PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bruce Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jon Pong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lee
vs
Pong

171 cm
24
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

150 cm
19
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bruce Lee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jon Pong!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Hirohito Nitta and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lee goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Pong throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Lee was covering up waiting for the punch and Pong finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Lee kicks Pong off and gets to his feet.
Pong looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Lee drops Pong with a beautiful combination! Pong stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Lee is looking for the KO!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Lee gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Lee wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lee tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pong wants to control from the top but Lee keeps moving.
Pong wants to pass the guard but Lee is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pong trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Lee manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Lee wants to control from the top but Pong keeps moving.
Lee prevents Pong from getting back to his feet.
Lee trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lee stands and throws Pong's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Lee controlling the position.
Lee wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pong keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lee is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Pong has escaped the position, nice work there.
Lee tries to score with some ground and pound. Pong controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Lee throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The referee asks Lee politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Lee prefers to stall for the moment though.
Lee fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Lee tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lee trying to control the position but Pong is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee is staying tight to Pong's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Pong is looking for a sweep.
Lee happy to just control the position for now.
Lee will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Lee tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Lee has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
You can see the frustration on Pong's face as Lee controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lee tries for a kimura but Pong is defending well.
Lee throws an elbow but Pong slips to the side and avoids it well.

Lee has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Lee shoots in for a takedown but Pong shows good takedown defense.
Pong moves to clinch but Lee breaks away
and Lee counters with a series of strikes. Pong will be more careful next time no doubt.
Pong looks winded!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Pong looks for a takedown but Lee sprawls well.
Lee shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pong as he jumps to the side.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pong shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lee pinned against the cage. Lee gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Lee 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.

Lee looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Lee shoots in but no luck this time.
Lee looks for a takedown but Pong sprawls well.
Pong moves out of range of the body kick from Lee.
Lee misses with a combination
and Pong counters with a right hand to the body.
Lee keeps the fight on the outside.
Pong tries for a takedown but Lee sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Pong closes the distance and clinches up with Lee, looking for a takedown. Pong pushes Lee against the cage but Lee circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pong is looking to clinch but Lee is avoiding it.
Bruce Lee is winning the standup battle so far.
Lee throws a body kick that misses.
Pong stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pong wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruce Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pong misses with a head kick.
Lee lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pong circles away quickly and effectively.
Lee tries to clinch up.
Horrible takedown by Lee or perhaps it was just good defense by Pong which made him look bad.
Pong fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lee avoids it really well and circles away.
Pong fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lee avoids it really well and circles away.
Lee throws a nice outside leg kick.
Lee misses with a takedown attempt
and Pong counters with a one-two to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pong shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lee defends it nicely.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Pong crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Lee - the referee stops the clock and Pong gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Lee. Pong manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Nice body kick there by Lee.
Bruce Lee is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lee shoots for a double leg takedown but Pong sprawls well. He's pushed Lee's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lee keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Lee shoots in looking for a takedown. Pong tries to sprawl out of it but Lee keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pong manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sloppy strikes from Lee. Those never looked like landing.
Pong misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pong as he jumps to the side.
Pong stuffs the takedown.
Pong fails with the takedown.
Pong shoots in looking for a takedown. Lee tries to sprawl out of it but Pong keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lee manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Bruce Lee seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lee keeps the fight on the outside.
Lee shoots for a takedown but Pong saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Lee tries to clinch but Pong is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Lee stuffs the takedown attempt from Pong. Pong gets slowly back to his feet.
Lee fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pong lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Lee misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pong.
Lee stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lee wants it to stay on the feet.
Pong takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Pong misses with a kick to the body
and Lee counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Pong fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pong tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lee sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Pong somewhat.

Lee moves into the clinch successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Bruce Lee will probably get the nod.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Pong avoids the head kick by Lee.
Sloppy strikes from Lee. Those never looked like landing.
Pong tries to clinch there but Lee circles away.
Pong scores with a three punch combo!
Jab by Pong.
Lee checks a leg kick.
Pong shoots in and drives through. Lee sprawls well.
Pong tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lee manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Pong as Lee shoots in.
Lee looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pong is fending him off so far but Lee persists. Nope, Pong circles away and we're back to standing.
Pong is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pong moves out of range of the body kick.
Pong fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pong fails to land the takedown.
Pong displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lee.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruce Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pong fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pong steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Lee. That one must have hurt.
Pong shoots in and drives through. Lee sprawls well.
Lee swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pong throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lee's waist but Lee gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pong off to one side.
Lee shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pong as he avoids it easily.
Lee throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

Pong tries to keep at a distance but Lee has taken the fight into the clinch.

Lee's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pong throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lee's waist but Lee gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pong off to one side.
Pong throws a sloppy head kick and Lee moves out of range easily.
Lee throws a right and a left that Pong avoids nicely.
Pong moves to clinch but Lee breaks away

and Lee counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Lee.

Lee breaks the clinch.
Pong wants to clinch.
Pong on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Lee misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pong closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lee circles away.
Lee throws a nice looking combination but Pong bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lee changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pong tries to avoid it but Lee manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pong to the ground. Pong escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pong fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lee avoids it really well and circles away.
Lee throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Lee circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pong stuffs the takedown attempt from Lee. Lee gets slowly back to his feet.
Nice sprawl there from Pong as Lee shoots in.
Pong fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Lee rushes Pong and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Lee has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Pong after a bit of a struggle.
Lee wants to stall.
Lee gets underhooks to prevent Pong's takedown attempt.

Lee breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lee looks to land a combination but Pong avoids it well.
Lee keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lee shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lee is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Jon Pong has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bruce Lee is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lee shoots in looking for a takedown but Pong manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lee's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

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 Bruce Lee.
Well Lee 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruce Lee!