PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chance Taken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobby Leshley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leshley has chosen I am the Dominator as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taken
vs
Leshley

191 cm
19
270 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

190 cm
21
261 lbs
4 - 2 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Hellbent, Inc.

Canadian Fighter Clothing

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chance Taken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 1, fighting out of New York, Bobby Leshley!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Jonathan Paton and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taken tries for a takedown but Leshley sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Leshley throws a sloppy head kick and Taken moves out of range easily.
Leshley throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Leshley throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Leshley throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Taken stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Leshley throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Taken uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Leshley.
Leshley looks to land a right hand but Taken moved out of range.
Taken avoids the body shot from Leshley.
Leshley throws a right and a left that Taken avoids nicely.
Taken looks to throw the jab but Leshley is out of range.
Nice defenses there by Taken.
Leshley jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Leshley swings for the body but Taken moves out of range.
Leshley throws out a loose jab but Taken uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bobby Leshley is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taken moves out of range as Leshley strikes.
Leshley throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Leshley blocks a low kick nicely.
Leshley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Taken.
Leshley misses with a two punch combination.
Leshley throws a jab when Taken was well out of range.
Taken is looking to clinch.
Leshley misses with a body shot.

Taken darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Taken seems content to control.
Taken is trying to control. Leshley wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leshley is trying to stand.

Taken is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Leshley doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Taken.
Taken throwing shots but Leshley is blocking nicely.
Taken missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nice strikes from Taken there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Leshley pushes Taken off looking to stand but Taken dives back in and keeps control.
Taken takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Taken is looking for a kimura here.

Taken is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Leshley has managed to free his arm - good work.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Leshley can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leshley keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Taken not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Taken is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Leshley manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Taken is breathing heavily.
Taken avoids the head kick by Leshley.
Leshley just misses with a punch to the body.
Taken throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Taken slips under a jab from Leshley.
Taken takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Leshley.
Taken showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Leshley.
Taken keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Leshley.

Taken shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Taken has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Leshley pushes Taken off and scrambles back to his feet.
Bobby Leshley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A punch combination from Leshley misses.
Taken slips a jab and a cross from Leshley.
Taken connects with a good right hand that stumbles Leshley. Leshley circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Leshley 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.

That was a close round but I would say that Chance Taken will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Leshley throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Danga de danga de dang - Taken scores with a four punch combination!
Leshley misses with a combination

and Taken counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Leshley is looking to escape.

Leshley pushes Taken off and gets back to his feet.
Leshley throws a left and a right that both miss
and Taken counters with a nice uppercut.
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!
Leshley throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Taken counter with a right hand.
A shot to de liver by Taken. Beautiful body shot.
Leshley is breathing heavily.
Taken fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Leshley.
Taken throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A nice inside leg kick there by Taken. That's going to slow Leshley down.

Taken drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taken throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Leshley works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Taken keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Leshley's head.
Taken showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Leshley utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Leshley manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Leshley misses with a shot to the body
and Taken counters with a straight right hand.
Leshley misses with a jab to the body
and Taken counters with a slapping leg kick.
Taken scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Leshley looks to land a left hand but Taken moved out of range nicely.

Taken decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Taken scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taken scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Taken trying to control from half guard but Leshley is working away.
Taken throwing shots but Leshley is blocking nicely.
Taken winds up and cracks Leshley with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Taken is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Taken scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Leshley pushes Taken off looking to stand but Taken dives back in and keeps control.
Taken wants to lay and pray for a moment but Leshley keeps working.
Taken wants to pass the guard but Leshley is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taken working Leshley over with strikes.
Leshley pushes Taken off but Taken dives into side control.
Leshley avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Taken.

Taken is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Leshley has escaped the position, nice work there.
Leshley is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Taken creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Leshley sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Taken wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Leshley, who protects the arm well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taken lands a nice forearm strike.
Leshley is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Taken has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Sloppy strikes there by Taken.
Leshley dodges the ground and pound from Taken.
Leshley wants to get back to his feet.
Taken misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Taken prevents Leshley from escaping the position.
Leshley really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Taken. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taken scores with punches from side control.
Leshley wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Taken uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Leshley.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chance Taken dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Leshley takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Leshley misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Taken counters with a straight right hand.
Taken waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Leshley.
Chance Taken is winning the standup battle so far.
Taken avoids the body shot from Leshley.
Leshley misses with a jab to the body
and Taken cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Leshley throws a sloppy body shot
and Taken counters with a nice leg kick.
Taken showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Leshley.
Leshley tries to bum rush Taken with a series of wild strikes but Taken uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Leshley misses with a combination

and Taken counters with a single leg into guard. Leshley didn't expect that.
Leshley wants to get back to his feet but Taken is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taken is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Leshley takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Taken scoring with punches to the head and body.
Taken trying to control the position from guard on top but Leshley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Leshley wants to stand and escape but Taken is having none of it.
Taken scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Leshley keeping moving, preventing Taken from controlling successfully.
Taken is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Taken working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Taken wants to control from the top but Leshley keeps moving.
Taken chips away with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taken wants to control from the top but Leshley keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Leshley pushes Taken off and gets back to his feet.
Leshley throws a sloppy head kick

and Taken counters by moving into the clinch.
Taken is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Leshley is keeping busy.
Taken keeps control of Leshley as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Taken breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A jab from Leshley misses.
Jab, jab by Leshley - just one landing.
Leshley misses with a jab to the body
and Taken counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Taken shoots for a double leg takedown but Leshley sprawls well. He's pushed Taken's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Leshley throws a sloppy head kick and Taken moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taken scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Leshley avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Taken.
Leshley wants to get back to his feet.
Leshley is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Leshley is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Taken scores with a couple of nice shots.
Leshley is looking to escape.
Taken wants to lay and pray for a moment but Leshley keeps working.
Leshley wants to get back to his feet.
Taken winds up and cracks Leshley with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Chance Taken is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Leshley misses with a head kick.
Taken feints and then cracks Leshley's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Leshley down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taken scores with a jab to the head.
Bobby Leshley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Leshley throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Taken throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Leshley on the side of the head.
Leshley throws a lazy head kick

and Taken counters with a single leg into guard. Leshley didn't expect that.
Taken lands a couple of digs.
Taken wants to control from the top but Leshley keeps moving.

Taken gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taken looks to land a body kick but Leshley moved away.
Taken tries to clinch but Leshley moves out of range.
Taken is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Leshley can do to turn this around?
Leshley misses with a hook. Taken ducked under it nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chance Taken showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Taken 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:26
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chance Taken!