PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Edmonds (ranked 1584 p4p, 3319 weight class) and Leonardo Esposito (ranked 189 p4p, 333 weight class). Edmonds comes to the cage accompanied by Frankie Smith - Double Dutch Bus. 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.

Edmonds
vs
Esposito

185 cm
40
190
39 - 31 - 2

185 cm
27
190
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Furnace Performance 🔥

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 39 - 31 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Edmonds!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Leonardo Esposito!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Paulsen Ambrosius and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Esposito closes the distance and clinches.

Edmonds escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Esposito connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Edmonds keeps the fight on the outside.
Sloppy strikes from Esposito. Those never looked like landing.
We've been told by Edmonds's head coaches at The Jungle Room that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Esposito misses with a low kick as Edmonds jumps back.
Esposito missing with a left hand there. Edmonds was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Esposito throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling Edmonds to counter with a crisp jab.
Edmonds throws a nice looking combination but Esposito bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Edmonds stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Esposito misses with a two punch combination.

Esposito gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Esposito lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Edmonds or not.
Nice body punch from Esposito.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Edmonds takes a shot to the head.
Edmonds misses with the head strike.
Edmonds tries to work over Esposito's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Edmonds is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Edmonds goes for a takedown in the clinch but Esposito prevents it.

Edmonds manages to pull guard.

Esposito gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esposito takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Esposito fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Esposito scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Esposito closes the distance and clinches.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Edmonds has had enough of the clinch but Esposito keeps him there for the moment.
Edmonds tries for a takedown but Esposito manages to get underhooks.
A head punch on the inside from Esposito fails to land.
Edmonds taking a breather.
Edmonds stalling in the clinch but Esposito improves position.
Edmonds can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
A head punch on the inside from Edmonds fails to land.
Esposito lands with a right to the head.
Stalling in the clinch from Esposito.
Edmonds has had enough of the clinch but Esposito keeps him there for the moment.
Edmonds misses with a hook from the clinch.
Esposito blocking some punches.
Esposito lands a right hand.
Esposito just leaning against Edmonds, taking a breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edmonds goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Edmonds lands with a short head shot on the inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Esposito taking a breather.
A short right from Esposito on the inside.
Edmonds wants to take the fight to the mat but Esposito manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Edmonds. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Esposito tries to land knees in the clinch but Edmonds avoids the damage to the body.
A short right from Esposito.
Edmonds has a couple of punches blocked by Esposito.
Esposito lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Edmonds or not.
Esposito's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Edmonds is looking for a takedown.
Edmonds is breathing heavily.
Edmonds looking to slow down the pace here.
Edmonds takes a shot to the head.
Esposito holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Edmonds swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Edmonds is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esposito is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Edmonds is defending well for now.
Esposito lands a body shot in the clinch.
Edmonds fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Esposito taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Esposito blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Edmonds fails to land.
Edmonds working hard to break the clinch.
Esposito lands a nice uppercut.
Esposito will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Edmonds up against the cage.
Esposito lands an uppercut.
Good body shot from Esposito.
Edmonds tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Edmonds lands a hook to the side of the head.
Esposito lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Esposito throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Edmondss head.
A short uppercut from Esposito.
Edmonds changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Esposito fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Esposito has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Esposito walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edmonds stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Esposito.
Esposito scores with a hook.
A head kick from Esposito lands but Edmonds takes it in his stride.
A thudding body kick lands there by Esposito!
Esposito lands a nice leg kick that just misses Edmonds's sensitive parts.
Esposito lands with a thumping leg kick.
Esposito misses with a head kick.
Edmonds takes a kick to the side of the head.
Leonardo Esposito is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Esposito chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Edmonds doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Edmonds thows a left - swing and a miss!
Esposito tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Edmonds manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Esposito slips a jab and a cross from Edmonds.
Esposito moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Edmonds misses the shot to the body.
Esposito scores with a punch to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Esposito dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sloppy strikes from Edmonds. Those never looked like landing.
Leonardo Esposito seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Esposito just misses with a punch to the body.
Edmonds waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Esposito.
Esposito throws a body kick that misses.
Esposito's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Esposito duly obliges.
Esposito scores with a nice head shot.
Esposito with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Esposito throws a sloppy head kick and Edmonds moves out of range easily.
Edmonds slips a straight right by Esposito.
Edmonds throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Decent striking displayed by Esposito there.
Edmonds pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Leonardo Esposito seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Esposito moves away from the strike by Edmonds.
The fighters circling - Edmonds throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Esposito moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Edmonds throws a jab when Esposito was well out of range.
Esposito misses with an uppercut. Edmonds saw that one coming.
Esposito defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Edmonds.
Esposito lands a nice hook to Edmonds's body. Edmonds takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edmonds avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Edmonds throws a shot from downtown. Esposito moves away and avoids it.
Esposito lands a lovely overhand right.
Edmonds throws a jab when Esposito was well out of range.
Esposito tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Esposito explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

Edmonds tries to keep at a distance but Esposito has taken the fight into the clinch.
Edmonds is looking to break free of the clinch but Esposito has double underhooks.
Esposito lands a hook that snaps the head of Edmonds backwards.
Esposito softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Esposito holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Esposito lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Edmonds backwards.
A short uppercut from Esposito.
Esposito keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Edmonds's efforts to push away.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Esposito takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Edmonds.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esposito gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Edmonds.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Esposito.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Esposito dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Edmonds misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Esposito.
A short uppercut from Esposito.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Esposito has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Esposito lands a left hand that snaps the head of Edmonds backwards.
Esposito lands a left hand that snaps the head of Edmonds backwards.
Esposito scores with a shoulder strike.

Edmonds is rocked!
Esposito keeps control of Edmonds as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Oh Edmonds is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Esposito is looking to control Edmonds's arms but Edmonds gets an underhook and turns him. Now Esposito has his back to the cage.
Edmonds seems to have got his legs back now.
Esposito lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Esposito stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Esposito works on Edmonds's body with a couple of short punches.
A short right from Esposito.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Esposito.
A short right from Esposito.
Esposito lands a shot to the body.
Esposito trying to land knees to the body.
Esposito stalling against the cage.
Esposito throws a big uppercut that drops Edmonds! More strikes from Esposito and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Edmonds lies dazed against the cage as Esposito celebrates with his cornermen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Leonardo Esposito!
An out of breath Leonardo Esposito thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.