PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leonardo Esposito (ranked 940 p4p, 850 weight class) and Ante Novak (ranked 141 p4p, 130 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Esposito
vs
Novak

185 cm
21
190
7 - 1 - 0

185 cm
21
184
4 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Bondi MMA 🏝️

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Leonardo Esposito!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ante Novak!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Daniel Bishop and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Novak misses with a looping left.
A looping hook to the body misses from Novak. Esposito does a little dance to reset his feet.
It looked like Esposito was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Novak.
Esposito misses with a left hand
and Novak counters with a right hand to the body.
Esposito moves out of range as Novak throws a body kick.
Novak checks a leg kick nicely.
Novak takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Esposito turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Esposito feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Novaks jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
A leg kick checked by Novak.
Novak gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Novak takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esposito looks to land a left hand but Novak moved out of range nicely.
Esposito swings widly with a right hand
and Novak counters with a nice body kick.
Novak tries a head kick but it misses.
Novak lands with a straight right. Esposito didn't see that one coming.
Novak misses with a hook to the body
and Esposito counters with a nice leg kick.
Esposito fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Novak.
The crowd cheers as Novak lands an impressive looking overhand right. Esposito doesn't seem phased though.
Esposito throws a jab but it's blocked by Novak.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esposito with a nice calf kick.
Esposito moves out of range as Novak throws a body kick.
Novak checks a leg kick nicely.
Novak checks a leg kick.
The crowd cheers as Novak lands an impressive looking overhand right. Esposito doesn't seem phased though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Novak throws a right hand that misses
and Esposito counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Novak lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Esposito slips a jab from Novak.
Esposito thuds a left hand into Novak's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esposito moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Esposito lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Leonardo Esposito seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Esposito misses with a low kick.
A big right from Esposito misses.
Novak moves out of range of the strikes.
Novak misses with a looping right.
Esposito looks to land a left hand but Novak moved out of range nicely.
Novak swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Novak misses with a body punch
and Esposito counters with a nice low kick that buckles Novak's knee momentarily.
Esposito blocks the body kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Esposito misses the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Esposito throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A solid leg kick lands there for Esposito.
Novak takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Esposito misses with a body shot.
Novak was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Novak throws a series of punches but Esposito moves out of range.
Novak drops his hands momentarily and Esposito takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

It looks like Ante Novak has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Novak throws a looping overhand right but Esposito ducks down to avoid it.
Novak on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Esposito dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ante Novak's cut.
That's time! Esposito's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Novak just misses with a punch to the body.
Esposito throws a quick counter kick to the body but Novak avoids it.
Novak's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Esposito throws a leg kick that is checked
and Novak counters with a straight right hand.
Novak looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Esposito throwing a counter right hand but Novak manages to avoid it.
Esposito swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Novak counter with a right hand.
Esposito lands with a thumping leg kick.
Esposito throws a leg kick which misses Novak's front leg but catches the back leg as Novak tries to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Esposito lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Leonardo Esposito is winning the standup battle so far.
Novak defending well as Esposito loads up on a big left hand.
Novak appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Esposito throws an overhand right that lands on Novak's shoulder, as Novak tries to avoid the shot.
And Novak responds with a good body kick, but Esposito manages to step out the way in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Novak thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Esposito if he has to take too many more of those.
Novak throws a lazy uppercut
and Esposito counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Novak lands a big head kick that sends Esposito tumbling to the mat! Novak takes a step backwards and waves Esposito back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Esposito takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Novak connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Esposito momentarily.
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!
Novak uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Esposito.
Novak is looking for the big counter here.
Novak misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Esposito.
Novak scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A head kick misses from Novak.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esposito throws a leg kick but Novak moved away.
Esposito misses with a hook. Novak ducked under it nicely.
A nice inside leg kick there by Novak. That's going to slow Esposito down.
Esposito doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Esposito lands a nice leg kick that just misses Novak's sensitive parts.
Esposito cracks Novak with a good jab.
Novak throws a body shot but no joy.
Esposito throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Novak delivers a nice body kick.
Novak 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.
Esposito is looking to slow Novak down with leg kicks.
A slapping body kick lands there for Esposito.
Esposito tries to score with a low kick but Novak moves his leg out of the way.
Novak throws an overhand right that lands on Esposito's shoulder, as Esposito tries to avoid the shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Novak. Esposito does a little dance to reset his feet.
Esposito was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Novak takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Novak swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Novak lands a head shot.
Esposito with a nice calf kick.
Novak checks a leg kick nicely.
Novak swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Esposito digs a good body shot into Novak's ribs.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Novak throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Esposito counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Esposito swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Esposito takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Esposito lands with a hook. Novak tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ante Novak will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ante Novak's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Esposito throws a chopping leg kick but Novak manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Novak swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
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.
Nice uppercut there from Esposito.
Esposito misses the body punch
letting Novak counter with a right hand.
An inside leg kick from Novak misses.
Novak digs a good hook to Esposito's body.
Novak avoids the body shot from Esposito.
A nice side step and Novak releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Novak misses with a body punch
and Esposito counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Esposito moves into range and connects with a jab.
A shot to the liver by Novak. Beautiful body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Novak lands the left hand.
Novak jabs Esposito to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Novak lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Novak throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And Esposito counters with a quick kick to the body but Novak blocks it.
Novak pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Novak looks to score with a jab to the body but Esposito is just out of range.
Novak misses with a wild body shot.
Novak throws a predictable looking body shot
and Esposito counters with a thumping low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esposito jabs Novak to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Novak takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Novak slips under a jab.
Novak chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Esposito misses with an uppercut.
Esposito lands a head shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Esposito throws a nice inside leg kick.
Novak lands a nice looking body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Novak misses with a lunging right hand
and Esposito counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Novak swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Esposito makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Novak looks to land a right hand but Esposito moved out of range.
Novak misses with a body punch
enabling Esposito to counter with a crisp jab.
Novak just misses with a punch to the body.
A solid leg kick lands there for Esposito.
Esposito scores with a sloppy right hand. Novak should have avoided that one.
Esposito uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Novak.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Novak drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Novak falls off balance throwing a combination
and Esposito counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Esposito ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Novak closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Esposito scores with the left hand. Novak knows he should have avoided that one.
Jab by Esposito.

That has opened up Ante Novak's cut even more.
Jab from Esposito.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leonardo Esposito showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Esposito has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonardo Esposito!
Leonardo Esposito seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.