PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paul Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tiagong Akyat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Lee
vs
Akyat

180 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Paul Lee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tiagong Akyat!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Akyat looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Akyat circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lee tries to clinch up but Akyat circles away and keeps his distance.
Lee tries to clinch but Akyat moves out of range.
Akyat circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lee doesn't manage to clinch there - Akyat circles away.

Lee closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lee tries to land knees in the clinch but Akyat avoids the damage to the body.
Lee tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Akyat avoids it.
Lee manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Akyat has Lee pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lee manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akyat is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lee gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Paul Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tiagong Akyat.
Akyat is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lee gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Akyat drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Lee gets the underhooks and prevents it.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Lee gets underhooks to prevent Akyat's takedown attempt.
Akyat wants a takedown but no success here.
Lee has Akyat pressed against the cage.
Lee is pressed up against the cage. Akyat has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lee down to the mat. Lee avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Akyat paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Akyat paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Akyat swats away the attempt to clinch by Lee.

Lee gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Lee just leaning against Akyat, taking a breather.
Lee prevents a takedown attempt there.
Lee tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Akyat's elbow.
Akyat tries for a takedown. No joy.
Akyat blocks an uppercut.
Lee prevents a takedown attempt there.
Lee tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee can't find room to land a body shot as Akyat controls the action.
Akyat blocks a body shot from Lee.
Lee throws a head punch that misses.
Lee will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Akyat up against the cage.
Akyat changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Lee fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Lee is looking to clinch but Akyat is avoiding it.
Akyat looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lee is fending him off so far but Akyat persists. Nope, Lee circles away and we're back to standing.
Lee fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up but Akyat swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Lee darts in and clinches Akyat up against the cage.
Lee stalling.
Lee gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Akyat.
Lee misses with the head strike.
Lee missing with knees to the body.
Lee slows down the pace here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lee throws a knee to the head but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Lee dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up but Akyat swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lee tries to clinch up but Akyat circles away and keeps his distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lee misses with a punch to the body.
Akyat is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lee gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Akyat drops down looking for an ankle pick but Lee pulls his leg out and moves away.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up but Akyat swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Paul Lee is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lee instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Lee misses with some punches.
Lee leaning his opponent against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Lee throws an elbow but misses.
Lee goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Lee prevents the takedown attempt.
Paul Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tiagong Akyat.
Lee pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Akyat goes for a takedown in the clinch but Lee prevents it.
Akyat tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Akyat drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Lee gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Lee tries a knee to the head but Akyat blocks it.
Lee has Akyat pressed against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Lee for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Lee prevents the takedown attempt.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Lee takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Akyat blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Akyat on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Lee tries to land knees in the clinch but Akyat avoids the damage to the body.
Lee tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Akyat's elbow.
Lee controlling the action here for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akyat is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Lee prevents a takedown attempt there.
Akyat is breathing heavily.
Akyat blocks a punch to the side of the head.
The referee is keeping an eye on Lee - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Lee prevents a takedown attempt there.
The referee is keeping an eye on Lee - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Akyat blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Akyat drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Lee gets the underhooks and prevents it.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Lee just misses with a elbow thrown towards Akyat's brow.

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.
Akyat is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lee gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Akyat goes for a takedown in the clinch but Lee prevents it.
Lee pressing his opponent against the cage.
Lee misses with an elbow strike.
Lee is pressed up against the cage. Akyat has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lee down to the mat. Lee avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Lee tries to clinch there but Akyat circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lee pressing his opponent against the cage.
Lee gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Lee dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Lee tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lee moves in looking to clinch but Akyat pushes him off.
Lee tries to clinch but Akyat is having none of it.
Lee tries to clinch but Akyat is having none of it.

Akyat tries to keep at a distance but Lee has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akyat tries for a takedown but Lee manages to get underhooks.
Lee stalling against the cage.
Lee lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akyat drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lee is pushing Akyat up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Lee misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Akyat.
Lee stalling against the cage.
Lee prevents a takedown attempt there.
Paul Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tiagong Akyat.
With the fighters up against the cage, Lee throws an elbow but misses.
Lee tries to work over Akyat's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Knees to the body from Lee.
Akyat has Lee pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lee manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Akyat takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stalling in the clinch from Lee.

That's two 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.
Lee misses with an elbow over the top.
Lee missing with knees to the body.
Akyat drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Lee gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Lee stops a takedown attempt from Akyat.
Lee is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Akyat is defending well for now.
Lee is pressed up against the cage. Akyat has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lee down to the mat. Lee avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Lee is looking to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lee looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lee tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch but Akyat swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lee fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lee looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Lee takes the fight into the clinch.
Akyat wants a takedown.
Lee pushes off an throws an elbow but Akyat leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Akyat looking for a takedown.
Lee gets underhooks to prevent Akyat's takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
The referee is keeping an eye on Lee - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Lee goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Lee stalling.
Lee missing with knees to the body.
Lee prevents a takedown attempt there.
Lee tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Lee struggles to land a body shot inside as Akyat controls his hands.
Akyat is trying to drag Lee to the mat but Lee just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Akyat goes for a takedown attempt but Lee pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Lee showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lee 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Lee!