PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brock Lesner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rudi Schankelies (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Schankelies has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Lesner
vs
Schankelies

210 cm
18
270 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

201 cm
18
286 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Brock Lesner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rudi Schankelies!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick lands from Lesner that sends Schankelies to the canvas. Schankelies tries to scramble back to his feet but Lesner brings him back down into side control.

Schankelies is rocked!

It looks like Rudi Schankelies has been cut.
Lesner looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Lesner taking a break here but Schankelies is having none of it and regains half guard.
Schankelies is still in real trouble! Can Lesner finish him?
Schankelies trying to control from the bottom.

Schankelies looking for submissions off his back.
Schankelies seems to have recovered his senses.

Lesner decides to stand and escape the position.

Lesner fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Schankelies sprawls well initially but Lesner persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lesner trying to pass the guard but Schankelies defending well.
Schankelies is looking to control Lesner's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Schankelies avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lesner moves nicely into side control.
Schankelies can't do much from the bottom here.
Lesner happy to just control the position for now.

Lesner tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Schankelies tries to buck Lesner off but Lesner is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lesner working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Lesner trying to control the position but Schankelies is working away.
You can see the frustration on Schankelies's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Lesner wants to lay and pray for a moment but Schankelies keeps working.
Schankelies takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Schankelies is trying to control Lesner's posture but Lesner avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schankelies manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Lesner working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Schankelies's thigh. Schankelies counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Schankelies has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Lesner has passed into side control.
Schankelies is trying to control Lesner's posture but Lesner avoids it.

Lesner decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Schankelies looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Lesner!
Lesner tries to lock up and control but Schankelies gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Schankelies wants to control the pace but Lesner is squirming around nicely.
Lesner wants to control but Schankelies is having none of it.
Lesner blocking the ground and pound.
Schankelies controlling the position easily from mount.
Lesner is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brock Lesner dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rudi Schankelies's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Lesner has his takedown stuffed

and Schankelies counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Schankelies scoring with some ground and pound.
Schankelies trying to control the position from guard on top but Lesner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lesner is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Schankelies preventing the sweep.
Lesner is working hard here to advance position.
Lesner looking to control.
Schankelies tries to stand but Lesner is controlling from the bottom.
Lesner has control of Schankelies's left arm, preventing Schankelies from doing any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lesner is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lesner keeping full guard, as Schankelies tries to pass.
Lesner is trying to control the position but Schankelies postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Schankelies with a poor takedown
and Lesner counters with a head kick. That will keep Schankelies thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That has opened up Rudi Schankelies's cut even more.

Lesner moves into range and clinches up with Schankelies.

Schankelies is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Lesner can't fight it off and eventually Schankelies manages to take the fight to the floor. Lesner looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Lesner seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Schankelies showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lesner looking for a sweep. Not yet Lesner, not yet.
Lesner is pulling down on Schankelies's head. It's preventing any offense from Schankelies, at least for the moment.
Schankelies controlling from the top position.
Lesner has control of Schankelies's left arm, preventing Schankelies from doing any damage.
Lesner wants to sweep but no luck.
Lesner throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schankelies preventing the sweep.
Lesner striking off his back but it's not causing Schankelies any problems.
Lesner is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Schankelies preventing the sweep.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A big left from Schankelies misses.
Lesner tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Schankelies swivels and escapes.
Schankelies lands a front kick.

Schankelies looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Lesner is looking to get back to is feet but Schankelies passes into side control.
Schankelies advances to mount.
Lesner really wants to buck Schankelies off and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lesner is in all sorts of trouble here.
Lesner tries to hold on but Schankelies pushes him away.
Schankelies looking to control but Lesner is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Schankelies controlling from the full mount.
Lesner tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Lesner tries to hold on but Schankelies pushes him away.
Schankelies throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Lesner slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Schankelies tries to pass the half guard into mount. Lesner knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rudi Schankelies showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rudi Schankelies's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Schankelies gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Lesner counters with a nice double leg into side control. Schankelies won't be happy with that.
Schankelies tries to buck Lesner off but Lesner is having none of it.

Lesner tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Schankelies tries to improve position but can't.
Lesner wants to control but Schankelies is keeping him busy.

Lesner has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Schankelies defending well as Lesner loads up on a big left hand.
Lesner throws a leg kick which misses Schankelies's front leg but catches the back leg as Schankelies tries to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lesner moves into range and clinches up with Schankelies.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Lesner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Lesner gets caught flat footed, as Schankelies shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Brock Lesner overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Schankelies is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Schankelies throwing strikes but missing.

Schankelies is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Schankelies being controlled here momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Schankelies gets to his feet - Lesner follows without any prompting.
Schankelies doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Lesner counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Lesner takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Schankelies has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lesner is working away from the top position though.
Schankelies is looking to improve his position.
Lesner looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schankelies wants to improve his position but Lesner is controlling well.
Ground and pound from Lesner.
Lesner not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Schankelies slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Schankelies can't keep his opponent in guard - Lesner advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Lesner tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Lesner is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Lesner is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Schankelies!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lesner trying to control but Schankelies is having none of it.
Schankelies tries to lock up and control but Lesner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Lesner wants to control the pace but Schankelies is squirming around nicely.
Schankelies is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lesner throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Lesner with a couple of short strikes.
Lesner is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Schankelies tries to lock up and control but Lesner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brock Lesner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lesner 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brock Lesner!