PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dante Esposito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Miller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ben Miller told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Esposito
vs
Miller

178 cm
22
161 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

166 cm
22
148 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dante Esposito !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ben Miller!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Miller closes the distance looking to clinch
and Miller takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Miller chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Esposito can pounce on him.
Miller scores with a nice body kick.
Esposito on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Miller avoids a kick to the body.

Miller moves into the clinch.

Esposito escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A looping hook to the body misses from Miller. Esposito does a little dance to reset his feet.
Miller doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Miller misses with a wild body shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Esposito misses the target.
Miller misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Esposito .
Miller throws a leg kick but Esposito checks it.
Esposito throws a quick counter kick to the body but Miller avoids it.
Esposito throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Miller.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A cross from Esposito lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esposito pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Miller connects with a body shot.

Miller closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Esposito to the mat! Esposito manages to get full guard.
Miller throws a big right hand that misses.
Miller landing with the ground and pound.
Esposito trying to keep a closed guard but Miller is proving a slippery customer.
Miller postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Esposito pulls Miller in to control the position.
Esposito looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Esposito not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Esposito knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Miller on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Miller trying to control but Esposito is working from the bottom.
Miller slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Miller tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Miller has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Esposito is trying to improve his position.
Miller has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Miller wants to lay and pray for a moment but Esposito keeps working.

Miller is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Esposito looks calm but he's in trouble here. Miller gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Esposito is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Miller lets go of the hold and Esposito can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ben Miller!
After winning the bout, Ben Miller thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.