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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Diego Escobar (ranked 120 p4p, 276 weight class) and Esa Kettu (ranked 14 p4p, 34 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
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| 182 cm
36
160
40 - 15 - 0 |
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179 cm
36
155
25 - 18 - 3 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin |
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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 40 - 15 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Diego Escobar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 18 - 3, fighting out of Helsinki, Esa Kettu!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Sam Margolis and Richard Clark.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Escobar swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Escobar listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Kettu takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A telegraphed right hand from Escobar misses the target.
Kettu throws a shot to the body.
Escobar swings widly with a right hand
and Kettu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Escobar slips a jab from Kettu.
Escobar misses with an uppercut. Kettu saw that one coming.
Kettu throws a solid leg kick but Escobar takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kettu.
Kettu moves away from the strike by Escobar.
Escobar connects with a nice looking jab.
Kettu throws a series of punches but Escobar moves out of range.
Escobar thinks about countering with a head kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kettu. Escobar does a little dance to reset his feet.
The fighters circling - Kettu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Escobar lands with a cross.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kettu misses with an uppercut. Escobar saw that one coming.
Escobar lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Kettu throws a body shot but no joy.
Kettu tried to score with a low kick but Escobar checks it.
A shot to the body from Escobar misses
and Kettu counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kettu throws a big shot that misses.
Escobar throws the left hand but Kettu avoids the punch easily.
Kettu looks to score with a jab to the body but Escobar is just out of range.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar missing with a left hand there. Kettu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kettu blocks a head kick by Escobar.
Kettu has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Kettu throws a leg kick
and Escobar counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Escobar is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Kettu looks to throw the jab but Escobar is out of range.
Kettu jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kettu throws a low kick but Escobar moves out of range easily.
Kettu changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Escobar tries to avoid it but Kettu manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Escobar to the ground. Escobar escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Diego Escobar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Escobar connects with a looping right hand.
Escobar just misses with a punch to the body.
Escobar throws a head kick but Kettu moves out of range.
Escobar throws a head kick but Kettu moves out of range.
Escobar rushes Kettu and presses him up against the cage.
Kettu misses with the head strike.
Kettu throws a punch but it's blocked by Escobar.
Kettu misses with a punch on the inside.
Still in the clinch, Escobar scores with a nice short uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kettu creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Escobar.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Escobar.
Escobar gets through Kettu's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short left from Kettu.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar lands a shot to the body.
Escobar working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Kettu blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Escobar prevents a body shot from Kettu.
Escobar pushes Kettu back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kettu.
Kettu blocks a body shot from Escobar.
Kettu tries a body shot but Escobar blocks it.
Escobar throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Escobar.
Kettu tries to throw a body punch but Escobar avoids it by throwing Kettu back against the cage.
A short uppercut from Escobar.
Kettu takes a shot to the head.
Kettu working aggressively here.
Escobar blocks an uppercut.
Escobar tries to throw a body punch but Kettu avoids it by throwing Escobar back against the cage.
Kettu turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Kettu manages to end up in side control.
Kettu tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Kettu in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kettu misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Escobar tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kettu wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kettu misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Kettu is trying to ground and pound but Escobar uses the momentary lack of control by Kettu to regain half guard.
Escobar gets back to full guard.
Escobar looking for a sweep. Not yet Escobar, not yet.
Kettu with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kettu got a little sloppy there for a moment and Escobar has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kettu has managed to get both his arms back between Escobar's legs - danger averted.
Kettu pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Escobar is keeping the position for now.
Escobar manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kettu manages to get himself to full guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kettu had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Escobar defends it easily.
Kettu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kettu looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kettu can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Escobar controls the pace.
Kettu looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Escobar passes into half guard.
Escobar is controlling the pace.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close round but I would say that Diego Escobar will probably get the nod.
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.
Escobar bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Escobar moves into range and clinches up with Kettu.
Kettu throws a punch but it's blocked by Escobar.
Escobar working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Escobar tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Escobar is leaning against Kettu and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Kettu pushes Escobar back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Escobar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Escobar lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Kettu or not.
Escobar digs a right hand underneath Kettu's ribcage. Kettu let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Escobar scores with a shoulder strike.
Kettu prevents a body shot from Escobar.
Kettu misses with the head strike.
Diego Escobar has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Still in the clinch, Escobar scores with a nice short uppercut.
Escobar swings wildly with an uppercut but Kettu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kettu tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Escobar tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Escobar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Escobar misses with a short punch on the inside.
Escobar blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short left from Kettu.
That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kettu.
Kettu lands with a short shot to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Escobar.
Escobar tries to work over Kettu's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kettu.
Escobar blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Escobar throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kettus head.
Kettu misses with the head strike.
Escobar misses with a punch to the body.
Kettu fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Escobar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Escobar scores with a shot to the side of Kettu's head.
Escobar misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Escobar misses with a punch to the body.
Escobar misses with a punch to the body.
Kettu struggles to land a body shot inside as Escobar controls his hands.
Escobar swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Escobar.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Escobar.
Escobar gets through Kettu's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Escobar blocks a punch to the side of the head.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Escobar scores with a nice short uppercut.
Escobar is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kettu can do to turn this around?
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!
Kettu misses with a body punch.
Kettu struggles to land a body shot inside as Escobar controls his hands.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Escobar.
Escobar misses with a punch on the inside.
A short left from Kettu.
Escobar lands with a left to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Escobar fails to land.
Escobar blocking some punches.
Kettu struggles to land a body shot inside as Escobar controls his hands.
Kettu fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Escobar tries to throw a body punch but Kettu avoids it by throwing Escobar back against the cage.
Escobar misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kettu pushes Escobar back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kettu's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kettu misses with a hook to the ribs.
Escobar prevents a body shot from Kettu.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Escobar.
Kettu lands a body punch in the clinch.
Escobar doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Escobar blocks a punch to the side of the head.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kettu tries to score a body lock takedown but Escobar shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Kettu tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Escobar's elbow.
Kettu lands with a right to the head.
A short right from Escobar.
Escobar lands a body shot.
Kettu takes a shot to the head.
Escobar working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Kettu tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Escobar struggles to land a body shot inside as Kettu controls his hands.
Kettu struggles to land a body shot inside as Escobar controls his hands.
Kettu fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kettu's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Escobar working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Kettu throws a punch but it's blocked by Escobar.
A right handed body shot lands from Escobar.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Escobar.
Escobar lands a hook that snaps the head of Kettu backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kettu looking for a takedown.
Kettu is breathing heavily.
A head punch on the inside from Kettu fails to land.
Kettu lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Kettu tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escobar misses with a punch to the body.
Kettu gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Escobar 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.
Escobar pulls Kettu in to control the position.
Kettu lands a couple of elbows.
Escobar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Escobar controlling the position.
Kettu throws a big right hand that misses.
Escobar has momentary wrist control but Kettu slips an elbow through the middle.
Escobar working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kettu.
Escobar wants to sweep here but Kettu controlling him for the moment.
Escobar preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Diego Escobar dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!
Kettu throws a low kick but Escobar avoids it.
The fighters circling - Escobar throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kettu feints a counter leg kick.
Kettu misses with an uppercut. Escobar saw that one coming.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Escobar 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 Kettu has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Kettu and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Escobar lands with a nice body punch.
Kettu throws a body punch but Escobar moves out of range.
Escobar was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A head kick misses from Escobar.
Escobar throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kettu avoids the head kick by Escobar.
Kettu fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Escobar chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kettu can pounce on him.
Escobar lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Jab by Escobar.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Escobar on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Escobar throws a looping overhand right but Kettu ducks down to avoid it.
Kettu avoids the body shot from Escobar.
Escobar lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Escobar takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Escobar connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Escobar.
Escobar lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kettu throws a low kick but Escobar moves out of range easily.
Escobar throws a looping overhand right but Kettu ducks down to avoid it.
Escobar with a hook.
Escobar throws a nice outside leg kick.
Escobar throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kettu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Escobar manages to avoid it.
Escobar uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kettu.
Diego Escobar is winning the standup battle so far.
Kettu misses with a straight left.
Kettu blocks a head kick by Escobar.
Kettu misses with a hook. Escobar ducked under it nicely.
Escobar sizes up Kettu with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Escobar scores with a shot to the body.
Kettu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kettu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A head kick misses from Escobar.
Escobar throws a body punch but Kettu moves out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kettu! But no joy.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kettu throws a good cross that connects.
Esa Kettu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kettu tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Escobar defends well and Kettu ends up having to push Escobar into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Kettu throws a hook but Escobar blocks it.
Kettu takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Escobar throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Escobar fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Kettu drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kettu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Escobar lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
Escobar pushing down on Kettu's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Escobar content to control rather than advance.
Kettu is looking for a sweep. Escobar is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Escobar content to control rather than advance.
Kettu moves into full guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kettu looking for a guillotine here but Escobar defends easily.
Escobar is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Escobar's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Kettu is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
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.
Escobar won't allow Kettu to sweep him here.
Escobar is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Kettu throws his legs up looking for a submission but Escobar uses it to pass to side control.
Kettu tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Escobar presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Kettu really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Escobar controlling from mount.
And that's the end of the fight!
Diego Escobar showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Escobar, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Diego Escobar!
After winning the bout, Diego Escobar thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
66% |
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