PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pablo Escobar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Markanych (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pablo Escobar could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Igor Markanych's chin.

Escobar
vs
Markanych

173 cm
26
141 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

175 cm
21
152 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Pablo Escobar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Igor Markanych!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Robert Douchet and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Escobar gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
enabling Markanych to counter with a crisp jab.

Markanych shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Markanych was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Markanych with good strikes from the mount here!

It looks like Pablo Escobar has been cut.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Markanych working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Escobar tries to hold on but Markanych postures up.
Markanych prevents Escobar from getting the reversal.
Escobar takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Markanych misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Markanych putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Markanych dominating with strikes here.

Escobar somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
A big left from Markanych misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markanych misses with a body shot.

Markanych closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Escobar takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Markanych working away.
Markanych cracks Escobar with a big right hand but Escobar just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
You can see the frustration on Escobar's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Markanych with the ground and pound but Escobar regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Escobar controlling the position for now.
Markanych is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Markanych really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Escobar. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Markanych is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Escobar is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Escobar has escaped and now he's on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Escobar is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Markanych wants to stand and escape but Escobar is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Escobar postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Igor Markanych hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Escobar gets caught flat footed, as Markanych shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Escobar tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Escobar keeping moving, preventing Markanych from controlling successfully.
Markanych scoring with some ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Escobar holds on and takes a little breather.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Escobar has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Markanych off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Markanych dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pablo Escobar's cut.
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.

Markanych takes a swing at Escobar's ribcage but misses.
Markanych misses with a combination

and Escobar counters by clinching up.

Escobar pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Escobar misses with a body kick.
Escobar lands a jab.

Markanych shoots in and gets a takedown into Escobar's guard.
Markanych pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Escobar is keeping the position for now.
Markanych throws a strike but Escobar rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Escobar trying to stand up but can't free himself from Markanych's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar trying to control but Markanych is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Pablo Escobar.
Markanych will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Escobar tries to clinch but Markanych is having none of it.
Igor Markanych seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Escobar fails in his attempt to clinch.
Markanych ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Markanych stuffs the takedown.
Markanych has his takedown stuffed
and Escobar counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The fight stays on the outside here - Escobar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Escobar tries for a takedown but Markanych circles away easily

and Markanych counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Escobar gets full guard.
Markanych tries to free his leg and advance position but Escobar is retaining full guard.
Markanych throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Escobar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Escobar lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Markanych!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Escobar moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Markanych has worked his arm free - good work by Markanych!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Escobar controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Escobar working the ground and pound but Markanych is defending the strikes.
Escobar wants to lay and pray for a moment but Markanych keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Markanych showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Pablo Escobar's cut.
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!

Escobar fails in his attempt to clinch.

Escobar shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Markanych somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Markanych fails to land the takedown.
Markanych misses with a hook

and Escobar counters with a shoot takedown. Markanych fights it but they end up in guard.

Escobar gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Markanych looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Escobar is fending him off so far but Markanych persists. Nope, Escobar circles away and we're back to standing.
Escobar takes a swing at Markanych's ribcage but misses.
Markanych swats away the attempt to clinch by Escobar.
Markanych closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Escobar tries to sprawl but Markanych drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Markanych takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Escobar manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Escobar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Escobar controls Markanych momentarily but Markanych frees himself.
Escobar manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Markanych manages to get himself to full guard.

Markanych pushes Escobar off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Markanych throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Escobar holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Markanych is working for takedown but Escobar is calmly controlling the position for now.
Pablo Escobar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Markanych.

Escobar manages to pull guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Markanych working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Escobar working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Markanych doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Escobar is tightening it up a little... Markanych has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Markanych reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Markanych taps out! nice BJJ there by Escobar!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Pablo Escobar!