PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Espada (ranked 6846 p4p, 5749 weight class) and Claude Giguere (ranked 647 p4p, 569 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Espada
vs
Giguere

180 cm
18
180
0 - 2 - 0

183 cm
25
175
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rafael Espada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Claude Giguere!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Ian Loll and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Giguere looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Espada is fending him off so far but Giguere persists. Nope, Espada circles away and we're back to standing.
Espada seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Giguere tries for a takedown but Espada circles away easily
and Espada counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like Claude Giguere has been cut.
Giguere throws a head kick that misses.

Giguere shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Espada is wriggling around but Giguere manages to pass to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Espada is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espada is looking to control Giguere's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Espada avoid being mounted?
Giguere stops Espada from getting back to his feet.
Espada is looking to control Giguere's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Espada avoid being mounted?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Giguere controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Giguere gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Espada leaves Giguere with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Rafael Espada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Claude Giguere.
Giguere changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Espada tries to avoid it but Giguere manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Espada to the ground. Espada escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
An attempted straight right counter from Espada misses the target.
Giguere throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Espada's waist but Espada gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Giguere off to one side.
Giguere tries to close the distance and clinch up but Espada swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Giguere fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Giguere looks to clinch
and Espada counters with a three punch combo that has Giguere backing up. Giguere nods at Espada to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giguere throws a head kick but Espada moves out of range.
Giguere fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Espada slaps away a takedown attempt from Giguere, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Espada leaves Giguere with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Espada seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
A combination from Giguere does no damage.
Espada was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Giguere shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Espada pinned against the cage. Espada gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giguere fails with the takedown
and Giguere takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Giguere wants to clinch up but Espada keeps it at a distance.
Espada was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Giguere instigates a clinch.

Espada breaks the clinch.
Giguere is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
It looked like Espada was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Giguere.
Giguere is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giguere shoots and misses
and Espada connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Giguere shoots in looking for a takedown but Espada manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Giguere's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Espada looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Giguere has a takedown stuffed.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Giguere throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Espada's waist but Espada gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Giguere off to one side.
Giguere tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Giguere.
A quick step to the side and Espada tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Espada dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Claude Giguere's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Giguere misses with a takedown
and Espada counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Giguere closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Espada tries to work over Giguere's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Giguere's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rafael Espada is winning the standup battle so far.
Giguere misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giguere shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Espada as he jumps to the side.
Espada throws a big counter combination but Giguere scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Rafael Espada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Claude Giguere.
Giguere goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Rafael Espada has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giguere will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Espada circles away from the clinch attempt.
Espada went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Giguere fails in his attempt to clinch.
A quick step to the side and Espada tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Giguere will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Espada was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Horrible takedown attempt by Giguere or perhaps it was just good defense by Espada, which made it look bad.
Espada appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Giguere with a poor takedown

and Espada counters with a crisp one two that drops Giguere! Espada thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Giguere to his feet! Giguere is in big trouble!

Giguere is rocked!
Giguere shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Giguere is still on wobbly legs! Can Espada finish him?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giguere has his takedown stuffed
and Espada counters with a crisp right that sends Giguere to the canvas! Espada follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:09 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rafael Espada!
A relieved looking Rafael Espada thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.