PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matt Leach (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rubin Carter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Carter has chosen Bob Dylan - Hurricane as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Leach
vs
Carter

200 cm
23
195 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
29
190 lbs
15 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matt Leach!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Rubin Carter!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, James Atkins and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Leach, right into the meat.
Leach throws a right and a left that both miss.
Leach's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Leach duly obliges.
Leach swinging wildly here.
Leach throws a head kick that misses.
Leach lands a body shot.
Carter misses the jab.
Leach throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Carter cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Carter fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Leach sprawls well initially but Carter persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Leach trying to control but Carter postures up.
Leach blocking the ground and pound attempt from Carter.
Leach wants to control but Carter is keeping busy.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Leach is staying active underneath Carter, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Carter lands a nice short elbow.
Leach really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Carter keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Ground and pound from Carter.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Leach blocking the ground and pound attempt from Carter.
Leach is looking for a sweep. Carter is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Leach taking some punishment here, with Carter in his half guard.
Leach is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Carter thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Leach's head.
Carter misses with a head shot. Leach uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Carter is in close to Leach's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Leach controls Carter momentarily but Carter frees himself.
Carter wants to control from the top but Leach keeps moving.
Leach preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Leach lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Carter!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter is working to get back to half guard.
Leach controlling the position easily from mount.
Carter is looking to improve his position but Leach isn't that keen on the idea.
Leach trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Leach prevents Carter from getting the reversal.
Leach will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Leach avoids the attempt from Carter to control.
Carter is looking to improve his position but Leach isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leach punching from mount but Carter doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Carter manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Leach is taking a breather. Carter says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Carter has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Carter wants to sweep but Leach has passed to side control!

Leach tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
You can see the frustration on Carter's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Leach wants to stand but Carter has his arm trapped.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rubin Carter dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Carter looks to land a combination but Leach avoids it well.
Leach swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Carter checks a leg kick nicely.
Carter shoots in for a takedown but Leach shows good takedown defense.
Leach fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Carter manages to avoid it.
Carter fails with a takedown attempt.
Leach just misses with a punch to the body.
Leach cracks Carter with an open hand slap.
Leach throws a head kick that misses
and Carter counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Carter ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Carter swings for the body but Leach moves out of range.
Carter lands a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leach throws a shot to the body.
Matt Leach seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Carter moves into the clinch.
Leach stalling in the clinch but Carter improves position.
Leach working hard to break the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Carter creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Carter has Leach pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Leach manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Matt Leach has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rubin Carter.
Carter will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Leach up against the cage.
Leach misses with some punches.
Leach trying to control the position but instead, Carter has worked for underhooks and has pushed Leach into the cage.
Leach gets underhooks to prevent Carter's takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Carter throws a head punch that misses.
Leach tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Carter's elbow.
Carter has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Leach after a bit of a struggle.
A short right from Carter.
Leach misses with a punch to the body.
Carter scores with a shot to the side of Leach's head.
Still in the clinch, Carter scores with a nice short uppercut.
Leach tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Carter misses with a punch to the body.
Carter blocks a body shot from Leach.
Carter lands a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Carter.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Carter.
Carter stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Leach tries to break the clinch but Carter is controlling the position.
A head punch on the inside from Carter fails to land.
Leach stops a takedown attempt from Carter.
Carter is looking to take this one to the mat.

Carter tightens his grip and picks Leach up, before dumping him to the ground. Leach manages to land in guard.
Leach looking to control but Carter passes into half guard.
Leach regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Carter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leach looking for a sweep. Not yet Leach, not yet.
Leach pulls Carter in close to prevent any damage.
Carter trying to control but Leach is working from the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rubin Carter showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Carter closes the distance and clinches.
Carter lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Leach blocks an uppercut.

Leach breaks from the clinch.
Carter misses the shot to the body.
No joy there for Leach, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Carter tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Leach manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Carter ducks under a wild hook from Leach.
Carter tries to clinch but Leach is having none of it.
Carter lands a jab to the head.
Leach thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Carter if he has to take too many more of those.
Leach moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Leach scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Leach throws a right and a left that Carter avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Carter tries to clinch up.
Leach misses with a series of wild punches.
Leach chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Nice jab there from Leach.
Carter shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Leach pinned against the cage. Leach gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Carter tries for a takedown but Leach sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Carter walks into a stiff left hand from Leach.
Carter tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Leach paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Leach throws a head kick but Carter moves out of range.
Leach throws a sloppy body shot

and Carter holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter trying to stall but Leach improves his position.
Still in the clinch, Leach scores with a nice short uppercut.
Leach is trying to break free.
Carter misses with the head strike.
Carter wants a takedown.
Matt Leach has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rubin Carter.
Leach swings wildly with an uppercut but Carter uses good head movement to avoid it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Carter wants a takedown.
Leach can't find room to land a body shot as Carter controls the action.
Leach lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Carter drops down looking for an ankle pick but Leach pulls his leg out and moves away.
Matt Leach is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Leach throws a head kick but Carter moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Leach lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Carter circles away quickly and effectively.
A head kick misses from Leach.
Carter ducks under a wild hook from Leach.
Carter throws a hook but Leach blocks it.
Leach uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Carter.
Matt Leach is winning the standup battle so far.
Carter throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Leach misses with a wild body shot.
Leach ducks under a wild hook from Carter.
Leach throws a hook but Carter avoids it easily.
Leach throws a half hearted mid kick.
Leach cracks Carter with a right hand to the side of the head.
Leach avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leach fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Carter is out of range.
Carter fails to land the takedown.
Leach throws a head kick that half lands.
Leach throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Leach throws a right and a left that Carter avoids nicely.
Carter chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Leach can pounce on him.
Carter scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Leach doesn't seem bothered though.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Leach lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Matt Leach has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Carter takes the fight into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Leach wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rubin Carter is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Carter swings away with an uppercut that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Leach showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Carter 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rubin Carter!