Jackson’s MMA Series XVII: Urso vs. Espinosa – Live Play by Play

Jackson’s MMA Series XVII: Nick Urso vs. Jordan Espinosa – Live Play by Play from Buffalo Thunder

Main Event: Nick Urso vs. Jordan Espinosa

Round 1- Here we go! Both men immediately to the center of the ring. A front kick from Urso to the stomach pushes Espinosa down. Flying knee attempt from Espinosa is caught and used in an impressive take down by Urso. Urso now working from the guard. Urso sneaks in elbow, Espinosa delivery short shots. Urso using head intelligently to create space to enhance position. Jordan trying to scramble out. Urso now in half-guard, lands short knee. Espinosa doing decent job of defending but top position is winning round for Urso. Ref stand men up. Urso goes right at Espinosa a lef hand lands for Espinosa and drops Urso. Huge reaction from the crowd. Espinosa going for front choke but is unsuccessful. Low blow to Urso delays the round. When action resumes Espinosa earns take down and drops a couple of shots in ground and pound. His trainer Chris Luttrell is pumped.
Rd 1- Urso
Round 2- Crowd is energized to start round 2. Urso in a southpaw stance. Espinosa telegraphs the flying knee, and again, Urso catches him mid-air and drives him to the ground. Urso in side control. Espinosa forces him into the half guard. Urso with two short, sharp elbows. Espinosa attempts hip escape but gives up back. Espinosa now eating big shots. Urso putting pressure and flattens him out. Ref calls time out for an apparent shot to the back of Espinosa’s head. Espinosa uses time to rest. Ref takes a point from Urso. “That’s bullshit,” Urso tells the ref. The ringside physician is now looking at Espinosa. The ref. appears to be waving the fight off. The fight is stopped due to doctor’s recommendation! Woah! Espinosa looks disappointed.
Official Decision: Nick Urso vs. Jordan Espinosa ruled a No Contest

Co-Main Event: Natalie Roy vs. Audrey Perkins
Round 1- Perkins quick to pounce. Forces Roy back and quickly to the ground. Perkins kneeing Roy against the cage. Roy able to control Perkins’ hands limiting any offense. Standing guillotine for Roy; Perkins uses Roy’s momentum against her to take her back down, Roy kept the hold but Perkins eventually able to slip out. Roy landing some hammer-fists from her back. Women now scrambling for position, twisting and turning and continue the battle as they stand. Both women trading shorts shots on the inside– neither making much damage. Perkins with another takedown her corner asking her to mount. She’s in half-guard with Roy locking a leg. Perskins landing short shots to Roy’s ribs. Perkins breathing heavily, Roy very composed. Perkins delivers a couple of shots to the head to end round.
Rd 1- Perkins
Round 2- Good head movement from Perkins. She lands several straight shots. Roy occasionally able to respond. Sneaky elbow from Roy in the clinch. Hard right cross from Roy. Roy landing kicks, Perkins slowing down a bit. Perkins stops the Roy surge with a take down. A wrestling match ensues with Perkins still having the advantaged position. Four hard knees are driven to Roy’s hip and ribs by Perkins.
Rd 2- Perkins
Round 3- Women strategically letting hands . Roy waiting to pick her shot. Straight right up the middle for Perkins scores. Nice low-kick from Roy. Roy now pushing Perkins back to the cage. Driving knees and delivering a series of hooks. Nice little rally for Roy. Roy with another set of knees in the clinch. Roy landing some clean punching combinations and is picking up the pace. Perkins trying to match her but is hesitant to throw appears she’s waiting to counter. Huge take-down from Perksin as Roy was loading up for a kick. Perkins in half guard; Roy doing a good job defending off back.
Rd 3- Roy
Official Result: Audrey Perkins def. Natalie Roy via UD (29-28×3)

Discovery Channel “Special Exhibition” fight up next between 45-year-old Todd Sampson and Jon Sparks. The network is here filming a television show that features Sampson.
Jon Sparks vs. Todd Sampson
Round 1-  Sparks lands flush kicks. Sampson has a straight line approach that allows Sparks to land to over the top shots. Sparks very cautious as fight hits ground. Sparks ends round mounted. Slight cut above Sampson’s right eye.
Rd 1- Sparks
Round 2- Sparks just teeing off on Sampson’s lead leg whenever he wants. Fight back to the ground. Sparks reluctant to go for ground and pound. Finds entry for RNC and just like that it’s over.
Official Result: Jon Sparks def. Todd Sampson via 2nd round submission (RNC), Time: 01:04

Ricky Esquibel vs. Javier Cepeda
Round 1- Men exchanging kicks. Esquibel shoots and forces Cepeda against the cage. Double-leg takedown for Esquibel. Cepeda lands hard swinging elbow. Hammerfists from Esquibel. Cepeda looking for a triangle momentarily abandons attempt. Men now standing. Cepeda baiting Esquibel by keeping his hands at his waits. Esquibel fails a takedown and eats a left uppercut and right hand. Men exchange. Now taking turns wildly throwing from a distance.
Rd 1: Esquibel (VERY close round)
Round 2- Three right kicks from Esquibel to start round; Cepeda checks the last one. Esquibel drives for takedown and is swept over my Cepeda. Esquibel goes for ankle lock, Cepeda quickly out of it. Cepeda temporarily has Esquibel’s back. Esquibel tries to stand and eats some hard right hands—he’s flattened out and eventually rolled over. Cepeda secures RNC and grips it tightly! Esquibel forced to tap. Javier Cepeda is a baaaad man.
Official Result: Javier Cepeda def. Ricky Esquibel via 2^nd round submission (RNC), Time: 01:26

Jesonna Ollis vs. Mercedes White
Round 1- White quick with getting off combinations. Spinning back fist lands for White. Ollis responds with straight shots. After tussle women end up on ground with Ollis in half-guard. Ollis left hand is momentarily free and lands a nice right hand. Ollis driving some hard right elbows from side-control.
Rd 1: Ollis
Round 2- Both women trying to establish their jabs early on. Something will give as they’re both throwing consecutively. Hard front kick to the face from Ollis. Ollis now has White against the cage and is picking her shots. White doing her best to keep Ollis at bay. Women now clinching near White’s corner. White landing short right hands but not as effective as Ollis. White walks into a hard right hand that drops her. Ref is quick to jump in to call the contest.
Official Result: Jesonna Ollis def. Mercedes White via 2^nd round TKO, Time: 02:26

Jesse Tafoya vs. Marquis Smith
Round 1- Tafoya 2^nd into the cage and roars as he runs toward Marquis to greet him.
Tafoya trying to set the pace with kicks. Marquis tries to respond with punches and kicks of his own. Smith lands right hook. Tafoya answers with a slick uppercut against the cage. Smith with a solid body kick and at the same exact moment Tafoya lands solid straight right. Right cross from Smith drops Tafoya! Short ground and pound from Smith that Tafoya somehow comes out of. Men back to the feet. Smith has great footwork. Smith letting hands go, Tafoya ducks most of the shots, Tafoya gets the takedown with 20 seconds left, Smith rolls to top position and drives a right hand straight down into Tafoya’s face. Great round!
Rd 1: Smith
Round 2- Both guys with mouths open to start round 2. Nice straight left from Tafoya as Smith threw right kick. Men exchange Smith outpunching Tafoya two to one in the exchange. A right hand drops Tafoya. Smith is looking to finish it with ground and pound. Tafoya eating some huge shots. Ref stops it!
“Write that! Write that!” Smith screams right at me in press row. I think he’s confusing me for our writer Phil who mentioned the experience gap between the two fighters in a pre-fight article.
Official Result: Marquis Smith def. Jesse Tafoya via 2^nd rd. TKO, Time: 01:09.

Slade Ring vs. Fernando Sanchez
Round 1- Sanchez coming out busy with left high kicks. Ring doing a good job keeping distance. Feint low jab from Ring follows right over the top right that lands. Men trading kicks. Sanchez short body kicks leaving a mark on Ring’s body. Ring attempts takedown, Sanchez sprawls away from it. Men tussle in clinch, Ring earns top position. Short elbows from Ring land to the top of Sanchez’s head. Round ends and it’s Ring bleeding from the top of the head, not sure what shot caused that.
Rd 1: Sanchez
Round 2- Cut is on the right side of Ring’s hairline. For those scoring at home, he’s got a fade hair cut for tonight. Ring landing solid right kicks to Sanchez’s lead leg. Strong left hook to the body from Ring. Sanchez responds with glancing right kick to chin. Sanchez lands right kick to body. Kicks aren’t slowing Ring down. Ring’s mouthpiece is out, short break. Ring attacks scores double-leg takedown. Sanchez throwing short elbow to the area where Ring’s cut is. Sanchez doing a good job of using body triangle and locking arms to defend against Ring.
Rd 2: Ring
Round 3- Men come out trading combinations. Big over the top right from Ring. Both men looking strong still! Single leg takedown from Ring during an exchange. Sanchez trying to use legs to take Ring’s back. Ring uses moment to implement d’arce choke to which Sanchez taps to in moments. Solid fight!
Official Result: Slade Ring def. Fernando Sanchez 3^rd round submission (D’arce Choke), Time: 01:09

Charles Lee vs. Jake Angel
Round 1- Men testing distance by trading one-time shots and kicks-neither really landing to start. Right high kick to the head-left kick to body combo lands for Lee. Hard straight right hand from Angel lands right on Lee’s chin and drops him. Lee with a super slick trip off his back! Brings fight back to center of the cage. Right kick from Lee responded by an over the top right from Angel. Good first round.
Rd 1: Lee (very close)
Round 2- Men exchange right body kicks to start 2^nd. Both gauging distance with feints. Men exchange right hands so far Angel putting up the volume. Solid straight right from Lee. Lee now hitting Angel’s thighs with kicks. Angel countering effectively. Right kick to the body for Lee, lands a follow up straight right. Angel faded a bit in latter stages of round.
Rd 2: Lee
Round 3- Left hook followed by right kick by Lee. Angel respond with a hook of his own. Lee bullies Angel against the cage. Not much offense from Lee—fight back in center of ring. Angel dropping hands a bit expecting a leg kick, it ends up coming twice in form of three sporadic right kicks. Lee with another left hook-right kick to the body combo, he’s quick with those. Low right jab from Lee and follows with a right high-kick that glances Angel’s head. Hard right kick to Angel’s knee from Lee. Angel forced to retreat to cage, Lee delivers some huge knees, Angel drops a split second before the bell rings.
Official Result: Charles Lee def. Jake Angel via 3^rd rd. TKO, Time: 02:59.

Hunter Tower vs. Steve Arteaga
Round 1- Tower with early top position, Arteaga attempting to work kimura despite being in a disadvantage position. Tower in full mount weighing himself on Hunter’s neck. Arteaga rolls out but gives up back, Tower appears to have deep RNC but Arteaga powers out of it and brings it back to the feet.  Spinning back heel kick lands flush for Tower, another kick sees Arteaga grimace in pain. Tower earns takedown which closes out round.
Rd 1: Tower
Round 2- Left switch kick lands for Tower—helps him set up short offensive attack. Another spinning back kick lands. Arteaga having trouble with the kick speed. Battle goes back to ground, Arteaga giving up back and desparately grabbing on to any one of Tower’s limbs. Arteaga flat on his stomach. Tower takes advantage by landing about 20 shots many of them solid—ref finally stop contest.
Official Result: Hunter Tower def. Steve Arteaga via 2^nd, Time: 02:24

Seth Abeita vs. Kris Gonzales 
Round 1– UFC bantamweight Anthony Birchak cornering Gonzales. Gonzales very aggressive. Several short shots in clinch blocked. Rides Abeita to the cage. Over the top right lands for Gonzales, follows with slight right. Abeita has Gonzales against cage, an obvious knee to the groin is missed by ref. Ref separates men, short right lands for Gonzales and drops Abeita. Gonzales drops short elbows from side-control.
Rd 1: Gonzales
Round 2– Abeita with straight right kick to mid-section, Gonzales responds with solid right high-kick. Men take turns with standing position against cage. Slick left hook from Gonzales drops Abeita. Gonzales in half guard desperately trying to full mount. Gonzales’ work allows him to take Abeita’s back. Abeita doing a great job defending RNC attempt.
Rd 2: Gonzales
Round 3– Abeita showing a bit of life, lands flush right jab follows with hard front kick that was low. Ref gives Gonzales time to recover. Abeita with switch kick—exciting kicking exchange ensues. Gonzales drives through Abeita kick and earns another takedown. Abeita gives up back, Gonzales landing some punches around the back of Abeita’s head; Abeita covers in defense. Men stand Abeita delivers strong elbows to the temple of Gonzales. Gonzales too strong earns another takedown to end bout.
Rd 3: Gonzales
Official Result: Kris Gonzales def. Seth Abeita via UD (30-27×3)

Mark McDill vs. Tyler Star
Round 1-McDilll sure of himself. McDill couple of judo takedowns. Star earns back while both men hunched over. Weighing on McDill against cage. Good knee by Star while in position. McDill earns 3^rd takedown at bell.
Rd 1: McDill
Round 2- High kick from Star misses, McDill turns into takedown. Star earns top pos. McDill tries triangle. Star posturing well to avoid it locking in. Star doing well earning inside position, sneaking in short rights, postures up and lands flush right hands straight down. Men end standing against cage, McDill unleashes 10-punch combo, most coming after the bell.
Rd 2: McDill
Round 3– Dill coming out with the offence in third. Landed a couple of hooks. Star warned to not grab fence, in the process McDill earns takedown. McDill weighing against Star—men stand for split second and McDill earns another take down. Men now in uncomfortable crouched position against cage, McGill rolls into an RNC that Star is able to unhook. Star stands with McDill hanging off his back. Bout ends with ineffective suplex from McDill—Star was able to find soft landing.
Rd 3: Star
Official Result: Mark McDill def. Tyler Star via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)