Hull will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Espinoza
vs
Hull

188 cm
35
222 lbs
28 - 20 - 0

210 cm
34
270 lbs
28 - 17 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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Fury Nutrition Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Claudio Espinoza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Hull!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hull walks into a jab.
Hull walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Espinoza checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
An inside leg kick from Espinoza misses.
Hull throws a leg kick but Espinoza checks it.
Hull wants to slow Espinoza down by chopping away at his legs.
Espinoza dives in and grabs Hull's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hull pushes down on Espinoza's head and hops out.
Espinoza takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Hull lands a high kick!
Espinoza throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've been informed that Hull has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.

Espinoza scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Hull manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hull wants to get back to his feet.
Hull wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espinoza looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Espinoza looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Espinoza seems to be working for a kimura but Hull defends the submission attempt.
Hull manages to get to full guard.
Espinoza throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hull keeping moving, preventing Espinoza from controlling successfully.
Espinoza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza is looking to work some ground and pound but Hull has wrist control.
Hull keeping moving, preventing Espinoza from controlling successfully.
Espinoza working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Espinoza trying to control but Hull is working from the bottom.
Espinoza with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hull looking for a sweep. Not yet Hull, not yet.
Espinoza trying to control but Hull is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hull looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Espinoza with a flurry of punches that miss.
Espinoza stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hull swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hull keeping moving, preventing Espinoza from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Espinoza lands a slapping body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Hull looks for the body kick but Espinoza saw that one coming.
Hull tries to land a front kick but Espinoza steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Hull throws a wild body kick that Espinoza sees coming a mile off.
Hull throws a head kick but Espinoza moves out of range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Espinoza.
Hull tries a head kick but it misses.
Espinoza takes a kick to the side of the head.
Mike Hull is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hull looking to land some kicks to the body here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Espinoza shoots in looking for a takedown. Hull tries to sprawl out of it but Espinoza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hull manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hull throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mike Hull will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

A big right from Espinoza misses.
Espinoza tries to bum rush Hull with a series of wild strikes but Hull uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hull throws a head kick but Espinoza moves out of range.
Espinoza is looking to land body kicks.
Espinoza lands a slapping body shot.
Espinoza blocks the body kick.
A big right from Espinoza misses.
Hull slips a jab from Espinoza.
Hull finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Espinoza misses with a wild body shot.
Espinoza takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Espinoza throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Espinoza goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hull attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Espinoza throws a leg kick but Hull sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Hull moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Espinoza misses with a low kick.
Espinoza misses with a two punch combination.
Hull scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Hull throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hull throws a head kick but Espinoza moves out of range.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Espinoza crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Hull - the referee stops the clock and Espinoza gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Hull. Espinoza manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Hull takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
A low kick from Hull is predictable there

and Espinoza counters with a shoot takedown. Hull fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Espinoza won't allow Hull to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hull keeps trying to improve his position.
Hull keeping full guard, as Espinoza tries to pass.
We've been hearing that Espinoza has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Espinoza wants to control from the top but Hull keeps moving.
Espinoza 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.
Espinoza lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Espinoza tries to free his leg and advance position but Hull is retaining full guard.
Espinoza throws a strike but Hull rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hull trying to stand up but can't free himself from Espinoza's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hull trying to stand up but can't free himself from Espinoza's guard.
Espinoza manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hull manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hull is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Espinoza moves into full guard.
Espinoza is looking to sweep but instead, Hull has passed into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hull in particular looking to stall.
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 Claudio Espinoza will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Espinoza throws a hook to the side of Hull's head but Hull sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hull goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

It looks like Claudio Espinoza has been cut.
Espinoza dives in and grabs Hull's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hull pushes down on Espinoza's head and hops out.
Mike Hull seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Espinoza throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Espinoza misses with a hook.
Espinoza throws a looping overhand right but Hull ducks down to avoid it.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Espinoza checks a leg kick.
Espinoza throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Espinoza misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hull.
Hull avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hull feints and then cracks Espinoza's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Espinoza down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espinoza checks a low kick from Hull.
Hull tries a low kick but Espinoza avoids it.
Espinoza is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Hull's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Hull goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Espinoza feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Espinoza looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Espinoza trying to control the position from guard on top but Hull is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Espinoza looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hull is controlling Espinoza's posture.
Hull looking to hit a scissor sweep but Espinoza is one step ahead there.
Claudio Espinoza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Espinoza is looking to land body kicks.
Hull defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Espinoza.
A slow jab from Espinoza misses its intended target.
A low kick from Hull is predictable there

and Espinoza counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hull won't be happy with that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hull tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hull bucks up and throws Espinoza to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Hull stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Claudio Espinoza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hull moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Espinoza throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hull.
Hull pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Claudio Espinoza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Espinoza looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Espinoza scores with a jab.
Hull misses with a kick to the body.
Hull throws a leg kick

and Espinoza counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
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 sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hull defending well though.
Hull won't allow Espinoza to pass to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hull avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Espinoza.
Espinoza is keen to just control but Hull is a slippery customer.
Hull trying to control here.

Hull has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Espinoza is on him like a limpet, forcing Hull back against the cage.
Espinoza tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hull's elbow.
Espinoza working aggressively here.
Espinoza misses with a hook from the clinch.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Espinoza here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Hull breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Espinoza misses with a few strikes there.
A good leg kick by Espinoza.

And that's the end of the fight!
Claudio Espinoza showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Espinoza 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Claudio Espinoza!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Claudio Espinoza made sure he mentioned KAISER Nutrition (160!/220$), along with how happy he was to win his fight.