PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Danny Hooper (ranked 7294 p4p, 0 weight class) and Angel Escobar (ranked 3394 p4p, 294 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hooper
vs
Escobar

175 cm
26
156 lbs
1 - 19 - 0

176 cm
25
154 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 19 - 0, fighting out of New York, Danny Hooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Angel Escobar!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Emerson Jorge and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hooper gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Escobar counter with a right hand.
A jab from Escobar misses.
Escobar misses with a wild combination.
Nice defenses there by Hooper.
Hooper fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Escobar.
Danny Hooper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Escobar scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Escobar is taking a breather. Hooper says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Hooper is defending against the submission attempts here by Escobar.

Escobar is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hooper sees it coming and defends easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hooper is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar blocks the strikes from Hooper.

Escobar seems to be working for a kimura but Hooper defends the submission attempt.
Escobar seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Escobar stands up and beckons Hooper to join him on the feet.
Hooper lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Hooper lands a nice looking kick to the body. Escobar takes a step back to recover.
Hooper closes this distance looking for a takedown but Escobar circles away.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Escobar! But no joy.
Escobar tries to bum rush Hooper with a series of wild strikes but Hooper uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
As Escobar looks to move away, Hooper throws a big counter combo but Escobar just gets out of the way.

Escobar darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Hooper throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Hooper is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.

Escobar is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hooper looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Escobar is fending him off so far but Hooper persists. Nope, Escobar circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danny Hooper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Escobar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hooper moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
No joy there for Escobar, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Escobar will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hooper throws a head kick that Escobar semi-blocks.

It looks like Angel Escobar has been cut.

Escobar scores with a takedown into Hooper's guard.
Escobar trying to control the position from guard on top but Hooper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hooper will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hooper throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Hooper trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Escobar controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Escobar is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Hooper striking off his back but it's not causing Escobar any problems.
Hooper striking off his back but it's not causing Escobar any problems.
Escobar trying to control but Hooper is working from the bottom.
Escobar content to stall in guard here.
Hooper trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Hooper being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Hooper throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hooper fails to land the takedown.
Escobar feints a jab promting Hooper to slip. Escobar then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Hooper slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Hooper throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hooper moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Hooper shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Escobar but Escobar pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Escobar doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Escobar tries to bum rush Hooper with a series of wild strikes but Hooper uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hooper throws a nice head kick!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hooper.
Hooper throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Hooper scores with a head kick. Escobar tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
No luck for Hooper with that takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Angel Escobar dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Angel Escobar's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Escobar drives through with a takedown into Hooper's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Escobar is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Escobar stays in close to Hooper's body and controls the position.
Escobar's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hooper knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Escobar on the ground.

Escobar is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Escobar is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Let's hope that Escobar has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Hooper.

Escobar is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hooper has managed to free his arm - good work.
Hooper punching from the bottom.
Hooper wants to get back to full guard but Escobar has mounted him!

Escobar is working close to his opponent, looking to work a submission by the looks of things. Oh, he's managed to get a guillotine from mount as his opponent reached up! That looks tiiiiight! Will he tap? YES, he's tapped! Impressive submission by Escobar!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Angel Escobar!