PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ezekiel Marley (ranked 1 p4p, 10 weight class) and Charon Lehto (ranked 1 p4p, 2 weight class). Marley's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, WANTED. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Marley
vs
Lehto

199 cm
26
265
22 - 3 - 0

201 cm
37
275
32 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

NARCOS
FF Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ezekiel Marley!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 32 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Charon Lehto!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Matheus Silva and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marley closes the distance looking to clinch
and Lehto counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Marley scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Lehto just misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marley moves in looking to clinch but Lehto pushes him off.
Lehto pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
A quick step to the side and Marley tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lehto sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marley throws a jab when Lehto was well out of range.
Marley lands a nice looking kick to the body. Lehto takes a step back to recover.
Lehto takes a jab right on the kisser.
Lehto looks to score with a jab to the body but Marley is just out of range.
Marley throws an off balance right hand
and Lehto counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Ezekiel Marley has been cut.
Marley connects with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marley darts in trying to clinch
and Lehto counters with a right hand to the body.
Lehto throws the kick towards the body but Marley avoids it.
A big right from Marley misses.
A little jabbing left from Lehto on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Lehto checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Marley lands with a straight right. Lehto didn't see that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marley feints and then cracks Lehto's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Lehto down.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Marley tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lehto manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lehto walks into a stiff left hand from Marley.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lehto. Marley does a little dance to reset his feet.
Marley thinks about countering with a body kick.
Marley fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Lehto on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Marley misses with a straight right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marley misses with a shot to the body
and Lehto counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Marley thinking.
Marley slips a straight right by Lehto.
Lehto throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Lehto is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Marley rather than just go for the knockout.
Lehto throws a sloppy body shot
and Marley finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Marley avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
It looked like Marley wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
We've been told by Marley's head coaches at Convicted Fight Club that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lehto misses with a looping right.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ezekiel Marley dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ezekiel Marley's cut.
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 thudding body kick lands there by Marley!
Marley lands a nice looking body kick.
Marley is looking to clinch but Lehto is avoiding it.
Lehto throws out a counter right but Marley avoids it with no problem.
A slow jab from Marley misses its intended target.
Lehto doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Marley lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lehto looks to score with a jab to the body but Marley is just out of range.
Marley fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marley scores with a crisp jab that stopped Lehto in his tracks.
A left lands for Marley.
Lehto swings widly with a right hand
and Marley counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A shot to the body from Lehto misses
and Marley makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Marley misses with a body kick.
Lehto appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Lehto staying out of range there.
Marley swings widly with a right hand
and Lehto counters with an inside leg kick.
Ezekiel Marley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slapping body kick lands there for Marley.
Lehto slips under a jab.
Lehto is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Marley lands a nice leg kick that just misses Lehto's sensitive parts.
Lehto swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Marley counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Marley connects with a body shot that sends Lehto's belly button to the back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lehto misses the shot to the body.
Marley fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marley with a nice calf kick.
Marley scores with a spinning back kick!
Marley misses with a kick to the body
and Lehto counters with a straight right hand.
Lehto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A punch lands to the side of Lehto 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Marley bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Marley is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lehto can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lehto moves away from the strike by Marley.
Lehto misses with a body punch
and Marley cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Marley lands a glancing blow to the side of Lehto's head.
Marley throws a hook to the side of Lehto's head but Lehto sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Lehto walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lehto tries to land a body kick
enabling Marley to counter with a crisp jab.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Lehto in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Marley connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ezekiel Marley dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ezekiel Marley's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Marley is looking to clinch.
A combination from Lehto does no damage.
Marley swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Marley connects with a single shot there.
Lehto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Marley manages to avoid it.
Marley tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marley keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lehto swings for the body but Marley moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marley misses with the body kick
and Lehto counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Lehto needs to keep his hands up - Marley had a free shot at his head there.
Marley moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Lehto misses with a wild body shot.
Lehto takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Lehto throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Lehto might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Marley has got the better of the exchanges.
Marley throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lehto on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Marley fakes the leg kick and cracks Lehto in the body.
Marley lands a nice hook to Lehto's body. Lehto takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Lehto gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Marley.
Marley misses with a hook
and Lehto counters with a nice body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Marley misses with a body shot.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Lehto! But no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marley lunges at Lehto with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Lehto's hand.
Marley tries to clinch but Lehto is having none of it.
Lehto throws a counter combo.
Marley lands a jab to the head.
Lehto takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Marley gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Marley misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Lehto counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Lehto needs to keep his hands up - Marley had a free shot at his head there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Marley rushes Lehto and presses him up against the cage.
Marley throws a head punch that misses.
Marley misses with a short punch on the inside.
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!
Lehto misses with a body punch.
Lehto has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Marley.
Marley misses with a body punch.
Still in the clinch, Marley scores with a nice short uppercut.
Lehto blocks an uppercut.
Lehto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Marley avoids it.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Marley creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Marley struggles to land a body shot inside as Lehto controls his hands.
Marley misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lehto.
Marley misses with a hook to the ribs.

Lehto's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Marley's corner calls for a 1-2. Marley obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ezekiel Marley clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Ezekiel Marley's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Marley tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Lehto counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Marley throws a poor cross that misses
and Lehto counters with a three punch combo that has Marley backing up. Marley nods at Lehto to acknowledge the strikes.
Marley throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Lehto on the side of the head.
Lehto is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Lehto has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Marley lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lehto defending well as Marley loads up on a big left hand.
A little jabbing left from Lehto on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Marley moves forwards but Lehto connects with a nice, crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Lehto misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Marley misses the target.
Marley darts in trying to clinch
and Lehto counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Marley thinking.
Marley with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Lehto avoids the body shot from Marley.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lehto moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Marley slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Marley throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Lehto counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A leg kick checked by Lehto.
Lehto looks to land a right hand but Marley moved out of range.
Marley avoids the body shot from Lehto.
Marley was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Marley.
Lehto throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A decent looking cross lands there for Marley.
Marley throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Lehto replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Marley blocks it well.
Marley delivers a nice body kick.
Marley thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Lehto if he has to take too many more of those.
Lehto is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
A low kick lands for Marley.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Marley rushes Lehto and presses him up against the cage.
Lehto working hard to break the clinch.
Lehto is looking to break free of the clinch but Marley has double underhooks.
Marley works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Marley presses Lehto against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Marley lands a body shot.
Marley scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Marley throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Nice body punch from Marley.
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!
Marley misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lehto.
Nice body punch from Marley.
Marley working Lehto over with knees to the body.
Marley lands a hook that snaps the head of Lehto backwards.
Marley lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Lehto.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ezekiel Marley had his way with Charon Lehto in that round.
The cut man is working on Ezekiel Marley's cut.
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!

Marley scores with a crisp jab that stopped Lehto in his tracks.
Charon Lehto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A lazy body kick from Marley
and Lehto counters with a nice uppercut.
Marley misses with an uppercut. Lehto saw that one coming.
Nice body kick from Marley.
Marley throws a lazy right hand but Lehto sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marley fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Marley with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lehto misses with a left hand
and Marley counters with a left to the body.
Marley throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Marley takes the fight into the clinch.
Marley is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Lehto is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
A shot in the inside from Marley.
Marley tries to work over Lehto's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Lehto.
Lehto's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Marley lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Lehto or not.
Marley unloads a knee to the mid-section. Lehto lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marley lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A shot in the inside from Marley.
Lehto takes a shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Marley lands a left hand that snaps the head of Lehto backwards.
Marley landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Marley lands a shoulder strike.
Marley using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Marley lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lehto backwards.
Marley lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Marley digs a right hand underneath Lehto's ribcage. Lehto let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Marley tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Lehto pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lehto takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Both fighters circling a little - Marley finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Marley throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Marley - that will leave a mark!
Marley lands a nice shot to the body.
Marley thuds his right hand into Lehto's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Marley closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Lehto prevents a body shot from Marley.
Lehto misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Lehto blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Marley goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lehto putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Marley in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Lehto works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Lehto tries to throw a body punch but Marley avoids it by throwing Lehto back against the cage.
Lehto tries to land knees in the clinch but Marley avoids the damage to the body.
Lehto lands a shoulder strike.
Marley tries to land knees in the clinch but Lehto avoids the damage to the body.
Marley tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Lehto tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Marley lands with a left to the head.
Marley throws a punch but it's blocked by Lehto.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head punch on the inside from Marley fails to land.

Lehto pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Marley wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Marley delivers a nice body kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ezekiel Marley showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Marley 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 50:45
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 50:45
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 50:45

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ezekiel Marley!
Ezekiel Marley retains his heavyweight title!
A relieved looking Ezekiel Marley thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.