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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vicente Escalante (ranked 253 p4p, 816 weight class) and Manny Johnson (ranked 34 p4p, 106 weight class). Johnson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. On The Run kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! This should be a great matchup!
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| 183 cm
37
192
42 - 8 - 0 |
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188 cm
39
194
33 - 16 - 2 |
Good wrestling
World class MT
Very quick |
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Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Powerful |
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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 42 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vicente Escalante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 16 - 2, fighting out of Sydney, Manny Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Paul Aken and Daniel Blasius.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson throws a jab but it's blocked by Escalante.
Johnson connects with a right hand. Escalante shakes it off.
Escalante takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Johnson misses with a straight left.
Johnson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Escalante moves away.
Johnson misses with an uppercut. Escalante saw that one coming.
Escalante throws a big counter combination but Johnson scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Good shot there by Johnson.
We've been informed that Johnson has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Johnson lands with a cross.
Johnson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Escalante moves out of range as Johnson strikes.
A little feinted left hand from Escalante on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Escalante takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Johnson scores with a punch to the head.
Johnson scores with a hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson scores with a sloppy right hand. Escalante should have avoided that one.
Escalante on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Escalante takes one on the button.
Escalante walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Escalante slips a jab from Johnson.
Escalante attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Manny Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Escalante digs a good hook to Johnson's body.
Johnson attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Escalante appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Escalante misses with a straight right.
Johnson throws out a counter right but Escalante avoids it with no problem.
Escalante lands with a thumping leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Johnson. That's going to slow Escalante down.
Escalante clinches with his opponent.
Good body shot from Escalante.
Escalante lands a nice elbow.
Our sources have told us that Escalante has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Johnson breaks the clinch.
Johnson throws a combination that misses
and Escalante counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Escalante misses the shot to the body.
Escalante throws a leg kick which misses Johnson's front leg but catches the back leg as Johnson tries to avoid it.
Johnson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Escalante misses with a hook. Johnson ducked under it nicely.
Escalante walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Escalante lands a high kick!
Johnson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Johnson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Escalante tries to clinch up.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escalante with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Johnson to score with a decent uppercut.
Johnson catches Escalante with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Escalante tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Escalante takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Escalante connects with a leg kick.
Johnson scores with a hook.
Escalante connects with a good right hand that stumbles Johnson. Johnson circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Good shot there by Escalante.
Escalante takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Escalante misses with a leg kick.
Escalante tries to clinch up.
Johnson throws out a counter right but Escalante avoids it with no problem.
Escalante misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnson.
Escalante rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Johnson to counter with a crisp jab.
Escalante drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Escalante looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A lazy left from Johnson finds it's target.
Johnson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Escalante.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Johnson.
Johnson swings for the body but Escalante moves out of range.
Johnson swings for the body but Escalante moves out of range.
Johnson throws a body shot but no joy.
Escalante blocks a jab.
Escalante throws a hook but Johnson blocks it.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Johnson, as that shot connected.
Escalante dips to his left and cracks Johnson with an uppercut!
Escalante wants to clinch.
Escalante lands with a straight right. Johnson didn't see that one coming.
Johnson scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Johnson connects with a right hand. Escalante shakes it off.
Escalante lands a slapping body shot.
Johnson moves into range and connects with a jab.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd cheers as Johnson lands an impressive looking overhand right. Escalante doesn't seem phased though.
Escalante uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Johnson.
Escalante avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Escalante jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Johnson misses with an uppercut
and Escalante counters with a stiff right hand.
Johnson will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Johnson is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Escalante had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Escalante missing with a left hand there. Johnson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Escalante tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Johnson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Escalante ducks right into an uppercut from Johnson.
Escalante ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Johnson moves away.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Johnson, as that shot connected.
Johnson misses with a looping right.
An inside leg kick lands from Johnson.
Johnson connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Escalante's head backwards.
A good leg kick by Johnson.
Johnson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Escalante looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Johnson looks to land a left hand but Escalante moved out of range nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Manny Johnson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.
Johnson throws an overhand right that lands on Escalante's shoulder, as Escalante tries to avoid the shot.
Escalante throwing a counter right hand but Johnson manages to avoid it.
Escalante misses with a few strikes there.
Johnson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Escalante misses the jab.
That kick from Escalante tenderised Johnson's leg. Johnson is trying to keep his angry face on.
Johnson feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Escalantes jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Johnson throws a jab when Escalante was well out of range.
Johnson connects with a nice looking jab.
Johnson misses with a straight right.
Escalante swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Escalante dodges the punch combination from Johnson.
Escalante swings away with a body shot that misses
and Johnson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Johnson staying out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson blocks the body kick.
Manny Johnson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Escalante feints and then cracks Johnson's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Johnson down.
Johnson scores with a nice right hand.
Johnson throws a leg kick but Escalante sees it coming and moves out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Escalante misses with a head kick.
Escalante tried to score with a low kick but Johnson checks it.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Escalante with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Johnson to score with a decent uppercut.
Johnson lands a right hook to the body.
Escalante takes one on the chin but seems OK.
An inside leg kick lands from Escalante.
Johnson throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Escalante counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Escalante on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
The fighters circling - Escalante throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
It seemed like Johnson was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Johnson jabs at Escalante's body.
A clash of legs there as Escalante blocks the low kick.
Johnson with a jab.
Johnson with the inside leg kick.
Johnson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Johnson throws a hook to the side of Escalante's head but Escalante sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Escalante fires out a quick counter leg kick but Johnson just manages to avoid it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johnson looks for the body kick but Escalante saw that one coming.
Johnson throws an off balance right hand
and Escalante connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Escalante on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Escalante misses with a head kick.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Escalante.
Johnson with the inside leg kick.
Johnson ducks under a wild hook from Escalante.
Johnson walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Escalante throws a head kick that half lands.
Johnson clobbers Escalante with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Decent striking displayed by Escalante there.
Johnson throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Escalante on the side of the head.
Escalante takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Escalante tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Escalante tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Escalante sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Johnson misses with a low kick.
Escalante moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Johnson's jab looks to have found its range, popping Escalante under the eye.
Johnson connects with a body shot that sends Escalante's belly button to the back.
Johnson lunges at Escalante with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Escalante's hand.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson connects with a good right hand that stumbles Escalante. Escalante circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
A low kick lands for Escalante.
Escalante ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Johnson moves away.
Johnson bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Johnson lands a nice shot that snaps Escalante's head back.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Johnson 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 Escalante has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Escalante and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
A slapping leg kick lands for Johnson.
Escalante defending well as Johnson loads up on a big left hand.
Johnson connects with a crisp jab.
Johnson on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Escalante misses with a low kick.
A jab from Escalante misses.
Johnson cracks Escalante with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Escalante uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Johnson.
Escalante takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Escalante cracks a nice hook into Johnson's ribs.
Johnson throws a lazy right hand but Escalante sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Johnson bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Escalante's head.
Nice cross by Johnson.
Johnson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A solid leg kick lands there for Johnson.
Johnson loads up on a big right hand but Escalante slips the punch.
Johnson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Escalante.
Escalante ducks under a wild hook from Johnson.
A left lands for Johnson.
Escalante lands with a hook. Johnson tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Johnson finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Escalante gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Escalante lands with a short shot to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson scores with a shoulder strike.
A head punch on the inside from Escalante fails to land.
Johnson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Escalante throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Johnson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Manny Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Escalante's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!
Escalante displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Johnson throws out the jab.
Johnson throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Donk. Johnson catches Escalante right on the button with a cross.
Escalante throws a nice outside leg kick.
Johnson with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Decent striking displayed by Johnson there.
Johnson throws an off balance right hand
and Escalante makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Escalante moves into range and connects with a jab.
Johnson dips to his left and cracks Escalante with an uppercut!
Johnson lands a jab to the head.
Johnson misses with a head kick.
Johnson lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnson throws a jab but it's blocked by Escalante.
A little feinted left hand from Escalante on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Escalante fails in his attempt to clinch.
Escalante lands a really nice looking cross but Johnson seems unphased.
Escalante gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Escalante fails in his attempt to clinch.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Escalante looks to land a right hand but Johnson moved out of range.
Johnson throws a body shot but no joy.
Escalante throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Johnson sizes up Escalante with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Escalante walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Johnson checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Johnson only half commits to the counter leg kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Johnson misses the target.
No joy there for Escalante, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Johnson lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Escalante with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Escalante throws a head kick that misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Johnson, as that shot connected.
Escalante throws a big shot that misses.
Johnson avoids the head kick by Escalante.
Johnson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Johnson 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.
Escalante walks into a stiff left hand from Johnson.
Escalante swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Johnson slips a straight right by Escalante.
Manny Johnson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escalante wants to clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A swing and a miss from Johnson.
A lazy left from Escalante finds it's target.
Johnson rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Escalante counters with a good, hard body kick but Johnson shrugs it off.
Escalante misses with a leg kick.
Johnson's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Johnson tries to keep at a distance but Escalante has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vicente Escalante has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Escalante softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Escalante misses with an elbow over the top.
Johnson avoids a wild elbow strike from Escalante.
Escalante lands an elbow inside that Johnson shrugs off.
Escalante gets through Johnson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escalante fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Escalante lands a right hand that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.
Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Escalante can pounce on him.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Johnson crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Escalante - the referee stops the clock and Johnson gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Escalante. Johnson manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Johnson moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Escalante misses with a looping right.
Johnson takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A slow jab from Escalante misses its intended target.
Escalante wants to clinch.
Johnson checks the leg kick.
A lazy body kick from Johnson
and Escalante counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Johnson cracks Escalante with a good jab.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Escalante counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Johnson moves out of range of the strikes.
Escalante is looking to chop away at Johnson's legs.
Johnson throws a jab when Escalante was well out of range.
Escalante is looking to counter punch.
Escalante misses with a low kick.
Escalante fails in his attempt to clinch.
Escalante throws a right hand that misses
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Johnson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Johnson lands a jab.
Jab by Johnson.
Escalante on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Johnson checks a leg kick nicely.
Escalante avoids the body shot from Johnson.
Escalante was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Johnson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Escalante.
Johnson connects with a single shot there.
And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Vicente Escalante.
I think Johnson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manny Johnson!
During a confident post fight interview, Manny Johnson thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
The defeated Vicente Escalante had this to say: 'I yam what I yam...that's all I yam.'.
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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
87% |
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