PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Glover Levangasti (ranked 461 p4p, 621 weight class) and Huber Schlesien (ranked 68 p4p, 91 weight class). 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.

Levangasti
vs
Schlesien

192 cm
24
250
11 - 3 - 0

189 cm
24
263
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition
Vegan Gains

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Glover Levangasti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Huber Schlesien!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Schlesien scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Schlesien takes a swing at Levangasti's ribcage but misses.
Levangasti has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Slaughter Houze in the buildup to the fight.
Schlesien throws a poor cross that misses

and Levangasti counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Schlesien wants to control but Levangasti is keeping busy.
Levangasti lands with a punch from half guard.
Schlesien is looking for a sweep. Levangasti is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Levangasti controlling the action here.
Levangasti lands strikes from half guard.

Schlesien looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Schlesien trying to hold on to Levangasti's head to control him but Levangasti postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Levangasti connects with a nice short shot to Schlesien's temple.
Levangasti is looking to take a break and control but Schlesien is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Schlesien trying to control but Levangasti postures up.
Schlesien is looking to improve his position.
Levangasti wants to take a breather but Schlesien is having none of it.
Schlesien regains full guard. Nicely done.
Schlesien wants to sweep here but Levangasti controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Levangasti is pushing down on Schlesien's leg trying to pass to half guard. Schlesien is fighting to maintain full guard but Levangasti has managed to sneak the leg through.
Schlesien is looking to control Levangasti's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Schlesien avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schlesien is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Levangasti is nestled in close to Schlesien, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Schlesien wants to get back to full guard but Levangasti has passed into side control.
Schlesien is looking to regain half guard here but Levangasti keeps moving and retains side control.
Levangasti tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Schlesien gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Levangasti scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Nice strikes from Levangasti there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Levangasti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Schlesien keeps working.
Ground and pound from Levangasti.
Schlesien is trying to control but can't.
Levangasti throwing shots but Schlesien is blocking nicely.
Schlesien wants to get back to full guard.
Schlesien avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Levangasti.
Levangasti is keen to just control but Schlesien is a slippery customer.
Schlesien is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Levangasti scores with a couple of nice shots.
Schlesien taking some punishment here, with Levangasti in his half guard.
Levangasti is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Levangasti working the head and body with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Levangasti slips a nice elbow through Schlesien's hands, connecting with Schlesien's forehead.
Levangasti not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Levangasti not doing much here.

Schlesien looking for submissions off his back.
Levangasti prevents Schlesien from improving his position.

Schlesien looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Schlesien avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Levangasti.
Schlesien trying to control from the bottom.
Levangasti scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Glover Levangasti dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A looping hook to the body misses from Schlesien. Levangasti does a little dance to reset his feet.
Levangasti misses with an uppercut
and Schlesien cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Schlesien misses with a straight left.
Huber Schlesien seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Levangasti.
Levangasti chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Schlesien can pounce on him.
Levangasti throws the left hand but Schlesien avoids the punch easily.
Schlesien takes a jab right on the kisser.
Schlesien ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Schlesien throws a jab but it's blocked by Levangasti.
Donk. Schlesien catches Levangasti right on the button with a cross.

It looks like Glover Levangasti has been cut.
Levangasti walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Schlesien jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Schlesien smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schlesien wants to slow Levangasti down by chopping away at his legs.
Levangasti attempts a counter takedown but Schlesien avoids it well and moves away.
Levangasti is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Schlesien can do to turn this around?
Levangasti is looking to land body kicks.

Levangasti closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Schlesien to the mat! Schlesien manages to get full guard.
Schlesien is trying to keep Levangasti in close.
Levangasti trying to control the position from guard on top but Schlesien is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Levangasti chips away with some ground and pound.
Schlesien tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Levangasti postures up.
Levangasti content to stall in guard here.
Levangasti trying to control but Schlesien is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Levangasti working some strikes from top position.
Levangasti postures up and lands a big shot to Schlesien's brow.
Levangasti scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Levangasti with a flurry of punches that miss.
Schlesien is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Levangasti works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Schlesien tries to get to full guard but Levangasti has control of the leg.
Schlesien manages to get to full guard.
Levangasti wants to control from the top but Schlesien keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schlesien is trying to keep Levangasti in close.
Schlesien has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Levangasti stopping the sweep attempt from Schlesien.
Levangasti engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Schlesien working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Levangasti has passed into half guard!
Schlesien works his way to full guard. Good work.

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.
Schlesien wants to sweep but no luck.
Levangasti postures up.
Schlesien is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Levangasti's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Levangasti throws a big elbow that misses.
Levangasti has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Levangasti is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Schlesien utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Schlesien is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Schlesien is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Huber Schlesien seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Levangasti misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Schlesien.
Schlesien ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Levangasti moves away.
Levangasti feinted with a counter takedown.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Glover Levangasti will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Glover Levangasti's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Schlesien throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Schlesien lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Schlesien goes for a double leg but Levangasti avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Levangasti continues to drive forward.
A jab from Schlesien misses.
Levangasti tests Schlesien's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Levangasti darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Levangasti slips a nice elbow through Schlesien's hands, connecting with Schlesien's forehead.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Levangasti scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Levangasti takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Levangasti throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Levangasti is looking to take a break and control but Schlesien is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schlesien wants to control but Levangasti is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Schlesien wants to sweep but Levangasti has passed to side control!
Schlesien is looking for a sweep.
Levangasti lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Levangasti working the ground and pound.
Schlesien tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Levangasti wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Levangasti working the body and head with strikes.
Schlesien is trying to improve his position.
Schlesien is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Levangasti trying to control the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Levangasti prevents Schlesien from improving his position.
Levangasti trying to control from half guard but Schlesien is working away.
Schlesien slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Levangasti lands a couple of digs.
Levangasti won't allow Schlesien to sweep him here.
Schlesien seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Levangasti is stalling in the full guard.
Our spies down at at LA Fitness inform us that Schlesien has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Schlesien throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Schlesien looking for a guillotine here but Levangasti defends easily.

Schlesien looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Levangasti trying to control the position from guard on top but Schlesien is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Schlesien is trying to control the position but Levangasti postures up.
Levangasti works over Schlesien with some ground and pound from guard.
Glover Levangasti overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Levangasti missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Schlesien keeping moving, preventing Levangasti from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Schlesien changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
That kick from Schlesien tenderised Levangasti's leg. Levangasti is trying to keep his angry face on.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Schlesien missing with a left hand there. Levangasti was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Levangasti thuds his right hand into Schlesien's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Huber Schlesien has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Schlesien misses with a left hand

and Levangasti counters with a nice double leg into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Glover Levangasti showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Levangasti, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Glover Levangasti!
Glover Levangasti thanked the fans post fight for their support.