PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brian Leonard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Jackman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leonard comes into the arena with Star Fucking Hipsters - 3000 Miles Away blaring out of the sound system. Will Jackman struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 206.7lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Will Jackman was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Leonard
vs
Jackman

176 cm
24
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

178 cm
26
221 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brian Leonard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Will Jackman!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Leandro Rodrigues and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good leg kick by Leonard there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Jackman tries to clinch but Leonard is having none of it.
Leonard throws a low kick but Jackman moves out of range easily.
Jackman tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Leonard cracks the inside of Jackman's front leg.
Jackman checks a leg kick.
Leonard misses with a kick to the body.

Leonard looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Jackman looks gassed!
Leonard tries to stand but Jackman is controlling from the bottom.
Leonard wants to control from the top but Jackman keeps moving.
Jackman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Leonard wants to get up but he can't break Jackman's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Jackman is trying to keep Leonard in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Leonard avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Leonard wants to stand but Jackman has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Leonard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Jackman has a closed guard, preventing Leonard from standing up.
Leonard stopping the sweep attempt from Jackman.

Leonard stands up from Jackman's guard - Leonard perhaps looking for a knockout.
Leonard tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Leonard attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Leonard is looking to clinch.
Leonard throws a quick inside leg kick.

Leonard gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Jackman to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Leonard controls Jackman momentarily but Jackman frees himself.

Jackman got a little sloppy there for a moment and Leonard has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Jackman has managed to get both his arms back between Leonard's legs - danger averted.
Leonard tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Leonard has momentary wrist control but Jackman slips an elbow through the middle.
Leonard working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackman lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Jackman lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Jackman must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Leonard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Jackman is controlling him.
Leonard trying to keep a closed guard but Jackman is proving a slippery customer.
Jackman landing some decent shots from guard.
Jackman in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Leonard manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Jackman is working to get back to half guard.
Leonard tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackman working to try and regain half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Jackman can do anything to dispel that myth.
Leonard tries to get up but Jackman was controlling his body and he's reversed into guard.
Jackman won't allow Leonard to get back to his feet.
Jackman is in close to Leonard's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jackman postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Jackman scoring with punches to the head and body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brian Leonard dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Leonard throws a nice outside leg kick.
Jackman takes one to the chin there.

Jackman fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Leonard sprawls well initially but Jackman persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Leonard pushes Jackman off looking to stand but Jackman dives back in and keeps control.
Leonard trying to hold on to Jackman's head to control him but Jackman postures up.
Leonard could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Leonard tries to get to full guard but Jackman has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nice strikes from Jackman there.
Leonard is trying to maintain the position but Jackman is very close to passing his half guard.
Jackman tries to pass to full mount but Leonard defends it.
Leonard gets full guard.
Leonard is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Jackman distracts Leonard with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leonard trying to keep a closed guard but Jackman is proving a slippery customer.
Jackman throws a big right hand that misses.
Leonard is trying to keep Jackman in close.

Brian Leonard has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Jackman moves out of range of the body kick from Leonard.
Jackman blocks a low kick nicely.

Jackman fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Leonard sprawls well initially but Jackman persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Jackman is trying to work for a kimura but Leonard is defending well.
Jackman lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leonard is trying to maintain the position but Jackman is very close to passing his half guard.
Jackman looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Leonard with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Leonard is looking to control Jackman's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Leonard avoid being mounted?
Jackman not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Leonard moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Leonard wants to sweep but no luck.
Leonard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Leonard is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Jackman with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackman throwing strikes but missing.
Leonard is trying to control the position but Jackman postures up.

Brian Leonard has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Leonard throws a half hearted mid kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Jackman checks a leg kick.
Leonard scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Leonard throws a low kick but Jackman avoids it.
Will Jackman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jackman checks a low kick from Leonard.

Jackman has closed the distance and engaged Leonard in a clinch.

Jackman turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Jackman working the ground and pound from side control.
Leonard takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Leonard manages to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leonard moves into full guard.
Leonard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Jackman in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Leonard looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Leonard is trying to control the position but Jackman postures up.
Jackman content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Jackman thows a big elbow that misses.
Leonard preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Jackman is looking to work some ground and pound but Leonard has wrist control.
Leonard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Leonard trying to keep a closed guard but Jackman is proving a slippery customer.
Jackman in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Jackman thows a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Jackman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Jackman takes a head kick and keeps coming.

It looks like Will Jackman has been cut.

Jackman closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Leonard is looking to reverse the position.
Leonard wants to control but Jackman postures up.
Jackman working the ground and pound.
Leonard is working to avoid the ground and pound but Jackman connects with a decent elbow.
Jackman is putting a hurting on Leonard here, landing some big shots from side control.
Leonard taking a bit of punishment here - Jackman scoring with strikes.

Jackman is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Leonard is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
You can see the frustration on Leonard's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jackman throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leonard is trying to improve his position.
Leonard is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Jackman has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Leonard!
Leonard is looking to improve his position but Jackman isn't that keen on the idea.
Leonard takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Jackman connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Leonard is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by Jackman.
Jackman is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Leonard can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Leonard in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Jackman cracks Leonard with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jackman avoids the attempt from Leonard to control.
Will Jackman has got the better of the ground game so far.
Jackman is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Leonard can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Leonard tries to lock up and control but Jackman gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Jackman working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Leonard wants to hold on but Jackman pushes him away.
Jackman landing strikes, looking to finish!
BOOM! Jackman connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Leonard is trying to escape the mount.
Leonard is working hard here to advance position.
Leonard tries to hold on but Jackman postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackman has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Leonard's face.
Leonard keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Jackman looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Jackman lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Jackman unloads with some shots from mount but Leonard bucks and avoids them well.
Leonard working to try and regain half guard.
Leonard tries to lock up and control but Jackman gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Jackman with shots to the head and body - Leonard looks very uncomfortable down there.
Jackman is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Leonard can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leonard really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Jackman won't let Leonard get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Leonard wants to control but Jackman is having none of it.
Leonard is looking to get to half guard.
Jackman is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Leonard can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Leonard in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Jackman landing strikes, looking to finish!
Jackman is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Leonard is trying desperately to improve position.
Jackman lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jackman cracks Leonard with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

And that's the end of the fight!
Will Jackman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Jackman 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Will Jackman!