PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Fox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brock Lesner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Fox
vs
Lesner

200 cm
22
270 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

210 cm
18
270 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Fox!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Brock Lesner!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, George Francis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fox shoots in and bounces Lesner off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Fox knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lesner on the ground.
Lesner looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Lesner 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.
Lesner trying to control the position.
Fox trying to control but Lesner is working from the bottom.
Lesner tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lesner is trying to control the position but Fox postures up.
Lesner keeping moving, preventing Fox from controlling successfully.
Fox has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lesner wants to sweep here but Fox controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lesner takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Fox with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Fox lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Lesner at a distance.

Fox decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fox passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Lesner!
Lesner tries to hold on but Fox pushes him away.
Fox tries to control but Lesner wriggling away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lesner is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fox takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Lesner is looking to improve his position but Fox isn't that keen on the idea.
Fox landing strikes from the mount.
Lesner is working to get back to half guard.
Lesner tries to lock up and control but Fox gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Fox with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lesner is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Lesner is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lesner wants to hold on but Fox pushes him away.
Lesner is wriggling around trying to escape.
Fox avoids the attempt from Lesner to control.
Lesner is in all sorts of trouble here.

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.
Lesner is squirming around, avoiding Fox's attempts to control the action.
Fox avoids the attempt from Lesner to control.
Lesner is trying to escape the mount.
Lesner is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Lesner is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Fox dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A head kick misses from Fox.
Fox shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lesner as he jumps to the side.

Lesner shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Lesner was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Lesner wants to control the pace but Fox is squirming around nicely.
Lesner content just to control the position here.
Lesner throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Fox gets back to half guard.
Lesner throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Fox is refusing to be controlled, as Lesner sits in half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lesner throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Lesner trying to mount his opponent but Fox defends it.
Lesner takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Fox is staying active underneath Lesner, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Fox will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Fox tries to keep at a distance but Lesner has taken the fight into the clinch.
Fox tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Lesner just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Fox. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fox wants to get back to striking at distance but Lesner won't allow it.
Fox wants a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Lesner drags the fight down to the ground.
Fox stopping the sweep attempt from Lesner.
Fox trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lesner is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fox trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Left hook, right uppercut from Fox.

Fox gets a takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lesner is trying to stand up here but Fox is controlling him well.

Lesner has one foot on Fox's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Fox shoots and misses

and Lesner counters by moving into the clinch.

Lesner is trying to trip Fox. He has hold of a leg but Fox is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Lesner persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Lesner trying to control but Fox is working from the bottom.
Lesner looking to pass the guard.
Lesner trying to control but Fox is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lesner accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Fox keeping moving, preventing Lesner from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lesner trying to stand up but can't free himself from Fox's guard.
Lesner trying to control the position from guard on top but Fox is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Fox is working an open guard so Lesner takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Fox shoots in for a takedown but Lesner shows good takedown defense.
Lesner lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Lesner.
Fox shoots in but no luck this time.

Fox shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Lesner's guard.
Lesner looking to control.
Fox looking to pass the guard.
James Fox overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lesner not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brock Lesner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Fox shoots for a takedown but Lesner saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Fox feints and as Lesner raises his hands in defense, Fox changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Fox is looking to stand up but Lesner won't let him.
Lesner throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Lesner looking for a sweep. Not yet Lesner, not yet.
Lesner is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Lesner had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Fox is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Lesner Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Fox's back instead.
A lull in the action here.

Lesner is looking for the choke from the back position but Fox is controlling his hands well.
Lesner somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lesner landing with strikes.

Lesner working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Fox covering up well and avoiding damage.
What can Fox do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Fox staying busy and making it hard for Lesner to control.
Fox is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Lesner.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lesner connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Fox to escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fox manages to reverse the position and now he's in Lesner's guard. Nice work there by Fox.
Fox postures up and lands a big shot to Lesner's brow.
Fox trying to control but Lesner is working from the bottom.
Fox won't allow Lesner to sweep him here.
Lesner not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lesner is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Fox is controlling him.
Lesner is trying to control the position but Fox postures up.
Fox trying to control but Lesner is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fox postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lesner swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Fox misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Fox tries a head kick but it misses.

Fox rushes Lesner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Fox is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Lesner jumps guard but Fox stands there with Lesner around his waist. Lesner gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Fox wants to break the clinch but can't.
Lesner scores a nice knee to the body.
Fox looking to throw knees to the head but Lesner is blocking nicely.

Lesner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fox fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Fox shoots for a double leg takedown but Lesner sprawls well. He's pushed Fox's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Lesner changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Fox looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fox wants to get back to his feet.
Lesner trying to control the action but Fox is working from the bottom.
Fox tries to escape but Lesner is in control.

Lesner stands up and beckons Fox to his feet.
Fox tries for a takedown but Lesner circles away easily
and Lesner counters with an inside leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Fox. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lesner gets a clinch.

Lesner manages to pull guard.
Fox trying to control the position from guard on top but Lesner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brock Lesner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lesner 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brock Lesner!