PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leon Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Roberts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Henry
vs
Roberts

183 cm
34
188 lbs
15 - 16 - 0

180 cm
28
201 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Good chin

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
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 15 - 16 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leon Henry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jake Roberts!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Fedor Mirinova and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big right from Roberts misses.
Roberts getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Roberts avoids a punch combination nicely.
Henry dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Roberts staying out of range there.
A slow jab from Roberts misses its intended target.
Roberts throws a hook but Henry avoids it easily.

Henry tries to sprawl but Roberts drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Roberts trying to control the action but Henry is working from the bottom.

Roberts is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Henry is just riding it out for now. Roberts eventually gives up the hold.
Roberts content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Roberts is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Henry has managed to free his arm - good work.
Roberts lands strikes from half guard.
Roberts keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Henry blocking the ground and pound attempt from Roberts.
Roberts thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Henry's head.
Henry is trying to stand back up but Roberts is controlling him

Roberts is working for a kimura but Henry is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberts prevents Henry from standing back up.
Henry pushes Roberts off but Roberts dives into side control.
Henry stops Roberts from passing to mount.
Roberts creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Henry regains half guard, as Roberts was trying to land strikes.
Roberts trying to control from half guard but Henry is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry trying to control here.
Henry looks like he's trying to stand up.
Henry won't allow Roberts to pass to mount.
Henry avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Roberts.

Roberts is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Roberts has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The fighters are battling for position here. Henry manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberts passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Roberts working the head and body with strikes.
Henry struggling a bit here.
Henry parries the strikes from Roberts easily there. Roberts is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Henry to escape.
Roberts remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Roberts throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Roberts wants to control but Henry is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Roberts 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.

A jab from Roberts misses.
Roberts cracks Henry with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Roberts throws a right and a left that both miss.
A combination from Henry does no damage.
Henry misses with the combination.
Henry just misses with a punch to the body.
Henry throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Henry takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Roberts is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Henry.
Roberts throws a big shot that misses.

Roberts gets the takedown into side control.
Henry is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Roberts is controlling him well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Check out the look on Roberts's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
A lull in the action here as Roberts stalls from top position.
Roberts wants to take a breather but Henry manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Roberts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberts wants to control from the top but Henry keeps moving.
Roberts controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Roberts makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Henry is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roberts throwing strikes but missing.
Roberts trying to control the position from guard on top but Henry is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Roberts tries to free his leg and advance position but Henry is retaining full guard.
Henry not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Roberts connects with a couple of short punches.
Roberts is working Henry over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberts passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Roberts tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Roberts working the head and body with strikes.
Henry tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Roberts wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Roberts is looking to take a break and control but Henry is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Roberts scoring with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Roberts misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roberts tries to advance to mount but can't.
Roberts in side control, throwing shots but Henry defends.
Roberts grinds an elbow into Henry's temple.
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.
Roberts content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Henry defending against the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Roberts 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. This is the final round!

A swing and a miss from Roberts.
Roberts slips a jab from Henry.
A swing and a miss from Roberts.
Roberts slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Roberts throws a hook but Henry avoids it easily.
Roberts missing with a left hand there. Henry was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Roberts scores with a decent looking hook.
Henry misses with the combination.
Leon Henry seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Roberts throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Henry sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Roberts throws an off balance right hand
and Henry counters with a right hand to the body.
A swing and a miss from Henry.
Henry looks to throw the jab but Roberts is out of range.
Roberts looks to throw the jab but Henry is out of range.
Henry throws a hook but Roberts blocks it.
Leon Henry is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Roberts shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Henry as he jumps to the side.
Henry misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roberts lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Roberts scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Roberts tries to advance to mount but Henry instead regains half guard.
Nice strikes from Roberts there.
Roberts tries to pass to full mount but Henry defends it.
Roberts is thwarting Henry's attempts to control the position.

Roberts is trying for a kimura here. Henry looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Roberts wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Jake Roberts!
During a confident post fight interview, Jake Roberts thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.