PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Flash Franklin (ranked 5142 p4p, 2276 weight class) and Diego Escobar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Franklin
vs
Escobar

174 cm
26
149
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
41
160
45 - 16 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Flash Franklin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 45 - 16 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Diego Escobar!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Eddie Farnsworth and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Franklin scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Escobar doesn't seem bothered though.

Escobar clinches.

Escobar manages to break the clinch.
Franklin shoots for a takedown but Escobar saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Escobar misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Escobar lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Escobar drives through and clinches with Franklin against the cage.

Escobar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Franklin blocks a head kick by Escobar.
Franklin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Franklin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A little jabbing left from Escobar on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Franklin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Escobar lands a head shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Franklin is looking to clinch but Escobar is avoiding it.

Escobar pushes Franklin up against the cage in a clinch.
Franklin wants to take the fight to the mat but Escobar manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Escobar escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Franklin with a lazy takedown attempt
and Escobar counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Flash Franklin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franklin walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Franklin gets tackled into the cage by Escobar. Escobar maintains the clinch.

Franklin pulls guard effortlessly.
Escobar in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Escobar in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Escobar postures up in Franklin's guard and throws a big left but Franklin blocks it.
Escobar chips away with some ground and pound.
Franklin has momentary wrist control but Escobar slips an elbow through the middle.
Escobar is looking to work some ground and pound but Franklin has wrist control.
Franklin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Escobar with a flurry of punches that miss.

Escobar drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Escobar seems to have locked his on tight now - Franklin screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Escobar, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Diego Escobar!