PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Martyn Ford (ranked 3123 p4p, 447 weight class) and Francisco Escobar (ranked 1780 p4p, 265 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ford
vs
Escobar

175 cm
32
218 lbs
14 - 7 - 1

185 cm
33
220 lbs
8 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 14 - 7 - 1, fighting out of London, Martyn Ford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Francisco Escobar!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shirou Masuda and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ford misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Ford gets tackled into the cage by Escobar. Escobar maintains the clinch.
Escobar is leaning against Ford and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ford jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Escobar walks away with a smile on his face. Ford gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Escobar instigates a clinch.
Ford tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Escobar just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martyn Ford. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Escobar lands a shot to the body.
Escobar stalling.

Escobar's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ford has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Escobar shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Ford eats them both and turns towards Escobar to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Escobar moves into the clinch.
Ford jumps guard but Escobar turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Ford tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Escobar smiles and moves away.

Escobar gets in close and instigates a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ford is trying to pull guard but Escobar has him pressed against the cage.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Escobar has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Escobar tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ford avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ford avoids it.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Escobar.
Ford jumps guard but Escobar stands there with Ford around his waist. Ford gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ford managing to block the knees to the body from Escobar.

Escobar lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Escobar is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Escobar is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Ford has managed to free his arm - good work.

Escobar is trying to work for a kimura but Ford is defending well.

Escobar is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Escobar tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ford knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ford is looking for a sweep. Escobar is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ford wants to control but Escobar is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Escobar is looking to take a break and control but Ford is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Escobar looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Escobar prevents Ford from improving his position.

Escobar is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ford defends it well.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar prevents Ford from improving his position.

Ford is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Escobar pulls his head out easily.
Ford wants to control but Escobar is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Escobar is stalling here. Ford is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Escobar seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Ford has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Escobar is trying to improve his position.
Ford has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Escobar!
Escobar wants to hold on but Ford pushes him away.
Ford can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Escobar is looking to escape.
Escobar is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ford wants to take his opponent's back but Escobar doesn't allow it.
Ford tries to control but Escobar wriggling away.
Escobar bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Ford keeping moving, preventing Escobar from controlling successfully.
Escobar working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Ford is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Escobar is aware though and is defending well.
Escobar wants to control from the top but Ford keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Escobar throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Francisco Escobar dominated that round.
That's time! Ford's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Escobar gets a clinch.

Escobar has clasped his hands together around Ford's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Ford can't do much from the bottom here.

Escobar working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Escobar working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ford is trying to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Escobar working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ford is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Escobar is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ford knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Escobar tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Escobar looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Escobar wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ford, who protects the arm well.

Escobar is trying to get an arm triangle but Ford is defending well.
Ford tries to improve position but can't.

Escobar thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Escobar looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Ford is avoiding damage well.
Ford tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Escobar wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Escobar wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ford, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar wants to control but Ford is keeping him busy.

Escobar tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Escobar has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Escobar wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ford, who protects the arm well.
Ford tries to buck Escobar off but Escobar is having none of it.
Ford can't do much from the bottom here.

Escobar goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Ford has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Escobar but great work by Ford.

Ford tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Francisco Escobar has got the better of the ground game so far.

Ford wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Escobar, who protects the arm well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escobar is trying to control Ford's posture but Ford avoids it.
Ford wants to lay and pray for a moment but Escobar keeps working.
Escobar is trying to improve his position.
Escobar stops Ford from passing to mount.
You can see the frustration on Escobar's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Escobar prevents Ford from improving position.
Escobar regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Francisco Escobar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Escobar gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ford jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Escobar walks away with a smile on his face. Ford gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ford shoots in and drives through. Escobar sprawls well.

Escobar closes the distance and clinches.

Ford is fighting off a takedown attempt but Escobar is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Ford to the mat. Ford regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Ford avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ford is trying to keep Escobar in close.
Escobar stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ford swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Escobar won't allow Ford to sweep him here.
Ford keeping moving, preventing Escobar from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Escobar passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Ford sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Escobar is looking for a kimura but Ford is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Escobar to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Escobar is working for a kimura but Ford is defending it quite comfortably.
Escobar sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ford defending well though.
Ford is looking for a sweep. Escobar is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Escobar is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ford defends it well.

Escobar is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ford defends it well.
Escobar is thwarting Ford's attempts to control the position.
Ford is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ford is in trouble now - Escobar has advanced to mount!
Ford tries to reverse the position but Escobar maintains control.
Ford bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Escobar has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Escobar managing to control the position.

Escobar looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ford trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Escobar throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ford wants to control from the top but Escobar keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Escobar is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Ford frees his head nicely. Oh but Escobar has switched to an armbar! Ford is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Francisco Escobar!