PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bob Zion (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thai Leng (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zion comes to the cage accompanied by Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards - 1%. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Zion
vs
Leng

180 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

169 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Enjoys gardening

BC FightWear
JOKER FIGHTGEAR

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bob Zion!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Thai Leng!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Reed Andrews and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leng tries to close the distance and clinch but Zion swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zion looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Leng misses with a takedown attempt - Zion sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Leng is looking to clinch but Zion is avoiding it.

Zion decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Zion throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Leng regains full guard. Nicely done.

Zion avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zion accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Zion stops Leng from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Leng looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Zion has picked Leng up and slammed him! Leng can't keep hold of the triangle and Zion manages to pass to side control!
Leng wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Zion working away.
Zion in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zion trying to control the action but Leng is working from the bottom.
Leng is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zion tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Leng paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zion wants to clinch up but Leng keeps it at a distance.
Zion wants to clinch

and Leng counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Leng pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zion fails with a takedown attempt.
Leng fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Leng tries to clinch but Zion is having none of it.
Zion will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Leng closes the distance but Zion moves to the side

and Zion counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Zion blocks the strikes from Leng.
Zion seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Leng does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Leng looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Leng wants to get back to his feet.
Zion wants to control but Leng is keeping him busy.
Leng is trying to stand.

Leng looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zion landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Leng wants to clinch up but Zion keeps it at a distance.
Leng throws a push kick but Zion slaps the foot to one side.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Leng.

Zion closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Zion as Leng tries to tie him up.

Leng pulls Zion into guard.
Zion wants to control from the top but Leng keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Zion looking to pass the guard.
Leng is looking to stand up but Zion isn't so interested in that idea.
Zion trying to control but Leng is working from the bottom.
Zion looking to pass the guard.
Leng looking to control.
Leng wants to stand up but Zion is controlling him.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Zion falls off balance throwing a combination
and Leng finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Zion 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.

Zion swats away the attempt to clinch by Leng.
Leng avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Zion circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zion doesn't manage to clinch there - Leng circles away.
Zion tries to bum rush Leng with a series of wild strikes but Leng uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Leng tries to clinch up but Zion circles away and keeps his distance.
Leng fails to land the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leng tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zion swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Zion swats away the attempt to clinch by Leng.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zion keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leng tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zion swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Leng is looking to clinch.
Leng scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Leng tries to clinch up.
Leng misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Leng tries to bum rush Zion with a series of wild strikes but Zion uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Leng wants to clinch up but Zion keeps it at a distance.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Leng.
Leng doesn't manage to clinch there - Zion circles away.
Leng wants to clinch up but Zion keeps it at a distance.
Leng misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Leng tries to clinch up but Zion circles away and keeps his distance.
Zion avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Leng throws a quick inside leg kick.
A head kick misses from Leng.
Leng tries to close the distance and clinch but Zion swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Crunch! Leng slams his shin into Zion's torso.

Zion forces Leng back against the cage and clinches.
Leng is trying to break the clinch but Zion has him pressed against the cage.
Leng wants a takedown but no success here.
Zion is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Leng gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Leng wants to stall.
Leng is working for takedown but Zion is calmly controlling the position for now.
Bob Zion has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thai Leng.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leng lands an elbow inside.
Leng wants to break the clinch but can't.
Zion drops down looking for an ankle pick but Leng pulls his leg out and moves away.

Zion shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Leng working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Zion doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Zion manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Leng had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Zion is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Leng Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Zion's back instead.
You can see the frustration on Zion's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leng missing with punches from the back.

Leng is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Zion is defending well though. Leng let's go of the attempt for now.
Zion tries to escape the position.
Leng misses with punches from the back.
Leng has the hooks in. Zion is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Zion defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Leng's arms.
Zion rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Thai Leng will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Leng wants to clinch but Zion slips to the side

and Zion counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Leng's guard now.
Zion looking to sit in guard and control but Leng gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Leng wants to stand but Zion is controlling his posture from full guard.
Zion tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Leng thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Zion on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Zion tries to get out of the position.
Leng wants to stand and escape but instead Zion has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Leng wants to get back to his feet but Zion is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zion postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zion throws and elbow that misses. Leng uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Zion's guard. Nice move by Leng!
Zion looking for a sweep. Not yet Zion, not yet.
Leng works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Leng trying to control the action but Zion is working from the bottom.
Zion is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Leng is working for a submission of some sort.
Zion trying to hold on to Leng's head to control him but Leng postures up.
Zion wants to improve his position but Leng is controlling well.
Zion is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Leng looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Leng throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Leng lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Zion circles away from the clinch attempt

and Zion holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Zion fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Zion prevents the takedown attempt.

Leng pulls guard successfully.
Zion postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zion controls from within his opponent's guard.
Zion trying to control the position from guard on top but Leng is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zion throwing strikes but missing.
Zion trying to control but Leng is working from the bottom.
Leng wants to stand but Zion is controlling the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Leng working for a triangle but Zion defends it easily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Zion closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Zion lands in his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bob Zion showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zion has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bob Zion!