PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rory Espinoza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Barry Dylan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Espinoza
vs
Dylan

179 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

181 cm
20
184 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rory Espinoza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Barry Dylan!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Taro Takaoka and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dylan.
Dylan tries to clinch but Espinoza is having none of it.
Espinoza is looking to counter the offense by Dylan and move into the clinch.
Dylan shoots in for a takedown but Espinoza shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Espinoza appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Dylan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Espinoza pinned against the cage. Espinoza gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rory Espinoza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Barry Dylan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dylan avoids the body shot from Espinoza.
Dylan connects with a solid leg kick.
Dylan fails with the takedown

and Espinoza counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espinoza missing with knees to the body.

Dylan's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Espinoza doesn't manage to clinch there - Dylan circles away.
Dylan darts in trying to clinch

and Espinoza counters with a single leg into guard. Dylan didn't expect that.
Dylan looks winded!
Dylan trying to control the position.
Dylan wants to sweep but no luck.
Espinoza throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dylan works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Espinoza lands a couple of elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Dylan is trying to control the position but Espinoza postures up.
Espinoza throwing strikes from guard but Dylan blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Espinoza loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Dylan manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Dylan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Espinoza just stands there and leans against the cage.
Dylan on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Dylan on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Espinoza gets underhooks to prevent Dylan's takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Espinoza tries to break the clinch but Dylan is controlling the position.
Dylan avoiding damage as Espinoza throws knees to the body.
Espinoza tries to break the clinch but Dylan is controlling the position.
Espinoza stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
We've been informed that Dylan has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Espinoza tries to work over Dylan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Espinoza gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Dylan.

Dylan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rory Espinoza is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Dylan fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Espinoza, pushing him back against the cage.
Espinoza leaning against his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Dylan is defending well for now.

Dylan manages to break the clinch.

Dylan clinches up against the cage.
Espinoza misses with an elbow over the top.
Dylan blocks a body shot from Espinoza.
Espinoza missing with knees to the body.
Espinoza tries to throw a body punch but Dylan avoids it by throwing Espinoza back against the cage.
Espinoza is looking to control Dylan's arms but Dylan gets an underhook and turns him. Now Espinoza has his back to the cage.
Dylan is trying to maintain a safe position but Espinoza gets an underhook and turns Dylan into the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Espinoza pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Horrible takedown attempt by Dylan or perhaps it was just good defense by Espinoza, which made it look bad.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Dylan shoots in looking for a takedown but Espinoza manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Dylan's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Espinoza drops down looking for a counter takedown but Dylan sprawls and moves away.
Dylan thuds his shin into the meat of Espinoza's side.
Espinoza takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Dylan gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Espinoza makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Espinoza is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dylan can do to turn this around?
Dylan throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Espinoza appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Dylan wants to clinch
and Espinoza counters with a left to the body.
Dylan is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espinoza avoids the head kick by Dylan.
Espinoza half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Espinoza is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Espinoza has managed to clinch.
Dylan is looking to control Espinoza's arms but Espinoza gets an underhook and turns him. Now Dylan has his back to the cage.
Espinoza looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Espinoza has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dylan is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Espinoza pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Rory Espinoza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Barry Dylan.
Espinoza pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Espinoza prevents a body shot from Dylan.
Dylan is trying to pull guard but Espinoza turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Espinoza has had enough of the clinch but Dylan keeps him there for the moment.
Espinoza displaying some good clinch control by pressing Dylan up against the cage.
Dylan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Espinoza just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A right hook to the body lands for Espinoza.
Dylan on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Espinoza is trying to break the clinch but Dylan has him pressed against the cage.
Espinoza tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dylan's elbow.
Espinoza looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Dylan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Espinoza walks away with a smile on his face. Dylan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Dylan darts in and clinches Espinoza up against the cage.
Dylan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza tries to break the clinch but Dylan is controlling the position.
Espinoza tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dylan's elbow.

Espinoza's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Barry Dylan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dylan lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Espinoza at a distance.
Dylan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Espinoza tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Dylan manages to circle out of the way.
Dylan tries for a takedown but Espinoza circles away easily
and Espinoza counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Espinoza lands a jab to Dylan's midsection.
Espinoza slaps away a takedown attempt from Dylan, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Espinoza feinted with a counter takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza misses with a head kick.
Dylan fails with a takedown attempt.
Espinoza scores with a shot to the body.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
A head kick misses from Dylan.
A slow jab from Espinoza misses its intended target.
A nice side step and Dylan releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rory Espinoza dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Good shot there by Espinoza.
Dylan scores with a jab. Espinoza acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Espinoza tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dylan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dylan shoots in looking for a takedown but Espinoza manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Dylan's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
A quick step to the side and Espinoza tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Espinoza throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Dylan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Espinoza is fending him off so far but Dylan persists. Nope, Espinoza circles away and we're back to standing.
Espinoza looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dylan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Espinoza wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Dylan tries for a takedown but Espinoza sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rory Espinoza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Barry Dylan.
Dylan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Espinoza is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dylan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Espinoza throws a big counter combination but Dylan scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Espinoza rushes Dylan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Espinoza tries to land knees in the clinch but Dylan avoids the damage to the body.
Dylan takes an elbow to the temple.
Espinoza creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Espinoza wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Espinoza's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Espinoza has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dylan throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza is pressed up against the cage. Dylan has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Espinoza down to the mat. Espinoza avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Espinoza throws a head kick that misses.
Espinoza tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dylan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Espinoza slaps away a takedown attempt from Dylan, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Dylan circles away from the clinch attempt.
Dylan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Espinoza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Dylan moves out of range as Espinoza strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dylan takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Espinoza avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dylan throws a head kick but Espinoza moves out of range.
Dylan is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Espinoza.
Dylan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Espinoza feinted with a counter takedown.
Espinoza jabs at Dylan's body.
Espinoza pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Dylan moves forwards but Espinoza connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Dylan pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dylan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dylan doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Espinoza counters with a head kick.
Dylan moves away from the strike by Espinoza.
Espinoza swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Dylan fails with an attempt to clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Espinoza throws a nice looking combination but Dylan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Barry Dylan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rory Espinoza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Espinoza tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rory Espinoza showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Espinoza has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rory Espinoza!