PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Abdul Leon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thames McKnight (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McKnight has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Thames McKnight is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Leon
vs
McKnight

174 cm
20
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
158 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Abdul Leon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Thames McKnight!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Micheangelo Fripello and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McKnight moves into the clinch successfully.
Leon lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt McKnight or not.

Leon breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - McKnight looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
McKnight misses with a series of wild punches.
McKnight looks winded!
McKnight throws a head kick that misses.
Leon half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Leon shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Leon was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Leon in side control, throwing shots but McKnight defends.
Leon is putting a hurting on McKnight here, landing some big shots from side control.

Leon thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Check out the look on Leon's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Leon tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Leon has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Leon lands some shots froms side control.
McKnight tries to bench press Leon off him but Leon keeps the position.

Leon working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Leon thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leon working the body and head with strikes.

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

Leon is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but McKnight is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
McKnight defending against the ground and pound.
McKnight tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Leon wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McKnight avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Leon.
Leon throws an elbow but McKnight slips to the side and avoids it well.

Leon wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by McKnight, who protects the arm well.
The ground and pound from Leon seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Leon looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Leon is trying to get an arm triangle but McKnight is defending well.
McKnight is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Leon is trying to get an arm triangle but McKnight is defending well.

Leon decides to stand back up. Leon steps back and let's McKnight get back to his feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Leon.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Leon throws a series of punches but McKnight moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from McKnight. No joy for Leon on that attempt.
McKnight was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdul Leon dominated that round.
That's time! Leon's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

McKnight defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Leon.

Leon shoots in and gets a takedown into McKnight's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Leon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Leon postures up in McKnight's guard and throws a big left but McKnight blocks it.
Leon is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Leon is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that McKnight can do to turn this around?
McKnight utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Leon postures up in McKnight's guard and throws a big left but McKnight blocks it.
Leon throwing strikes but missing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leon postures up in McKnight's guard and throws a big left but McKnight blocks it.
Leon missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Abdul Leon overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Leon stands up from McKnight's guard - Leon perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leon closes this distance looking for a takedown but McKnight circles away.
McKnight misses with a right hand
and Leon counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Leon shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Leon with a flurry of punches that miss.
Leon works over McKnight with some ground and pound from guard.
Leon working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

McKnight has his foot on Leon's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Leon works his way back into a safe position though.
McKnight tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Leon's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Leon loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Leon landing with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leon throwing strikes from guard but McKnight blocks nicely.
McKnight looking for a sweep. Not yet McKnight, not yet.
McKnight avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Leon keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of McKnight's head.
McKnight has momentary wrist control but Leon slips an elbow through the middle.
Leon postures up.
McKnight has momentary wrist control but Leon slips an elbow through the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leon keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of McKnight's head.
McKnight avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Leon stands and steps away. McKnight gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Leon looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

McKnight kicks Leon off and gets back to his feet.
Abdul Leon is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McKnight with a hook.
McKnight moves to clinch but Leon breaks away
and Leon counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
McKnight doesn't succeed with the takedown

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Nice body punch from Leon.
McKnight is trying to pull guard but Leon has him pressed against the cage.

Leon has hold of one of McKnight's legs. McKnight is fighting the takedown attempt but Leon gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Leon scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
McKnight utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

McKnight escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Leon gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Leon is in close to McKnight's body, working some short punches and elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdul Leon dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Some wild striking there from Leon.
McKnight tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Leon counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Leon shoots in and drives through. McKnight sprawls well.

Leon scores with a takedown into McKnight's guard.

McKnight wriggles free and stands up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leon shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with McKnight but McKnight pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McKnight tries to clinch up but Leon circles away and keeps his distance.
Leon is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from McKnight.

Leon closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into McKnight's guard.
Leon throws a big right hand that misses.
McKnight avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
McKnight avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Leon throwing strikes from guard but McKnight blocks nicely.
Leon postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Leon lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Leon throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as McKnight works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leon throwing strikes from guard but McKnight blocks nicely.

McKnight is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Leon defends well.
McKnight utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Horrible takedown attempt by McKnight or perhaps it was just good defense by Leon, which made it look bad.
McKnight tries to clinch up.
McKnight throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Leon is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from McKnight.
Leon looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abdul Leon. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McKnight gets tackled into the cage by Leon. Leon maintains the clinch.
Leon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and McKnight avoids it.
McKnight fails to pull guard.
McKnight misses with a hook to the ribs.
Leon has McKnight pressed against the cage, preventing McKnight from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Leon lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

McKnight looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leon throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
McKnight tries to roll over but Leon keeps him under control.
Leon drops an elbow to the side of McKnight's head.
Leon thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Leon lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
McKnight has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Leon is working away from the top position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Abdul Leon showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Leon 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abdul Leon!