PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between John Conner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Levan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Conner had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Conner
vs
Levan

177 cm
25
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
170 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Conner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Josh Levan!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Levan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Levan looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Levan moves into range and clinches up with Conner.

Conner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Conner tries to clinch up but Levan circles away and keeps his distance.
A head kick misses from Levan.
Conner shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Levan counters with a straight right hand.
Levan dives in for a single leg takedown but Conner sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Levan tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Conner just stands there and leans against the cage.
John Conner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Levan.
Levan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Conner breaks the clinch.

Levan closes the distance and pushes Conner back into the cage.

Levan manages to break the clinch.
Conner displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Levan throws out the jab.
Levan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Conner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Levan takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conner lands a nice hook to Levan's body. Levan takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Nice takedown defense from Levan. No joy for Conner on that attempt.
Conner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Conner fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Levan looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Conner tries to score a power double leg takedown but Levan sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Conner somewhat.

Levan gets a double leg takedown into Conner's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Levan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Levan postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Levan wants to control from the top but Conner keeps moving.

Levan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Levan wants to control from the top but Conner keeps moving.
Levan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Conner works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Levan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Conner utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Levan working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Conner's head.

Conner working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Levan has passed into half guard!
Levan is thwarting Conner's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Levan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Levan moves nicely into side control.

Levan stands up.
Levan misses with a takedown attempt
and Conner finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Levan shoots in looking for a takedown but Conner manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Levan's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Levan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Levan looks winded!
Conner moves out of range of the body kick from Levan.
Conner fails with an attempt to clinch.
Levan throws a hook to the side of Conner's head but Conner sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nice sprawl there from Conner as Levan shoots in.
Levan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A solid leg kick lands there for Conner.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conner fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Levan throws the kick towards the body but Conner avoids it.

Conner has closed the distance and engaged Levan in a clinch.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Levan wants a takedown.
Levan wants a takedown but no success here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Conner creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Levan's defenses.

Conner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Levan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Conner closes the distance and clinches up with Levan, looking for a takedown. Conner pushes Levan against the cage but Levan circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Conner lands a head kick. Levan smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Conner is looking to clinch but Levan is avoiding it.
Levan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Conner as he avoids it easily.
Levan throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Levan dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Levan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Conner counters with a nice body kick.
Levan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Conner swats him away and circles back towards the center.
An inside leg kick lands from Conner.
Conner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Levan dives in and grabs Conner's left leg, looking for a takedown. Conner pushes down on Levan's head and hops out.
Conner lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Conner is looking to clinch but Levan is avoiding it.
Levan misses with a straight right.
Levan takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Conner moves in looking to clinch but Levan pushes him off.
Levan misses with a takedown attempt

and Conner counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Levan is refusing to be controlled, as Conner sits in half guard.
Levan is breathing heavily.
Conner tries to stand but can't do so whilst Levan controls his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Levan kicks off Conner and gets to his feet.
Conner wants to clinch

and Levan counters by moving into the clinch.

Conner pulls guard successfully.

Levan gets to his feet - Conner follows without any prompting.
Conner stuffs the takedown attempt from Levan. Levan gets slowly back to his feet.
John Conner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Levan.
Levan misses with a combination

and Conner holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Conner.

Conner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Conner has Levan up against the cage in a clinch.
Conner looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Levan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Conner has a takedown stuffed.

Conner drives through with a takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Levan looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Conner has picked Levan up and slammed him! Levan can't keep hold of the triangle and Conner manages to pass to side control!
Levan is trying to get back to half guard.
Conner lands some shots froms side control.

Conner decides to stand back up.
Levan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Conner as he avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conner throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Levan.
Levan has his takedown stuffed

and Conner counters with a nice double leg into side control. Levan won't be happy with that.
John Conner overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
You can see the frustration on Levan's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Conner wants to control but Levan is keeping him busy.
Levan is looking for a sweep.
Conner cracks Levan with a big right hand but Levan just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Conner decides to stand back up.

Levan shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Conner napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Levan working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Levan throws a strike aimed at the side of Conner's head but Conner avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Levan working the strikes but Conner uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Conner gets back to full guard.

Levan decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Conner, up you get!
Levan sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Conner wants to clinch

and Levan counters by clinching up.
The referee is keeping an eye on Levan - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Conner has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Levan drops down looking for an ankle pick but Conner pulls his leg out and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Conner cracks the inside of Levan's front leg.
Levan keeps the fight on the outside.
Conner moves in looking to clinch but Levan pushes him off.
Levan misses with a wild combination.

Conner gets a clinch.
Levan lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Conner backwards.

Conner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Levan misses with a jab, cross combination.
Levan throws a front kick that sends Conner stumbling back into the cage.
John Conner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Levan displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Conner.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Conner has Levan up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Levan goes for a takedown in the clinch but Conner prevents it.
Conner is trying to break the clinch but Levan has him pressed against the cage.
Levan jumps guard but Conner turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Levan lands a takedown into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Levan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Conner is looking to stand up but Levan isn't so interested in that idea.
Levan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Levan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Levan wants to control from the top but Conner keeps moving.
Levan distracts Conner with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Levan stands up from Conner's guard - Levan perhaps looking for a knockout.
Levan blocks a head kick by Conner.
Conner closes this distance looking for a takedown but Levan circles away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Levan throws a sloppy head kick

and Conner counters with a single leg into guard. Levan didn't expect that.
Conner trying to stand up but can't free himself from Levan's guard.
Levan wants to stand and escape but Conner is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conner with a flurry of punches that miss.
Conner throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Levan works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Conner trying to control but Levan is working from the bottom.

Levan is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Conner frees his head nicely. Oh but Levan has switched to an armbar! Conner is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Josh Levan!