PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Volk Khan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and LenDale Cleaver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Khan
vs
Cleaver

174 cm
26
162 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

181 cm
24
164 lbs
7 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Volk Khan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, LenDale Cleaver!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Daniel Bishop and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cleaver circles away quickly and effectively.
Khan just misses with a punch to the body.
Khan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cleaver. Khan does a little dance to reset his feet.

Cleaver closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Cleaver is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Khan has escaped the position, nice work there.
Khan is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Cleaver prevents Khan from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cleaver is trying to work for a kimura but Khan is defending well.

Cleaver wants to work for an arm triangle but Khan is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khan is staying active underneath Cleaver, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Khan manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Khan is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Cleaver got a little sloppy there for a moment and Khan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cleaver has managed to get both his arms back between Khan's legs - danger averted.
Khan looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Cleaver puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Khan gets back to full guard.
Cleaver advances position into side control!
Cleaver taking a break here but Khan is having none of it and regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khan moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cleaver looking to pass the guard.
Cleaver trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Khan manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Khan pushing down on Cleaver's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Khan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Khan throwing shots but Cleaver is blocking nicely.
Cleaver wants to improve his position but Khan is controlling well.

Khan is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Khan is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cleaver doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Khan.

Khan is looking for a kimura but Cleaver is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Khan to get the leverage.
Cleaver works his way to full guard. Good work.
Khan throwing strikes but missing.
Khan pushes down on Cleaver's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Khan is looking to advance position but Cleaver won't allow it.
Khan is keen to just control but Cleaver is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cleaver wants to control but Khan is keeping busy.

Khan is looking for a kimura but Cleaver is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Khan to get the leverage.
Cleaver regains full guard. Nicely done.
Khan advances position into side control!

Khan tries for a kimura but Cleaver is defending well.
Cleaver is trying to improve his position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Khan throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Khan in side control, throwing shots but Cleaver defends.
Khan lands a decent elbow from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Volk Khan dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Cleaver moves out of range of the strikes.
Volk Khan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cleaver shoots in for a takedown but Khan shows good takedown defense.
Cleaver looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Khan scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Cleaver throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Khan's waist but Khan gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cleaver off to one side.
Cleaver fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Khan avoids it really well and circles away.
Volk Khan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of LenDale Cleaver.
Cleaver takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Khan misses with a few strikes there.
Volk Khan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Khan throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khan misses with a series of wild punches.
Khan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Cleaver fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Khan sprawls well initially but Cleaver persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Cleaver scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Khan tries to roll over but Cleaver keeps him under control.

Cleaver is working for a kimura but Khan is defending it quite comfortably.
Cleaver trying to control the action but Khan is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Khan.
Cleaveris looking to pass into half guard but Khan pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Khan is in guard.

Cleaver throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Cleaver is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Khan is looking to work some ground and pound but Cleaver has wrist control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cleaver keeping full guard, as Khan tries to pass.
Khan lands a couple of digs.
Khan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cleaver swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cleaver working for a triangle but Khan defends it easily.
Cleaver keeping full guard, as Khan tries to pass.
Cleaver keeping moving, preventing Khan from controlling successfully.
Volk Khan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cleaver can't keep his opponent in guard - Khan advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Khan lands strikes from half guard.
Cleaver wants to control the action here but instead Khan manages to pass to full mount!
Khan wants to control the pace but Cleaver is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cleaver is trying desperately to improve position.
Khan looking to control but Cleaver is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Cleaver is trying desperately to improve position.
Khan working Cleaver over with strikes here.

Khan looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Khan working for a guillotine from mount but Cleaver is in no mood to give up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cleaver is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Cleaver wants to control but Khan is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Volk Khan dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

A big left from Khan misses.
Cleaver throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Cleaver shoots for a double leg takedown but Khan sprawls well. He's pushed Cleaver's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Cleaver tries a low kick but Khan avoids it.
Cleaver shoots in and drives through. Khan sprawls well.
Khan throws a head kick that misses.
Khan connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Cleaver momentarily.
Khan lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Khan throws a head kick but Cleaver moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cleaver fails with a takedown attempt.
Volk Khan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of LenDale Cleaver.
Cleaver looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Khan is fending him off so far but Cleaver persists. Nope, Khan circles away and we're back to standing.
Khan scores with a hook.
Cleaver moves out of range of the strikes.
Cleaver shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Khan sprawls well. Khan wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cleaver gets slowly back to his feet.
Khan looks to land a right hand but Cleaver moved out of range.
Cleaver throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Khan's waist but Khan gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cleaver off to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khan misses with a low kick.
Khan just misses with a punch to the body.
Khan cracks Cleaver with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Cleaver shoots in and drives through. Khan sprawls well.
Khan misses with a low kick as Cleaver jumps back.
Cleaver staying out of range there.
Khan throws a right hand that Cleaver ducks under and follows up with a left that Cleaver also avoids with ease.
Cleaver fails in his attempt to clinch.
Khan scores with a decent looking hook.
Khan fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Khan misses.
Khan throws a poor cross that misses
and Cleaver counters with a nice body shot.
Cleaver tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Khan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Khan throws a one two combo.
Khan misses with a combination

and Cleaver counters with a shoot takedown. Khan fights it but they end up in guard.
Cleaver won't allow Khan to sweep him here.
Cleaver wants to control from the top but Khan keeps moving.

Khan escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cleaver gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khan keeping moving, preventing Cleaver from controlling successfully.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cleaver won't allow Khan to sweep him here.
Cleaver trying to control but Khan is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cleaver forces his way into half guard.
Khan wants to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Volk Khan.
Well Khan has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 James Glass scores the fight for Volk Khan!
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Volk Khan!
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight for Volk Khan!

Volk Khan wins by unanimous decision!