PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jackson Mitchell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ken Essss (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jackson Mitchell looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Mitchell
vs
Essss

185 cm
25
179 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
21
195 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jackson Mitchell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ken Essss!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mitchell scores with a kick to the midsection.

Essss gets tackled into the cage by Mitchell. Mitchell maintains the clinch.
Mitchell throws an elbow that misses.
Mitchell can't get the takedown.
Essss wants to get back to striking at distance but Mitchell won't allow it.
Essss pushes Mitchell back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Essss misses with a hook from the clinch.

Mitchell gets control of Essss's arms and successfully pulls guard. Mitchell will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Essss wants to control from the top but Mitchell keeps moving.
Essss throwing strikes but missing.
Mitchell is adopting a defensive guard.
Essss has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mitchell is proving hard to escape from.
Mitchell on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mitchell tries to get out of the position.
Mitchell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Essss is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Essss wanted to stand there but Mitchell had control of the position.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Mitchell manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Mitchell is breathing heavily.
Essss can't find room to land a body shot as Mitchell controls the action.
Essss is trying to stall.

Mitchell escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mitchell shoots for a double leg takedown but Essss sprawls well. He's pushed Mitchell's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mitchell throws a push kick but Essss slaps the foot to one side.
Essss wants to clinch.
Essss shoots in but Mitchell avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Essss tries to close the distance and clinch but Mitchell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mitchell seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Essss throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mitchell.
Essss tries to clinch but Mitchell moves out of range.
Mitchell avoids the head kick by Essss.
Essss is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mitchell.
Essss shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Mitchell sprawls well. Mitchell wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Essss gets slowly back to his feet.
Essss tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mitchell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Essss misses with a body kick.
Essss closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mitchell circles away.
Jackson Mitchell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ken Essss.
Mitchell is trying hard to land a takedown here. Essss sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ken Essss seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mitchell takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

It looks like Jackson Mitchell has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Essss throws a combination. Mitchell tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Mitchell showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Essss.
Essss tries to close the distance and clinch but Mitchell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Essss shoots in for a takedown but Mitchell shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Essss closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mitchell circles away.
Essss throws a right hand that Mitchell ducks under and follows up with a left that Mitchell also avoids with ease.
Mitchell displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Essss.
Mitchell moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Essss shoots in for a takedown but Mitchell shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Mitchell moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell prevents the takedown attempt.
Essss letting Mitchell take a breather here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Mitchell decides to pull guard.
Essss would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Essss is looking to work some ground and pound but Mitchell has wrist control.
Essss throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mitchell working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Essss.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mitchell working a defensive guard here.
Essss wants to stand but Mitchell is controlling his posture from full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Essss dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jackson Mitchell's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Essss will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Essss looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mitchell is fending him off so far but Essss persists. Nope, Mitchell circles away and we're back to standing.
Essss shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mitchell as he jumps to the side.
Essss 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 Essss.
Jackson Mitchell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ken Essss.
Mitchell shoots in looking for a takedown but Essss manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Mitchell's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mitchell displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Essss.
Mitchell fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Mitchell moves into the clinch.
Essss has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mitchell tries to circle away but Essss has him pinned against the cage.
Mitchell looking for a takedown.
Essss goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Essss struggles to land a body shot inside as Mitchell controls his hands.
Mitchell tries to pull guard but Essss won't allow it.
Essss tries for a takedown but Mitchell manages to get underhooks.
Essss drops down looking for an ankle pick but Mitchell pulls his leg out and moves away.
Essss tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Essss wants to clinch.
Essss is looking to clinch but Mitchell is avoiding it.
Ken Essss seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Essss fails with a takedown attempt.
Essss throws a head kick but Mitchell moves out of range.
Essss fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Essss looks to clinch

and Mitchell holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mitchell prevents Essss from breaking the clinch.
Mitchell has Essss pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Essss manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Mitchell looking for a takedown.
Essss jumps guard but Mitchell stands there with Essss around his waist. Essss gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Essss looking to slow down the pace here.
Essss tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mitchell tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Essss smiles and moves away.
Essss doesn't manage to clinch there - Mitchell circles away.
Essss tries to bum rush Mitchell with a series of wild strikes but Mitchell uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mitchell has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Essss is defended easily by Mitchell.
Mitchell fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Essss misses with an uppercut. Mitchell saw that one coming.
Essss tries to score with a low kick but Mitchell moves his leg out of the way.
Essss will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Essss throws a right and a left that both miss.
Essss keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Essss drives through with a takedown into Mitchell's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mitchell wants to stand but Essss is controlling the position.

Essss got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mitchell has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Essss has managed to get both his arms back between Mitchell's legs - danger averted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Essss showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jackson Mitchell's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Essss shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mitchell as he jumps to the side.
Essss dives in and grabs Mitchell's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mitchell pushes down on Essss's head and hops out.
Essss tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Essss. Mitchell does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mitchell fails with a takedown attempt.
Mitchell shoots in and drives through. Essss sprawls well.
Essss fails to land the takedown.
Jackson Mitchell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ken Essss.
Essss fails in his attempt to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Essss fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jackson Mitchell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mitchell keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Essss shoots in looking for a takedown. Mitchell tries to sprawl out of it but Essss keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mitchell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Mitchell gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A right handed body shot lands from Essss.

Essss breaks the clinch.
Essss tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mitchell swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Essss moves into range and clinches up with Mitchell.
Mitchell gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Essss.
Essss digs a right hand underneath Mitchell's ribcage. Mitchell let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Essss has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Mitchell uses from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell controlling from the top position.
Mitchell won't allow Essss to sweep him here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Essss is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mitchell will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

Mitchell closes the distance and pushes Essss back into the cage.
Essss gets through Mitchell's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Mitchell avoiding damage as Essss throws knees to the body.
Mitchell jumps guard but Essss stands there with Mitchell around his waist. Mitchell gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mitchell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Essss looking to throw knees to the head but Mitchell is blocking nicely.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Essss stalling in the clinch.
Mitchell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ken Essss is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Essss manages to break the clinch.
Essss looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mitchell is fending him off so far but Essss persists. Nope, Mitchell circles away and we're back to standing.
Mitchell tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Essss defends well and Mitchell ends up having to push Essss into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Essss misses with a punch to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Essss has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Mitchell avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Mitchell breaks from the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Essss tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mitchell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Essss shoots in looking for a takedown. Mitchell tries to sprawl out of it but Essss keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mitchell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Jackson Mitchell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mitchell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ken Essss comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Essss has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ken Essss!