PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Riaq Rowanda (ranked 5575 p4p, 485 weight class) and Miguel Escrima (ranked 1144 p4p, 124 weight class). Escrima has chosen Bamboleo as his entrance music. Riaq Rowanda had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 157.1lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Rowanda
vs
Escrima

170 cm
34
173 lbs
10 - 8 - 1

177 cm
34
165 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Fast

Freebok (85% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 1, fighting out of London, Riaq Rowanda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Miguel Escrima!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shigeki Sano and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Escrima keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rowanda throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Escrima counters with a left to the body.
Rowanda loads up on a big right hand but Escrima slips the punch.
Rowanda throws a right hand that misses
and Escrima counters with a nice body shot.
Rowanda lands with a thumping leg kick.
Rowanda bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rowanda misses with an uppercut.
Rowanda throws a hook but Escrima avoids it easily.
Rowanda connects with a nice looking jab.
Escrima ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Escrima now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rowanda throws a leg kick but Escrima moved away.
Rowanda misses with an uppercut
and Escrima counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rowanda throws a hook but Escrima blocks it.
Escrima throws out a counter right but Rowanda avoids it with no problem.
Rowanda throws a leg kick
and Escrima counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rowanda looks to land a right hand but Escrima moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rowanda misses with a body shot.
Escrima ducks under a wild hook from Rowanda.

Escrima rushes Rowanda and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Escrima takes an elbow to the forehead.
Escrima lands with a short shot to the head.
Rowanda tries to throw a body punch but Escrima avoids it by throwing Rowanda back against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Escrima fails to land.
Rowanda misses with a punch on the inside.
Rowanda tries to throw a body punch but Escrima avoids it by throwing Rowanda back against the cage.
Escrima tries a body shot but Rowanda blocks it.
A head punch on the inside from Rowanda fails to land.
Escrima lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rowanda misses with an elbow strike.
A body shot lands from Escrima.
Escrima blocks an uppercut.
Good body shot from Escrima.
Escrima lands with a right to the head.
Rowanda tries to work over Escrima's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rowanda lands a left hand that snaps the head of Escrima backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Escrima misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rowanda misses with a short punch on the inside.
A shot in the inside from Escrima.
Escrima blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rowanda misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Escrima.
Escrima is trying to pull guard but Rowanda has him pressed against the cage.
Escrima lands a left hand.
Escrima tries for a takedown. No joy.
Escrima lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rowanda backwards.
Rowanda lands a body punch in the clinch.
Escrima blocks an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Escrima.
Rowanda gets through Escrima's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rowanda misses with the head strike.
Escrima tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rowanda is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Escrima's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Escrima blocks an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rowanda.
Rowanda throws a punch but it's blocked by Escrima.
Escrima throws a head punch that misses.
Rowanda fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A short uppercut from Escrima.
Rowanda lands a left hand that snaps the head of Escrima backwards.
Escrima blocks an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escrima tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Escrima lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rowanda backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rowanda.
Escrima doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rowanda misses with a punch on the inside.
Rowanda throws a head punch that misses.
Rowanda lands with a short shot to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rowanda.
Rowanda fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Rowanda fails to land.
Escrima lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Escrima working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Escrima misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rowanda pushes Escrima back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rowanda lands a nice elbow.
Escrima presses Rowanda against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rowanda.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Escrima avoids the elbow strike from Rowanda, against the cage.
Escrima working aggressively here.
Escrima tries a body shot but Rowanda blocks it.
Rowanda blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rowanda blocks a body shot from Escrima.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escrima lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rowanda misses with a punch on the inside.
Escrima lands a right hand.
Escrima tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Escrima lands a nice shot to the body.
Escrima blocks an uppercut.
Escrima misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Escrima misses with a punch on the inside.
Escrima wants a takedown but no success here.
Riaq Rowanda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miguel Escrima.
Good body shot from Escrima.
Escrima misses with a body punch.
Escrima lands with a left to the head.
Rowanda blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A short right from Rowanda.
Rowanda lands a right hand.
Escrima lands a right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A shot in the inside from Rowanda.
Rowanda misses with the head strike.
Escrima throws a head punch that misses.
Escrima blocks an elbow strike from Rowanda.
Escrima swings wildly with an uppercut but Rowanda uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rowanda misses with a hook from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Miguel Escrima will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Escrima scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Rowanda misses with a hook. Escrima ducked under it nicely.
Escrima scores with a sloppy right hand. Rowanda should have avoided that one.
Escrima lands a really nice looking cross but Rowanda seems unphased.
Rowanda swings for the body but Escrima moves out of range.
Escrima misses with the combination.
Escrima lands a jab to the head.
Riaq Rowanda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rowanda misses with a hook
and Escrima counters with a nice uppercut.
Rowanda scores with a sloppy right hand. Escrima should have avoided that one.
Miguel Escrima seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rowanda attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Rowanda is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Escrima.
Rowanda pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Escrima.
Rowanda misses with an uppercut. Escrima saw that one coming.
Rowanda throws a lazy uppercut
and Escrima counters with a nice uppercut.
Rowanda is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Escrima.
Escrima doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Escrima lands a jab to the head.

Rowanda closes the distance and clinches.
A short left from Escrima.
Escrima lands a body punch.
Escrima lands a right hand.
Still in the clinch, Rowanda scores with a nice short uppercut.
Escrima misses with a body punch.
Rowanda tries to throw a body punch but Escrima avoids it by throwing Rowanda back against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Escrima.
Escrima misses with a punch on the inside.

Escrima decides to pull guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rowanda trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Escrima looking for a guillotine here but Rowanda defends easily.

Escrima escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rowanda gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Escrima looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rowanda working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Escrima's head.

Escrima had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rowanda defends it easily.
Escrima is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Escrima is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rowanda defends well.

Rowanda got a little sloppy there for a moment and Escrima has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rowanda has managed to get both his arms back between Escrima's legs - danger averted.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rowanda's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Escrima looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rowanda passes into half guard.

Escrima is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rowanda pulls his head out easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Escrima is breathing heavily.
Rowanda looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rowanda wants to lay and pray for a moment but Escrima keeps working.
Rowanda is nestled in close to Escrima, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Rowanda seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Escrima does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Rowanda winds up and cracks Escrima with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Escrima felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Escrima manages to get to full guard.
Rowanda in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Escrima has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rowanda can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Rowanda working some strikes from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Escrima 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rowanda gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Escrima fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rowanda has a couple of punches blocked by Escrima.
Rowanda blocking some punches.
Rowanda lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rowanda lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rowanda trying to land knees to the body.
Escrima working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rowanda gets through Escrima's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Escrima misses with a punch on the inside.
Rowanda misses with an elbow strike.
Rowanda softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Escrima tries to throw a body punch but Rowanda avoids it by throwing Escrima back against the cage.
Escrima misses with a punch on the inside.
Rowanda misses with a punch to the body.
Escrima lands with a short shot to the head.
Escrima has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rowanda is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rowanda lands a nice uppercut.
Escrima misses with a short punch on the inside.
A body shot lands from Rowanda.
Rowanda blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Escrima has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escrima lands a body shot in the clinch.
Escrima tries to pull guard but Rowanda won't allow it.
Riaq Rowanda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miguel Escrima.
Rowanda blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Escrima misses with a punch on the inside.
Rowanda misses with the head strike.
Good body shot from Rowanda.
Rowanda lands a body shot in the clinch.
Escrima takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Escrima blocks a body shot from Rowanda.
Escrima tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rowanda just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rowanda can't find room to land a body shot as Escrima controls the action.
Escrima swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rowanda misses with the head strike.
Rowanda tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Escrima misses with a punch on the inside.
Rowanda lands an uppercut.
Escrima blocks an uppercut.
Escrima swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rowanda misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rowanda lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Escrima backwards.
Rowanda gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Escrima.
Rowanda makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Riaq Rowanda has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Escrima is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rowanda creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Escrima is still on wobbly legs! Can Rowanda finish him?
This has been an exciting period of action!
Escrima tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Nice body punch from Escrima.
Knees to the body from Rowanda.
Rowanda misses with some punches.
Escrima prevents a body shot from Rowanda.
Nice elbow from Rowanda.
Riaq Rowanda has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Rowanda misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rowanda throws an elbow that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Escrima fails to land.
Rowanda throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rowanda scores with a nice hook to the head.
Escrima misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Escrima.
A left hand lands to the body for Rowanda.
Rowanda blocks an uppercut.
Rowanda blocking some punches.
Rowanda misses with a short punch on the inside.
Escrima seems to have recovered his senses.
Rowanda prevents a body shot from Escrima.
Escrima blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escrima working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Rowanda has a couple of punches blocked by Escrima.
Escrima lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rowanda works on Escrima's body with a couple of short punches.
Escrima dodges an elbow strike from Rowanda.
Escrima tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Escrima lands a right hand.
Rowanda lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rowanda gets through Escrima's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rowanda misses with some punches.
Miguel Escrima is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Rowanda lands with a left to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Escrima.
Rowanda scores with a shoulder strike.
Escrima tries to work over Rowanda's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Escrima blocks the elbow strike.
Rowanda pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escrima blocks a punch to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Escrima.
Escrima scores with a hook to the body.
Rowanda misses with a body punch.
A head punch on the inside from Rowanda fails to land.
Rowanda throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Escrima.
Rowanda misses with the head strike.
Rowanda swings wildly with an uppercut but Escrima uses good head movement to avoid it.
Escrima misses with a punch on the inside.
Rowanda lands a right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Riaq Rowanda showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Escrima has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!