PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Labayen Luceno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Mauler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Joe Mauler was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Luceno
vs
Mauler

191 cm
25
205 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

188 cm
20
215 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Labayen Luceno!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Mauler!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Jonathan Paton and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mauler has his takedown stuffed
and Luceno counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like Joe Mauler has been cut.
A big right from Luceno misses.
Joe Mauler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mauler doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Luceno counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Luceno trying to control the position from guard on top but Mauler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Luceno looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Luceno trying to control the position from guard on top but Mauler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luceno advances to half guard.
Mauler wants to control but Luceno is keeping busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Luceno tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Mauler.
Luceno is controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Labayen Luceno.

Mauler scores a takedown into full mount!
Luceno is wriggling around trying to escape.
Mauler moves to the back position.
Luceno covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Luceno breaks Mauler's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Mauler looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Luceno stands and throws Mauler's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luceno lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Mauler down.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Luceno decides to stand back up.
Luceno throws a hook but Mauler avoids it easily.

Mauler drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Mauler looks gassed!
Luceno wants to control but Mauler postures up.
Luceno tries to improve position but can't.
Luceno sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mauler is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Luceno has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mauler is working away from the top position though.
Luceno is concentrating on defense, preventing Mauler from advancing position.
Mauler throws a strike but Luceno avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Luceno looking for a sweep. Not yet Luceno, not yet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mauler working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Luceno keeping moving, preventing Mauler from controlling successfully.
Mauler 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.

Labayen Luceno dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Mauler's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Luceno has Mauler up against the cage in a clinch.
Mauler tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Luceno just stands there and leans against the cage.
Mauler tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Luceno smiles and moves away.

Luceno gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mauler jumps guard but Luceno stands there with Mauler around his waist. Mauler gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Labayen Luceno has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Mauler.
Mauler tries to pull guard but Luceno holds him up against the cage and eventually Mauler drops back down to his feet.
Mauler tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Luceno prevents the takedown attempt.
Stalling in the clinch from Luceno.
Mauler fails to pull guard.

Luceno jumps guard.
Luceno is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Luceno wants to sweep here but Mauler controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mauler trying to control but Luceno is working from the bottom.
Luceno pulls Mauler in to control the position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Luceno is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Luceno working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Mauler is trying to maintain the position but Luceno is very close to passing his half guard.
Luceno thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mauler's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luceno controlling the action here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mauler manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Mauler controls Luceno momentarily but Luceno frees himself.
Luceno content to stall in guard here.

Mauler is looking for a triangle here but Luceno uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Mauler is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Luceno thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Mauler is trying to get back to half guard.
Mauler struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Luceno scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Mauler to see if he's OK.
Mauler tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Luceno wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Luceno thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Mauler seems a little lost for a moment, as Luceno dominates the positioning.
Luceno seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Mauler for as long as he can get away with.

Luceno thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Labayen Luceno dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joe Mauler's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mauler fails with the takedown

and Luceno decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Mauler's guard.
Luceno is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Mauler really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Luceno. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Mauler can't keep his opponent in guard - Luceno advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luceno controlling the action here.

We're going to have a standup here because Labayen Luceno wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Luceno tries a head kick but it misses.
Mauler with a lazy takedown attempt

and Luceno moves into the clinch.
Luceno can't break the clinch.

Luceno pulls guard effortlessly.
Mauler postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mauler stopping the sweep attempt from Luceno.
Luceno seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Luceno lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Mauler!
Luceno can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mauler is looking to escape.

Luceno is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Mauler can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mauler is looking to get to half guard.
Mauler tries to hold on but Luceno pushes him away.
Mauler is trying to escape the mount.
Mauler takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Luceno controlling the position easily from mount.

Luceno working for a submission but Mauler is keeping him at bay.
Mauler takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Labayen Luceno clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Mauler's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Mauler gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Luceno counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Mauler's guard now.
Luceno scoring with punches to the head and body.
Luceno trying to control the position from guard on top but Mauler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mauler looking for a sweep. Not yet Mauler, not yet.
Luceno controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Mauler working for a triangle but Luceno defends it easily.
Luceno trying to control the position from guard on top but Mauler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mauler is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mauler has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Luceno can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Luceno engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Luceno trying to control but Mauler is working from the bottom.

That's two 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Labayen Luceno.
Mauler tries for a takedown but Luceno circles away easily

and Luceno counters with a takedown into side control.
Luceno staying calm.

Luceno has hold of Mauler's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Mauler seems comfortable defending it but Luceno has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Mauler is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Mauler is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Luceno couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:36 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Labayen Luceno!
Labayen Luceno is the new light heavyweight champion!