PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dan Leben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Leben
vs
Jones

200 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Silver Dragon Nutrition

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dan Leben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, James Jones!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leben has a takedown stuffed.
Leben misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Jones fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Leben doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Jones counters with a shoot takedown. Leben fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dan Leben. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Leben being controlled here, momentarily.
Leben has a closed guard, preventing Jones from standing up.
Jones wants to pass the guard but Leben is keeping the position.
Leben striking off his back but it's not causing Jones any problems.
Leben is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Jones is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leben utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Jones wants to pass the guard but Leben is keeping the position.
Jones trying to move into half guard but instead Leben has managed to sweep!

Jones looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Jones looks gassed!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Leben wants to clinch but Jones slips to the side

and Jones holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Leben has Jones pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Jones manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Jones breaks the clinch.
Leben shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Jones counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Jones stays in close to Leben's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leben manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Jones manages to get himself to full guard.
Leben trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Leben wants to control from the top but Jones keeps moving.
Leben looking to pass the guard.
Leben throwing strikes from guard but Jones blocks nicely.

Jones looking for a guillotine here but Leben defends easily.
Leben looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leben preventing the sweep.
Jones wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Leben avoids the head kick by Jones.

Jones gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Jones lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Leben backwards.
Leben avoiding damage as Jones throws knees to the body.
Leben wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Jones has him pressed against the cage.

Jones breaks the clinch.

Jones shoots in and bounces Leben off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Jones scoring with punches to the head and body.
Jones really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Leben. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Jones gets to his feet. Leben looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Leben tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Jones counters by clinching up.
Jones is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Leben tries to pull guard but Jones holds him up against the cage and eventually Leben drops back down to his feet.

Jones manages to pull guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Jones dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Jones has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Leben finds it's way round the side to connect with Jones's head.
Leben lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Jones backs up against the cage.
Leben throws a one two combo.
Leben with a lazy takedown attempt

and Jones counters by clinching up.

Jones breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jones takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Jones has a takedown stuffed.
Leben keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Leben with a lazy takedown attempt

and Jones counters with a nice double leg into guard.
James Jones has got the better of the ground game so far.
Leben trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Leben keeping moving, preventing Jones from controlling successfully.
Jones looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jones stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Jones bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Jones decides to stand back up.
Leben takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Jones fails to land the takedown.
Dan Leben has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Jones.
Leben throws a nice head kick!
Leben tries to clinch but Jones moves away

and Jones counters with a nice double leg into side control. Leben won't be happy with that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
You can see the frustration on Leben's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Leben is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Jones's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Leben is pressing down on Jones's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leben is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Leben keeping moving, preventing Jones from controlling successfully.

Leben looking for a guillotine here but Jones defends easily.
Jones content to stall in guard here.
Leben keeping moving, preventing Jones from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Jones wants to control from the top but Leben keeps moving.
Leben looking for a sweep. Not yet Leben, not yet.
Leben lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Leben is trying to control the position but Jones postures up.
Jones trying to control the position from guard on top but Leben is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Leben doesn't manage to clinch there - Jones circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Jones keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Jones.
Jones controls the position.
Leben is trying to get back to half guard.

Jones decides to stand back up.
Jones tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Jones tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jones shoots in but Leben avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Jones takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Dan Leben is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Jones feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Jones showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Leben gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Leben really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Jones gets to his feet. Leben looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Leben has his takedown stuffed

and Jones counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Leben!
Jones lands a heavy elbow.

Leben is rocked!
Leben wants to hold on but Jones pushes him away.
Leben is trying to escape the mount.
Leben is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Jones wants to control the pace but Leben is squirming around nicely.
Leben tries to reverse the position but Jones maintains control.
Jones takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Leben tries to hold on but Jones pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leben is looking to get to half guard.
Leben is working hard here to advance position.
Leben is squirming around, avoiding Jones's attempts to control the action.
Jones prevents Leben from getting the reversal.
Leben regains half guard.
Jones is stalling here. Leben is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Jones seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Leben has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Jones can do anything to dispel that myth.
Jones tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Jones sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Jones gets full guard.
Jones tries to strike from the bottom.
Jones throwing short punches from the bottom.
Jones wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Leben wants to control from the top but Jones keeps moving.
Leben preventing the sweep.
Jones is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Leben trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones lands with a punch from half guard.
Leben trying to control from the bottom.
Leben is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Jones's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Jones's back!
Jones looking very determined here, making life difficult for Leben.
Leben is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Jones up.
Leben trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Leben just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Leben throwing damaging strikes from the back! Jones could be in trouble here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Jones fending off the submission attempt from Leben.
Jones rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Jones tries to get to full guard but Leben has control of the leg.
Jones blocking the ground and pound attempt from Leben.
Jones is not content to let Leben control the position.
Dan Leben has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Leben seems to be working for a kimura but Jones defends the submission attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Jones comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Jones winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Jones!