PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcin Najman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Le Bleu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Le Bleu told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Najman
vs
Le Bleu

182 cm
26
235 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

193 cm
29
271 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Marcin Najman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Le Bleu!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Le Bleu lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Le Bleu darts in and clinches Najman up against the cage.
Le Bleu stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Le Bleu fails to pull guard.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Le Bleu obliges.
Najman is breathing heavily.
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!
A bit of stalling here from Le Bleu.
Le Bleu drops down looking for an ankle pick but Najman pulls his leg out and moves away.
Najman circles away from the clinch attempt.
Le Bleu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Najman chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Le Bleu can pounce on him.
Najman swats away the attempt to clinch by Le Bleu.
Najman attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le Bleu wants to land a leg kick but Najman is out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Najman. No joy for Le Bleu on that attempt.
Marcin Najman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Le Bleu.
Le Bleu is looking to clinch.
Le Bleu takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Najman misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Najman swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Le Bleu lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Le Bleu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Najman misses with a body shot.

Le Bleu gets tackled into the cage by Najman. Najman maintains the clinch.
Le Bleu lands a knee to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Le Bleu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Najman gets tackled into the cage by Le Bleu. Le Bleu maintains the clinch.

Le Bleu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Najman throws a half hearted mid kick.
Najman avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Najman jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Najman tries to land a leg kick but Le Bleu saw it coming and moves away.
Some wild striking there from Najman.
Le Bleu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Najman.
Le Bleu fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Najman avoids it really well and circles away.
James Le Bleu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Le Bleu tries to clinch but Najman is having none of it.
Najman could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Le Bleu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Le Bleu moves away from the strike by Najman.
Le Bleu shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Najman as he avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Najman has taken the fight to the clinch.
Le Bleu wants a takedown.
Le Bleu is trying to pull guard but Najman turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Le Bleu lands a nice knee to the body.

Le Bleu jumps guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Najman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Najman throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Le Bleu is looking for a triangle but Najman pushes his legs off easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Le Bleu is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Najman might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Le Bleu keeping moving, preventing Najman from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Najman is looking to work some ground and pound but Le Bleu has wrist control.

Le Bleu had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Najman defends it easily.
Najman not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Najman working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Le Bleu is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Le Bleu has his foot on Najman's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Najman works his way back into a safe position though.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Najman trying to control the position from guard on top but Le Bleu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Najman throws an elbow that misses. Le Bleu uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Najman's guard. Nice move by Le Bleu!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Le Bleu dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A big left from Najman misses.
Najman tries to work over Le Bleu's front leg with a kick but Le Bleu checks it.
Le Bleu throws a head kick that misses.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Le Bleu - that will leave a mark!
Najman misses with a low kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Le Bleu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A swing and a miss from Najman.
Najman is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Le Bleu.
Le Bleu lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Najman throws a big shot that misses.

Le Bleu has taken the fight to the clinch.
Le Bleu tries to stall but Najman uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Le Bleu missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le Bleu is looking to break free of the clinch but Najman has double underhooks.
Najman prevents the takedown attempt.
Najman is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Le Bleu jumps guard.
Najman lands a couple of digs.
Najman scoring with punches to the head and body.
Najman controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Najman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Najman missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Najman trying to control the position from guard on top but Le Bleu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Le Bleu looking to control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Najman's corner is telling him to maintain position.

We're going to have a standup here because Marcin Najman wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Le Bleu walks into a straight right hand from Najman.
Najman throws a hook but Le Bleu blocks it.
Najman throws out a loose jab but Le Bleu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Najman's jab looks to have found its range, popping Le Bleu under the eye.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Le Bleu tries for a takedown but Najman sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Marcin Najman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Le Bleu.
Le Bleu moves out of range of the strikes.
Le Bleu moves in looking to clinch but Najman pushes him off.

Najman moves into the clinch.
James Le Bleu seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Najman wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Le Bleu jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Najman walks away with a smile on his face. Le Bleu gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Najman misses with a hook. Le Bleu ducked under it nicely.
Najman misses with a straight right.
Le Bleu tries to clinch up but Najman circles away and keeps his distance.
Le Bleu throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nice straight punches there by Najman. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Najman.
Le Bleu is looking to clinch but Najman is avoiding it.
Le Bleu tries a head kick but it misses.
Najman stuffs the takedown attempt from Le Bleu. Le Bleu gets slowly back to his feet.
Le Bleu is breathing heavily.
Najman lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Najman throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
James Le Bleu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Najman misses with a low kick.
Le Bleu shoots in for a double leg but Najman sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Najman tries to land a front kick but Le Bleu steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
A lazy left from Najman finds it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Najman avoids a kick to the body.
Le Bleu closes the distance and clinches up with Najman, looking for a takedown. Le Bleu pushes Najman against the cage but Najman circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Najman scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Najman fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Le Bleu tries a head kick but it misses.
Le Bleu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Najman swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Najman with a nice cross.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Najman throws a front kick aimed at Le Bleu's knee but Le Bleu avoids it well.
Najman will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Marcin Najman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Le Bleu walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Najman misses with a head kick.
Nice jab there from Najman.
Najman takes a head kick and keeps coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Marcin Najman will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Le Bleu shoots and misses
and Najman counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Le Bleu takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Nice takedown defense from Najman. No joy for Le Bleu on that attempt.
Najman avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Le Bleu 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.
Le Bleu tries a head kick but it misses.
A nice combination there by Najman.
Le Bleu throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
An inside leg kick from Najman misses.

Najman shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Le Bleu is trying to defend but Najman finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Le Bleu is trying to control but can't.
Najman takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Le Bleu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Najman is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Le Bleu reverses the position - he's now on top in Najman's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Najman managing to control the position.
Le Bleu passes Najman's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Najman is looking for a sweep. Le Bleu is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Le Bleu is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Le Bleu tries to pass the half guard into mount. Najman knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Najman punching from the bottom.
Le Bleu prevents Najman from improving his position.

Le Bleu is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Najman still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Najman has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Najman throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Le Bleu sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Le Bleu avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Najman.
Najman wants to take a breather but Le Bleu is having none of it.
Le Bleu trying to control from the bottom.
Najman working the head and body with strikes.

Najman decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Le Bleu shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Najman but Najman pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Marcin Najman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Le Bleu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Le Bleu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Le Bleu throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Le Bleu walks into a jab.
Le Bleu walks into a stiff left hand from Najman.

Najman drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Le Bleu utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Le Bleu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Najman throws a big right hand that misses.
Najman is working Le Bleu over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Najman's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Najman scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Le Bleu working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Najman.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcin Najman showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Najman has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!