PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hitmon Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liam Lasher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Lee
vs
Lasher

195 cm
19
223 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
212 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hitmon Lee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Liam Lasher!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Alexandre Firmino and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lasher shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lee but Lee pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Lasher shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Lee is trying to stand back up but Lasher is controlling him
Lasher is controlling the pace.

Lasher is looking for a kimura but Lee is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lasher to get the leverage.
Lee moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lee looking for a sweep. Not yet Lee, not yet.
Lee keeping full guard, as Lasher tries to pass.
Lasher trying to control but Lee is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee keeping full guard, as Lasher tries to pass.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Liam Lasher was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Lee scoring well with a low kick there.
Nice sprawl there from Lee as Lasher shoots in.
Lasher swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Lee misses with a few strikes there.
Lasher tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lee swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hitmon Lee seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lasher swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Lee counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lasher won't be happy with that.
Lasher regains half guard.
Lee working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lasher is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lee is thwarting Lasher's attempts to control the position.
Lee thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Lee trying to control the action but Lasher is working from the bottom.
Lee tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Lasher.
Lee will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Lasher controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Lasher is trying to maintain the position but Lee is very close to passing his half guard.
Lee sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Lasher defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lasher moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Lasher not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Liam Lasher has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Lee misses with a wild combination.
Lasher tries for a takedown but Lee circles away easily
and Lee counters with a left and a right that stings Lasher.
Hitmon Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liam Lasher.
Jab by Lee.
Lasher shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Lee makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Lee moves out of range of the leg kick from Lasher.
Lasher ducks right into an uppercut from Lee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee misses with a two punch combination.
Lee slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Lee scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Lasher shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Lee counters with a nice body shot.
Lasher looks gassed!

Lasher gets caught flat footed, as Lee shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Lee throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lee has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lee works over Lasher with some ground and pound from guard.
Lasher being controlled here, momentarily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lee throwing strikes but missing.
Lee postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hitmon Lee dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lasher slips a jab and a cross from Lee.
Lasher closes the distance but Lee moves to the side
and Lee counters with a left to the body.
Lee uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lasher.
Lasher tries for a takedown but Lee circles away easily
and Lee counters with a straight right hand.
Lee misses with a two punch combination.
Lee misses with a double jab.
Lasher with a poor takedown
and Lee counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Lee throws a series of punches but Lasher avoids them all with ease.
Lasher doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Lee to counter with a crisp jab.
Hitmon Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liam Lasher.
Lasher with a lazy takedown attempt
and Lee counters with a three punch combo that has Lasher backing up. Lasher nods at Lee to acknowledge the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lasher fails with the takedown
and Lasher takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lee is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Lasher is breathing heavily.
Nice shot lands for Lee.
Lasher has his takedown stuffed
and Lee counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lasher misses with a takedown attempt
and Lee connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lee throws out a leg kick but Lasher moves out of range and Lee only half commits.
Lasher on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Lasher misses with a takedown attempt
and Lee counters with a nice body shot.
Lee jabs Lasher right on the nose. Lasher blinks but takes it well.
Lee lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Lasher has his takedown stuffed
and Lee counters with an outside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee connects with a jab.
Liam Lasher is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lee scores with a hook to the body. Lasher takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Lasher takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Lee scores with a three punch combo!
Lee lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Lasher circles away quickly and effectively.
Lee lands with a nice body punch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lasher gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Lee counters with a left to the body.
Lasher walks into a left hand.
Lee tries to bum rush Lasher with a series of wild strikes but Lasher uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lee digs a good hook to Lasher's body.
Lee misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lasher's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Lee connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Lasher scrambles back to his feet.
Lee digs a good hook to Lasher's body.
Lee getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Lasher takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Lasher with a lazy takedown attempt
and Lee counters with a nice uppercut.
Lee takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Lasher has his takedown stuffed
and Lee counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Lee cracks Lasher with a good jab.
Lee lands with a hook. Lasher tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Lee paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lasher takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Lasher gets caught flat footed, as Lee shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Lee throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lee lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Lee wants to control from the top but Lasher keeps moving.
Lee wants to stand and escape but instead Lasher has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Lee is trying to control the position but Lasher postures up.
Lee wants to sweep here but Lasher controlling him for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Lasher drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lasher jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Lasher has gone for a leg lock! Lee slips out almost immediately though and dives into Lasher's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hitmon Lee dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Lasher throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Lee counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Lee throws a lazy right hand but Lasher sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Lasher slips a jab and a cross from Lee.
Lee is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Lasher misses with a takedown attempt
and Lee counters with a right hand to the body.
Lasher misses with a takedown attempt
and Lee counters with a right hand to the body.
Lasher throws a nice looking combination but Lee bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hitmon Lee is winning the standup battle so far.
Lee throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Lasher uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lee.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lasher shoots and misses
and Lee cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hitmon Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liam Lasher.
No joy there for Lee, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lasher closes the distance looking to clinch
and Lee counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lasher takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Lasher takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Lasher takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Lasher closes the distance looking to clinch
and Lee connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lee fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lee works Lasher's body with a nice hook.
Lee lands with a shot to the body.
Lee lands with a shot to the body.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Lee, as that shot connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Lasher darts in trying to clinch
and Lee counters with a two punch combo.
Lee scores with a hook to the body. Lasher takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Lasher throws a head kick that misses.
Lasher gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Lee lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Lasher has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Lasher with a poor takedown
letting Lee counter with a right hand.
Lasher with a lazy takedown attempt
and Lasher takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lee misses with a series of wild punches.
Lasher misses with a takedown
and Lee counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lasher closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Lee lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Lasher swings and misses with a shot to the body
enabling Lee to counter with a crisp jab.
Lee tests Lasher's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Lee wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Lasher takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Lasher avoids a punch combination nicely.

Lee shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lasher trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lasher sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Lee is nestled in close to Lasher, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Lee prevents Lasher from improving his position.
Lasher keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lasher wants to improve his position but Lee is controlling well.
Hitmon Lee is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Lasher is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Lee pulls his head out easily.
Lee is nestled in close to Lasher, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lee keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Liam Lasher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lee is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hitmon Lee showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lee 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:26
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hitmon Lee!