PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Justin Hodges (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eino Leino (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leino has chosen Haloo Helsinki - Maailman toisella puolen as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hodges
vs
Leino

189 cm
27
215 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

190 cm
25
210 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Justin Hodges!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eino Leino!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hodges closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Leino taking a bit of punishment here - Hodges scoring with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hodges tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Leino wants to control but Hodges postures up.
Leino prevents Hodges from moving into mount.
Leino is not content to let Hodges control the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Leino can do anything to dispel that myth.
You can see the frustration on Leino's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hodges in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Leino wants to control but Hodges postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Eino Leino.
Leino throws a right hand that Hodges ducks under and follows up with a left that Hodges also avoids with ease.
Hodges feints a jab promting Leino to slip. Hodges then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Leino slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Leino is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Hodges.
Leino drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hodges dips to his left and cracks Leino with an uppercut!
Leino swinging wildly here.
Leino avoids a punch combination nicely.
Justin Hodges seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hodges looks to land a right hand but Leino moved out of range.
Hodges cracks Leino with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Leino misses with a right hand
and Hodges counters with a stiff right hand.
Hodges swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Leino tries to move into range but Hodges moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Hodges lands a glancing blow to the side of Leino's head.
Hodges connects with a crisp jab.
Leino takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hodges looks to land a combination. Leino sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leino swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Hodges counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Hodges slips a jab and a cross from Leino.
Leino looks gassed!
Hodges avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hodges lands a jab to the head.
Leino misses with a double jab
and Hodges counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Leino gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Hodges.
A jab from Hodges does it's job there.
Leino throws a right and a left that Hodges avoids nicely.

Hodges scores with a takedown into Leino's guard.
Hodges looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leino trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hodges trying to control the position from guard on top but Leino is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Leino preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Leino avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hodges wants to control from the top but Leino keeps moving.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Hodges advances position into side control!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Leino pushes Hodges away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Hodges gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Hodges dominated that 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.

Hodges wants to slow Leino down by chopping away at his legs.
Leino slips a straight right by Hodges.
Leino misses with a wild combination.

Hodges closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hodges lands in his opponent's guard.
Leino has Hodges pulled in close to control his posture.
Hodges trying to control but Leino is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Justin Hodges has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Leino has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hodges finds it's way round the side to connect with Leino's head.
Hodges attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Hodges lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Leino circles away quickly and effectively.
Leino swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Leino misses the jab.
Nice jab there from Hodges.
Hodges ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Hodges dodges the punch combination from Leino.
Leino is breathing heavily.
Leino takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Hodges just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leino drops his hands momentarily and Hodges takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Hodges throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Leino was covering up waiting for the punch and Hodges finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Hodges trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Leino is trying to control the position but Hodges postures up.
Hodges is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Leino working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hodges.
Hodges works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Hodges passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Leino!
Hodges content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hodges is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Hodges looking to control and managing it successfully.
Hodges lands a big shot there that rocks Leino but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hodges breaks from Leino's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Hodges throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Hodges looking to control but Leino is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
A nice elbow there by Hodges.
Hodges lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hodges cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Hodges wants to control the pace but Leino is squirming around nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hodges with shots to the head and body - Leino looks very uncomfortable down there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Hodges dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A jab from Hodges misses.
Hodges finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Leino lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Leino throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Hodges counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Leino misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hodges thuds his right hand into Leino's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Hodges throws a series of punches but Leino moves out of range.
Leino ducks right into an uppercut from Hodges.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hodges. Leino does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hodges looks to land a left hand but Leino moved out of range nicely.
Leino uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hodges.
Leino moves out of range as Hodges strikes.
Leino takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hodges throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hodges throws a low kick, looking for Leino's leg but Leino calmly moves out of range.
Leino rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Hodges counters with a stiff right hand.

Hodges scores with a takedown into Leino's guard.
Hodges throwing strikes but missing.
Hodges in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hodges advances position into side control!
Leino stops Hodges from passing to mount.
Hodges tries to score with some ground and pound. Leino controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leino wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Hodges trying to control the position but Leino is working away.
Eino Leino has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Hodges is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Leino has escaped the position, nice work there.

Hodges tries for a kimura but Leino is defending well.

Hodges is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Leino is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leino parries the strikes from Hodges easily there. Hodges is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Leino to escape.
Hodges working the head with strikes.
Hodges postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Hodges moves into full mount!
Hodges lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Leino hang on?
Hodges looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hodges lands a big shot there that rocks Leino but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hodges content just to control the position here.
The referee warns Leino that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Hodges trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hodges thowing shots but they're missing.
Hodges looking to control but Leino is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hodges dominating with strikes here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Hodges showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hodges 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:25
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:25
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Hodges!