PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Tony (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yang Leiden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tony
vs
Leiden

186 cm
24
218 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

191 cm
27
218 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Heavy handed

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 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Tony!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yang Leiden!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leiden bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Tony throws a lazy right hand but Leiden sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A swing and a miss from Leiden.
Leiden tries to clinch up.
Leiden throws a head kick that Tony semi-blocks.
Tony changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A solid leg kick lands there for Tony.
Nice cross by Tony.
Leiden tests Tony's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Leiden checks a low kick from Tony.
Tony slips under a jab from Leiden.
Leiden connects with a jab.
Tony just misses with a punch to the body.
Leiden keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tony looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Leiden is fending him off so far but Tony persists. Nope, Leiden circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tony fails with the takedown.
No luck for Tony with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Tony. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tony lands a nice looking body shot.
Tony takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Leiden slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Tony looks to score with a jab to the body but Leiden is just out of range.
Tony connects with a looping right hand.
Tony has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Tony there as he acknowledges the shot.
Leiden avoids the body shot from Tony.
Leiden feints and then cracks Tony's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Tony down.
A shot to the liver by Tony. Beautiful body shot.
Tony is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Leiden takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Tony tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Leiden was well out of range. Poor timing from Tony.
Tony lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Tony throws an overhand right that lands on Leiden's shoulder, as Leiden tries to avoid the shot.
Leiden takes a swing at Tony's ribcage but misses.
Leiden tests Tony's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Leiden keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tony scores with a jab to the jaw.

Leiden gets caught flat footed, as Tony shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Tony wants to pass the guard but Leiden is keeping the position.
Leiden wants to sweep but no luck.
Leiden not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tony preventing the sweep.
Leiden is pulling down on Tony's head. It's preventing any offense from Tony, at least for the moment.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Leiden controls Tony momentarily but Tony frees himself.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Yang Leiden was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Tony shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Leiden defends it nicely.
Leiden uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tony.
Leiden throws a chopping leg kick but Tony manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Tony misses with a shot to the body
and Leiden counters with a right hand to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tony throws a predictable looking body shot
and Leiden counters with a nice leg kick.
James Tony seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tony lands a jab to Leiden's midsection.
A bone on bone clash there as Leiden blocks the leg kick.
Leiden uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Leiden looks to land a right hand but Tony moved out of range.

Leiden gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Leiden lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Tony!
Leiden tries to control but Tony wriggling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tony is desperately trying to improve his position but Leiden has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yang Leiden dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Leiden takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Good leg kick by Tony there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Leiden ducks under a wild hook from Tony.
Tony swings for the body but Leiden moves out of range.

Tony shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Leiden is looking to control Tony's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Leiden avoid being mounted?
Tony missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Leiden is in trouble now - Tony has advanced to mount!
Tony putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tony scoring with strikes but Leiden is staying in there.
Poor strikes thrown by Tony there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Tony has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
A nice elbow there by Tony.

It looks like Yang Leiden has been cut.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Leiden is trying desperately to improve position.
Leiden is squirming around, avoiding Tony's attempts to control the action.
Tony sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Tony goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Leiden turns into him and now he's in Tony's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tony wants to hit a switch here but Leiden passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Tony there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tony is in all sorts of trouble here.
Tony sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Tony looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Leiden prevents Tony from improving his position.
Tony trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tony is looking to improve his position.
Leiden frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Leiden controlling from the full mount.
James Tony overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Leiden is looking to work his way around to Tony's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Leiden controlling from mount.
Leiden avoids the attempt from Tony to control.

That's four 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.
Leiden controlling his opponent.
Leiden prevents Tony from getting the reversal.
Leiden tries to control but Tony wriggling away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tony is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Tony dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Yang Leiden's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Donk. Leiden catches Tony right on the button with a cross.
Tony scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Leiden throws out a loose jab but Tony uses good head movement to avoid it.
Leiden lunges at Tony with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Tony's hand.
Tony on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Tony ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Leiden moves away.
Tony buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tony thows a body shot but no joy.
Tony throws a body punch but Leiden moves out of range.
Tony misses with a takedown attempt
and Leiden cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tony takes a swing at Leiden's ribcage but misses.
Tony walks into a jab.
Tony tries to bum rush Leiden with a series of wild strikes but Leiden uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Tony darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leiden wants to control but Tony is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Leiden is trying to get back to full guard.
Leiden is holding on to half guard well.
Tony is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Leiden reverses the position - he's now on top in Tony's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tony is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tony won't allow Leiden to sweep him here.
Tony slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Tony passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Leiden!
Tony is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Leiden can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Tony can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Leiden is looking to escape.
Tony throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Leiden takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Tony fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Leiden is rocked!

The cut above Yang Leiden's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Yang Leiden's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). James Tony!