PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gerard Esqueda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Sibelius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Esqueda comes to the cage accompanied by Cant del Barça. Gerard Esqueda has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Esqueda
vs
Sibelius

179 cm
29
169 lbs
23 - 9 - 2

175 cm
35
165 lbs
37 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry
GREEN!160

Heisenberg
Hellbent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Gerard Esqueda!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jean Sibelius!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Paul Tew and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sibelius fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Esqueda manages to avoid it.
Jean Sibelius seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sibelius throws a lazy uppercut

and Esqueda counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Esqueda slips a nice elbow through Sibelius's hands, connecting with Sibelius's forehead.
Esqueda is thwarting Sibelius's attempts to control the position.
Esqueda throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sibelius has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Esqueda has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Sibelius moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sibelius is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Esqueda postures up.
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!
Sibelius wants to sweep here but Esqueda controlling him for the moment.
Esqueda lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Esqueda won't allow Sibelius to sweep him here.
Esqueda wants to control from the top but Sibelius keeps moving.
Sibelius looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sibelius is trying to keep Esqueda in close.
Sibelius looking to hit a scissor sweep but Esqueda is one step ahead there.

Sibelius looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Esqueda passes into side control.
Sibelius is looking to reverse the position.
Sibelius sneaks back into half guard.
Esqueda is keen to just control but Sibelius is a slippery customer.
Sibelius trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esqueda is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Sibelius trying to hold on to Esqueda's head to control him but Esqueda postures up.
Sibelius tries to roll over but Esqueda keeps him under control.
Sibelius slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Esqueda postures up.
Sibelius bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Esqueda's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sibelius lands a couple of elbows.

Sibelius avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sibelius pushing down on Esqueda's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esqueda is not content to let Sibelius control the position.
Sibelius trying to control from Esqueda's half guard. Esqueda has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Sibelius postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Esqueda is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Sibelius, into his guard.
Esqueda trying to control but Sibelius is working from the bottom.
Sibelius looking to control.
Esqueda trying to control but Sibelius is working from the bottom.
Esqueda loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sibelius looking to hit a scissor sweep but Esqueda is one step ahead there.
Esqueda wants to control from the top but Sibelius keeps moving.
Sibelius is looking to sweep but instead, Esqueda has passed into half guard.
We've been hearing that Esqueda has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Esqueda wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sibelius keeps working.
Esqueda passes the guard and advances to mount!
Esqueda raining down shots from the mount!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Esqueda breaks from Sibelius's wrist control and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Gerard Esqueda will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A telegraphed right hand from Sibelius misses the target.
Esqueda throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Esqueda gets caught napping as Sibelius dives in and scores a takedown. Esqueda manages to retain guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Esqueda is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sibelius looking to pass the guard.
Esqueda keeping moving, preventing Sibelius from controlling successfully.
Esqueda looking for a sweep. Not yet Esqueda, not yet.
Esqueda is working hard here to advance position.
Sibelius in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sibelius works over Esqueda with some ground and pound from guard.
Sibelius trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esqueda is trying to keep Sibelius in close.
Esqueda preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sibelius working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sibelius stands up over Esqueda, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Jean Sibelius has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sibelius pushes down on Esqueda's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Esqueda slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Esqueda looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sibelius passes into side control.
Sibelius is chipping away with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sibelius creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Sibelius controlling from side mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sibelius tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Esqueda is trying to improve his position.
Sibelius works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Sibelius trying to control the action but Esqueda is working from the bottom.
Sibelius working the ground and pound but Esqueda is defending the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esqueda sneaks back into half guard.
Sibelius takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Sibelius trying to control the action but Esqueda is working from the bottom.
Sibelius thows a huge punch but Esqueda dodges it nicely.

Sibelius is working for a kimura but Esqueda is defending it quite comfortably.
Sibelius tries to pass to full mount but Esqueda defends it.

Sibelius is trying to work for a kimura but Esqueda is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Esqueda is looking to improve his position.
Esqueda trying to control from the bottom.
Esqueda moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sibelius accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sibelius postures up in Esqueda's guard and throws a big left but Esqueda blocks it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sibelius trying to control the position from guard on top but Esqueda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sibelius postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Sibelius showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sibelius pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sibelius fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Sibelius works over Esqueda's head and body with a nice combination.

It looks like Gerard Esqueda has been cut.

Sibelius shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Esqueda avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sibelius scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sibelius's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sibelius forces his way into half guard.

Esqueda is defending against the submission attempts here by Sibelius.
Sibelius sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Esqueda defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esqueda keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sibelius works his way into full mount!
Esqueda is in a horrible position here. Sibelius smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Sibelius punishing his opponent with strikes.
Sibelius landing strikes from the mount.
Sibelius avoids the attempt from Esqueda to control.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Sibelius cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sibelius landing shots from mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Esqueda is bucking up trying to escape but Sibelius cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Esqueda is in all sorts of trouble here.
Esqueda gets back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sibelius wants to free his trapped foot but Esqueda is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Sibelius wants to take a breather but Esqueda is having none of it.
Esqueda has hold of Sibelius's hands but Sibelius slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Esqueda is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sibelius scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sibelius is trying to control the action in half guard but Esqueda is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Esqueda tries to roll over but Sibelius keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sibelius is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sibelius lands with a punch from half guard.
Esqueda regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Sibelius.

Esqueda had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sibelius defends it easily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sibelius accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Esqueda controls Sibelius momentarily but Sibelius frees himself.
Sibelius looking to pass the guard.
Sibelius advances position into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sibelius working away.
Sibelius is working Esqueda over with some ground and pound from side control.
Sibelius grinds an elbow into Esqueda's temple.
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!
Sibelius creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Esqueda taking a bit of punishment here - Sibelius scoring with strikes.
Sibelius lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Esqueda is rocked!
Esqueda gets back to half guard.
Sibelius trying to control the action but Esqueda is working from the bottom.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sibelius lands strikes from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Sibelius really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gerard Esqueda's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sibelius shoots in and drives through. Esqueda sprawls well.
Sibelius moves into range and connects with a jab.
Sibelius moves into range and connects with a jab.
Oh Esqueda is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Sibelius throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sibelius throws a lazy right hand but Esqueda sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Sibelius throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Esqueda tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Sibelius is in Esqueda's guard.
Sibelius lands a couple of digs.
Esqueda lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sibelius!
Sibelius is trying desperately to improve position.
Sibelius bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sibelius preventing the sweep.
Sibelius is working Esqueda over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Sibelius lands a couple of digs.
Sibelius gets to his feet and stands over Esqueda, holding his ankles. He dives in with a big left hand that connects! Esqueda felt that one! Sibelius unloads more punches and elbows and this one is over! The ref has dived in to save Esqueda from any more punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:58 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jean Sibelius!
Jean Sibelius is the new lightweight champion!
Jean Sibelius decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.