PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Javier Esposito (ranked 2669 p4p, 375 weight class) and Johan Dahlberg (ranked 3859 p4p, 476 weight class). Johan Dahlberg is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Esposito
vs
Dahlberg

186 cm
34
205 lbs
19 - 12 - 0

186 cm
33
212 lbs
16 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
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 19 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Javier Esposito!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Johan Dahlberg!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Chris Downing and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Esposito on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
That kick from Esposito tenderised Dahlberg's leg. Dahlberg is trying to keep his angry face on.
Esposito motions for Dahlberg to come forward. Esposito throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Dahlberg keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Dahlberg slips a straight right by Esposito.
Esposito uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Esposito tries to bum rush Dahlberg with a series of wild strikes but Dahlberg uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Dahlberg is looking for the big counter here.
Dahlberg throws a nice inside leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Esposito.
Dahlberg throws a looping overhand right but Esposito ducks down to avoid it.
It looked like Esposito wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Dahlberg misses with a leg kick
and Esposito counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Esposito throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Dahlberg jabs Esposito to the body, keeping him at a distance.
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!
That kick from Dahlberg tenderised Esposito's leg. Esposito is trying to keep his angry face on.
Dahlberg takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Esposito.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slow jab from Esposito misses its intended target.
Esposito throws a lazy body kick
and Dahlberg counters with a straight right hand.
Dahlberg misses the shot to the body.
Esposito swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Dahlberg tries a quick counter leg kick but Esposito is wise to it.
Dahlberg rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Esposito moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Dahlberg fails with an attempt to clinch.
It looked like Esposito wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Esposito throws a jab when Dahlberg was well out of range.
Dahlberg misses with an uppercut. Esposito saw that one coming.
Dahlberg moves out of range of the leg kick from Esposito.
Good shot there by Dahlberg.
Dahlberg throws a lazy head kick
and Esposito counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A bone on bone clash there as Esposito blocks the leg kick.
Dahlberg thuds his shin into the meat of Esposito's side.
A telegraphed right hand from Esposito misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Dahlberg.
Dahlberg moves away from the strike by Esposito.
Dahlberg with a nice cross.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dahlberg tries to land a front kick but Esposito steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
It appears Esposito was looking to counter with a kick there.
Esposito misses with a straight right.
Dahlberg tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Esposito manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Esposito loads up on a big right hand but Dahlberg slips the punch.
Dahlberg doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Dahlberg waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Esposito.
Esposito lands a glancing blow to the side of Dahlberg's head.
Esposito is looking to score with low kicks.
Esposito misses the jab.
Dahlberg unleashes a big counter combination but Esposito bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Esposito slips a jab from Dahlberg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Esposito misses.
Despite the aggression on Dahlberg's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Esposito thuds a left hand into Dahlberg's body.
Esposito ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Dahlberg is looking to land body kicks.
Esposito misses with a kick to the body
and Dahlberg counters with a solid body kick.
Esposito closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Esposito tries to score with a low kick but Dahlberg moves his leg out of the way.
Dahlberg looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Dahlberg scores with a body shot.
Dahlberg lands an overhand right.
Dahlberg scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Esposito doesn't seem bothered though.
Esposito misses with a right hand
and Dahlberg counters with a left to the body.
Dahlberg scores with a kick to the midsection.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dahlberg lands a really nice looking cross but Esposito seems unphased.
Dahlberg throws a jab when Esposito was well out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dahlberg fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Dahlberg throws a hook but Esposito blocks it.
Dahlberg lands with an overhand left.
Dahlberg lands with a hook. Esposito tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Esposito on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Danga de danga de dang - Dahlberg scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Javier Esposito has been cut.
Esposito chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Dahlberg can pounce on him.
Esposito throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Dahlberg on the side of the head.
Esposito dodges the punch combination from Dahlberg.
Dahlberg is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Esposito had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dahlberg throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Dahlberg fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A jab lands there for Esposito.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johan Dahlberg dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Javier Esposito's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Dahlberg ducks under a wild hook from Esposito.
Dahlberg takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Dahlberg swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Esposito.
Dahlberg ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A nice side step and Dahlberg releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Esposito might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Esposito misses with a low kick.
Esposito uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Dahlberg.
Esposito lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Esposito throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Dahlberg counters with an inside leg kick.
Dahlberg rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Esposito counters with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Esposito throws a quick inside leg kick.
The fighters circle momentarily. Esposito darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Esposito has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
A looping hook to the body misses from Dahlberg. Esposito does a little dance to reset his feet.
Esposito slips a straight right by Dahlberg.
Esposito scores with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esposito cracks Dahlberg with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Dahlberg misses with a lunging right hand
and Esposito counters with a stiff right hand.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Dahlberg lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Esposito has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Esposito and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Dahlberg on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Dahlberg attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Esposito fires out a quick counter leg kick but Dahlberg just manages to avoid it.
Dahlberg swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Dahlberg takes a swing at Esposito's ribcage but misses.
A good leg kick by Dahlberg.
Dahlberg takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Johan Dahlberg seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Esposito takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Dahlberg jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Dahlberg lands a leg kick that knocks Esposito off balance momentarily.
Dahlberg stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Esposito.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esposito cracks Dahlberg with a right hand to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dahlberg throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Dahlberg throws a body kick that misses.
Esposito misses the shot to the body.
Esposito tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dahlberg was well out of range. Poor timing from Esposito.
Dahlberg throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Esposito makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Dahlberg throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Dahlberg looks to throw the jab but Esposito is out of range.
Esposito takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Esposito ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Dahlberg moves away.
Esposito misses with a leg kick.
Esposito is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Dahlberg tries to clinch there but Esposito circles away.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Esposito.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esposito misses with an uppercut. Dahlberg saw that one coming.
Esposito tries to score with a low kick but Dahlberg moves his leg out of the way.
Dahlberg tries a quick counter leg kick but Esposito is wise to it.
Dahlberg lands a nice leg kick that just misses Esposito's sensitive parts.
Esposito takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Esposito throws a low kick but Dahlberg avoids it.
Dahlberg lands with an overhand left.
Esposito misses with a kick to the body
and Dahlberg makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Dahlberg scores with a jab. Esposito acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Dahlberg keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Esposito avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Dahlberg uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Esposito.
Esposito tries to land a leg kick but Dahlberg saw it coming and moves away.
Dahlberg flicks out a counter leg kick but Esposito steps away.
Esposito takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dahlberg looks to land a body kick but Esposito moved away.
Esposito appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Esposito uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Dahlberg.
Dahlberg throws a body punch but Esposito moves out of range.
Esposito is looking to counter with head kicks.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dahlberg slips a straight right by Esposito.
Dahlberg now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Esposito keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Esposito appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Esposito avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Esposito throws a right hand that misses
and Dahlberg counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Dahlberg uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Esposito.
Esposito misses with an uppercut.
Dahlberg blocks a leg kick.
Dahlberg scores with a jab to the jaw.
A head kick misses from Dahlberg.
Esposito misses with a right hand
and Dahlberg counters with a solid body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Johan Dahlberg will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Javier Esposito's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. 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.

A nice leg kick lands there from Dahlberg.
Dahlberg tries to land a leg kick but Esposito saw it coming and moves away.
Dahlberg uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Esposito has time to react.
Dahlberg connects with a solid leg kick.
Dahlberg slips a jab from Esposito.
Esposito misses with the body kick
and Dahlberg counters with a nice uppercut.
Dahlberg slips a straight right by Esposito.
Dahlberg lands a nice looking body shot.
Dahlberg misses with a hook. Esposito ducked under it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Esposito throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Dahlberg counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Dahlberg jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Dahlberg checks a low kick from Esposito.
A nice leg kick lands there from Dahlberg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dahlberg has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Esposito.
Esposito on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Dahlberg has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Esposito throws a series of punches but Dahlberg moves out of range.
Esposito darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Esposito misses the jab.
Dahlberg scoring well with a low kick there.

Dahlberg takes the fight into the clinch.
Esposito blocking some punches.
Still in the clinch, Dahlberg scores with a nice short uppercut.
Dahlberg is pressed up against the cage. Esposito has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Dahlberg down to the mat. Dahlberg avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Dahlberg goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Dahlberg fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dahlberg steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Esposito.
Dahlberg only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Javier Esposito has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Esposito.
Dahlberg uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Esposito.
Dahlberg looks to land a right hand but Esposito moved out of range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Dahlberg.
Esposito tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dahlberg was well out of range. Poor timing from Esposito.
Dahlberg feints a counter leg kick.
Esposito moves out of range of the body kick from Dahlberg.
Esposito feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Dahlberg blocks a leg kick.
Dahlberg misses with a straight right.
Dahlberg thumps Esposito with a low kick.
Dahlberg throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Esposito throws a hook to the side of Dahlberg's head but Dahlberg sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Dahlberg avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Esposito blocks a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dahlberg lands with a nice body punch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Esposito throws a leg kick but Dahlberg checks it.
Dahlberg lands with a hook. Esposito tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Nice shot by Dahlberg.
Dahlberg tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Esposito works Dahlberg's body with a nice hook.
Dahlberg paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Esposito throws a hook but Dahlberg blocks it.

Dahlberg instigates a clinch.
Dahlberg tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Dahlberg has a couple of punches blocked by Esposito.
Esposito blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Esposito misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Dahlberg.
Johan Dahlberg 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.
Esposito working aggressively here.
Esposito misses with a hook to the ribs.

Esposito breaks from the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Esposito chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Dahlberg can pounce on him.
Dahlberg connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Esposito steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Dahlberg. That one must have hurt.
Esposito throws a low kick but Dahlberg moves out of range easily.
Dahlberg bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Esposito takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Dahlberg lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Dahlberg fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dahlberg throws a shot from downtown. Esposito moves away and avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johan Dahlberg comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Dahlberg 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johan Dahlberg!