PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chris Leben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shawn Davison (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
Davison

190 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 New York, Chris Leben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shawn Davison!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Anthony Taglia and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Davison shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Leben napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Davison trying to control the position but Leben is working away.
Davison misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Davison trying to control the action but Leben is working from the bottom.
Leben tries to buck Davison off but Davison is having none of it.
Leben manages to get back to half guard.
Davison missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Leben shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Leben showed some decent athleticism there.
Davison keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Davison is trying to stand.
Leben throwing shots but Davison is blocking nicely.
Davison pushes Leben off looking to stand but Leben dives back in and keeps control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Leben seems to be working for a kimura but Davison defends the submission attempt.
Davison pushes Leben off looking to stand but Leben dives back in and keeps control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Davison can do anything to dispel that myth.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Davison takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

It looks like Shawn Davison has been cut.
Davison throws a right and a left that Leben avoids nicely.
Davison throws a right and a left that both miss.
Leben scores with a one two! Davison had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Leben swinging wilding here.
Leben misses with a takedown attempt

and Davison counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Leben's guard now.
Leben is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Davison avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Davison's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Davison wants to control from the top but Leben keeps moving.
Leben is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Davison wants to get back to his feet.

Leben is working for a kimura but Davison is defending it quite comfortably.
Davison wants to get back to his feet.
Leben will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Leben thows a huge punch but Davison dodges it nicely.
Davison is trying to stand back up but Leben is controlling him

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Leben throws a combination that misses

and Davison counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Leben looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Leben actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davison is trying to control the action in half guard but Leben is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Leben looking for submissions off his back.

Leben looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Leben actively working from the bottom here.
Davison wants to stand but Leben has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Davison not landing any meaningful shots this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Leben with a poor takedown

and Davison counters with a shoot takedown. Leben fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Davison slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Davison trying to control the position from guard on top but Leben is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Davison avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Davison trying to control the position from guard on top but Leben is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Davison throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Leben works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Davison wants to control from the top but Leben keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Leben looking for a guillotine here but Davison defends easily.

Leben is looking for a triangle but Davison pushes his legs off easily.
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 Chris Leben will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Shawn Davison's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Leben avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Leben throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Davison wants to clinch.
Leben misses with a series of wild punches.
Chris Leben is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Leben tries to close the distance and clinch up but Davison swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Davison tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Davison scores with a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Davison shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Leben napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Leben is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Davison's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Leben blocking the ground and pound attempt from Davison.
Leben keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Davison wants to control but Leben is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leben avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Davison.

Leben looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Davison is trying to control. Leben wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Leben misses with a takedown attempt

and Davison counters with a takedown into side control.
Davison working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Shawn Davison has got the better of the ground game so far.
Davison throws a strike aimed at the side of Leben's head but Leben avoids it well.
Davison trying to control the action but Leben is working from the bottom.
Leben managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Davison.

Davison decides to stand back up. Davison steps back and let's Leben get back to his feet.
Leben looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Left hook, right uppercut from Davison.

Davison closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Davison can't break the clinch.
Leben keeps control of Davison as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Leben working hard to break the clinch.
Davison tries for a takedown. No joy.
Davison tries for a takedown. No joy.
Davison drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Chris Leben has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shawn Davison.
Davison drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Leben breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Davison tries to clinch up.
Leben slips under a jab.
Some wild striking there from Leben.

Davison decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Davison stalling.

Leben is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Davison pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davison is looking to take a break and control but Leben is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Leben looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Davison takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Leben looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Davison wants to lay and pray for a moment but Leben keeps working.
Leben is looking to control Davison's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Leben avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice defenses there by Leben.
Some wild striking there from Leben.

Davison shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Leben napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Leben throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Davison is looking to take a break and control but Leben is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Davison tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Davison wants to lay and pray for a moment but Leben keeps working.
Davison controlling from side mount.
Davison wants to stand but Leben has his arm trapped.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Davison showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Shawn Davison's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Leben fails with the takedown

and Davison counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Davison trying to control the action but Leben is working from the bottom.
Davison seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Davison is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Leben is staying active underneath Davison, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Leben looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Davison takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Davison is trying to control the action in half guard but Leben is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Shawn Davison just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Leben misses with a hook.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Leben misses with the combination.
Davison moves in looking to clinch but Leben pushes him off.
Davison throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Davison misses with a few strikes there.
Davison dodges the punch combination from Leben.
Davison swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Leben.

Davison closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Leben to the mat! Leben manages to get full guard.
Davison in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Davison wants to control from the top but Leben keeps moving.
Davison must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Leben avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Leben looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Leben is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Davison is aware though and is defending well.

Leben throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Davison got a little sloppy there for a moment and Leben has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Davison has managed to get both his arms back between Leben's legs - danger averted.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Davison scores a takedown into full mount!
Davison wants to control the pace but Leben is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leben sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Davison trying to control from half guard but Leben is working away.
Leben is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Davison performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Davison tries to pass the half guard into mount. Leben knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Davison wants to control but Leben is keeping him busy.
Leben has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Davison is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Leben is not content to let Davison control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Leben rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Davison moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Davison is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Davison drives through with a takedown into guard.
Davison preventing the sweep.
Davison 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.
Davison wants to control from the top but Leben keeps moving.
Davison is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Leben wants to get back to his feet but Davison is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shawn Davison comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Davison has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shawn Davison!