PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hitmon Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Azh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Azh is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Manu Militari - Voix De Fait. Hitmon Lee has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lee
vs
Azh

195 cm
24
222 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

190 cm
29
212 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 12 - 6 - 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 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andre Azh!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Azh pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lee swings away with a leg kick that misses.
No joy there for Lee, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Azh shoots for a takedown but Lee saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Azh looks to land a left hand but Lee moved out of range nicely.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lee. Azh does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lee lands a nice shot that snaps Azh's head back.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lee. Azh does a little dance to reset his feet.
Azh walks into a straight right hand from Lee.
Lee misses with the combination.

Azh manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Lee on his heels. He'll look to pass Lee's guard now, I'm sure.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Lee keeping full guard, as Azh tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Azh advances position into side control!
Lee sneaks back into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Azh is looking to advance position but Lee won't allow it.
Lee trying to control from the bottom.
Azh prevents Lee from improving his position.
Lee controlling the position well.
Azh is looking to take a break and control but Lee is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azh content to control rather than advance.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Azh shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lee manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Azh pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lee is keeping the position for now.
Lee looking to control.
Azh trying to control the position from guard on top but Lee is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Azh is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
This has been an exciting period of action!

OK we're going to have a standup here. Andre Azh hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Azh misses the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azh looks to score with a jab to the body but Lee is just out of range.
Lee ducks under a wild hook from Azh.
Azh pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lee stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lee wants it to stay on the feet.
A big left from Lee misses.
Azh has his takedown stuffed
and Lee counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Azh is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Hitmon Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andre Azh.
Azh misses with the combination.
Azh throws a low kick, looking for Lee's leg but Lee calmly moves out of range.
Lee ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Lee lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Lee misses the jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azh misses with a looping right.
Azh throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Azh keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lee dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lee throws a right hand that Azh ducks under and follows up with a left that Azh also avoids with ease.
Lee blocks a jab.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up but Azh swats him away and circles back towards the center.
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!
Azh lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Lee blocks a jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lee cracks Azh with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Azh is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lee.
Lee misses with a looping right.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Andre Azh will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lee steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Azh.
Azh throws a shot from downtown. Lee moves away and avoids it.
Lee thows a body shot but no joy.
Lee catches Azh with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
The fighters circling - Lee throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lee. Azh does a little dance to reset his feet.
Azh swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lee moves out of range of the leg kick from Azh.
Lee ducks under a wild hook from Azh.
Lee blocks a jab.
Azh looks to land a left hand but Lee moved out of range nicely.
Lee throws a half hearted mid kick.
Azh bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azh closes the distance and clinches up with Lee, looking for a takedown. Azh pushes Lee against the cage but Lee circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Lee gets the takedown into side control.
Lee trying to control the action but Azh is working from the bottom.
Lee lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Azh down.
Azh sneaks back into half guard.
Azh is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lee seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Lee trying to control from half guard but Azh is working away.
Lee content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azh trying to control from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
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!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Hitmon Lee.
Lee changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Azh tries to avoid it but Lee manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Azh to the ground. Azh escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lee keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Hitmon Lee is winning the standup battle so far.
Lee throws a wild body kick that Azh sees coming a mile off.
Lee smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Lee throws a good cross that connects.
Azh throws a leg kick but Lee checks it.
Azh throws the left hand but Lee avoids the punch easily.
Lee slips a straight right by Azh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azh scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
A clash of legs there as Azh blocks the low kick.
Azh shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lee sprawls well. Lee wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Azh gets slowly back to his feet.
Hitmon Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andre Azh.
Jab, jab by Lee - just one landing.
Azh lands a head shot.
Azh takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Lee connects with a leg kick. Azh looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Azh scores with a shot to the body.
Azh falls off balance throwing a combination
and Lee counters with a nice body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Azh gets a double leg takedown into Lee's guard.
Azh trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Azh is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Lee manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Azh manages to get himself to full guard.
Lee is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Lee loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lee wants to get up but he can't break Azh's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Lee is sitting in close to Azh's body. Azh has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Lee is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Lee is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Azh.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Andre Azh!
During a confident post fight interview, Andre Azh thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.