PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Manny Barry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Leben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Barry
vs
Leben

188 cm
18
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Manny Barry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chris Leben!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Daniel Franklin and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leben will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Barry shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Leben but Leben pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Leben has managed to clinch.

Leben breaks from the clinch.
Barry shoots in for a takedown but Leben shows good takedown defense.
Leben fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Leben tries to clinch but Barry moves out of range.
Leben dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Barry. That did some damage!
Leben blocks a head kick by Barry.
Barry doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Leben moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Manny Barry. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Barry drops down looking for an ankle pick but Leben pulls his leg out and moves away.
Leben tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leben moves in looking to clinch but Barry pushes him off.
Leben moves in looking to clinch but Barry pushes him off.
Leben tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Barry tries for a takedown but Leben sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Barry shoots in for a takedown but Leben shows good takedown defense.
Barry gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Leben counter with a right hand.
Leben tries to clinch up.
Leben wants to clinch up but Barry keeps it at a distance.
Barry tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Leben swivels and escapes.
Leben shoots and misses

and Barry counters with a nice double leg into side control. Leben won't be happy with that.
Barry is breathing heavily.

Barry working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Leben struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barry wants to control but Leben is keeping him busy.
Leben struggling a bit here.
Barry is looking to take a break and control but Leben is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Barry working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Leben really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Barry. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Leben tries to get back to half guard but can't.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Leben tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Barry counters with a single leg into guard. Leben didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leben manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Barry can't escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Leben controlling from mount.
Barry wants to hold on but Leben pushes him away.
Leben content just to control the position here.
Leben prevents Barry from getting the reversal.
Leben takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

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.
Barry really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Leben controlling from mount.
Leben looking to control but Barry is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Leben might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Barry kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Barry is trying desperately to improve position.
Barry is working hard here to advance position.
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 Manny Barry will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Barry has his takedown stuffed
and Leben counters with a good low kick that Barry was not able to check.
Barry avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Barry gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Leben counters with a nice body kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Leben looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Leben fails in his attempt to clinch.
Barry lands a nice hook to Leben's body. Leben takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Leben stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Manny Barry. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Barry feints and as Leben raises his hands in defense, Barry changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Barry drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Barry jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Barry slips nicely into half guard.
Barry tries to stand and escape but Leben is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leben regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Barry.
Leben is breathing heavily.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Leben holds on and takes a little breather.
Leben avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Barry trying to control but Leben is working from the bottom.
Barry lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Leben utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Barry stands up and waves to Leben to follow him.
Barry looks for a takedown but Leben sprawls well.

Barry looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leben controls Barry momentarily but Barry frees himself.

Barry is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Leben controlling Barry's posture.
Leben wants to sweep here but Barry controlling him for the moment.

Leben throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Leben is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leben trying to keep a closed guard but Barry is proving a slippery customer.
Leben seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Leben is trying to control the position but Barry postures up.
Barry tries to free his leg and advance position but Leben is retaining full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Leben is on top in guard.
Leben not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Leben trying to control but Barry is working from the bottom.

Barry throws his legs up looking for a submission but Leben uses it to pass to side control.

Leben decides to stand back up. Leben steps back and let's Barry get back to his feet.

Barry gets a takedown into half guard.
Barry working Leben over with strikes.

Leben is defending against the submission attempts here by Barry.
Leben is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Barry wants to free his trapped foot but Leben is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Barry dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Leben misses with a head kick.
Leben closes the distance but Barry moves to the side

and Barry counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barry sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Leben defending well though.
Leben has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Barry is working away from the top position though.

Barry is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Leben has managed to free his arm - good work.
Leben wants to control but Barry is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Despite being in the dominant position, Chris Leben just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Leben darts in trying to clinch

and Barry counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barry pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Leben is keeping the position for now.
Barry preventing the sweep.
Leben takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Leben is looking for a triangle but Barry pushes his legs off easily.
Leben keeping full guard, as Barry tries to pass.
Manny Barry overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Barry is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Barry gets to his feet - Leben follows without any prompting.
Leben wants to clinch but Barry slips to the side

and Barry counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Leben!
Barry wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

Barry is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Leben has managed to escape the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barry looking to control but Leben is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Barry jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Leben manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Leben is not content to let Barry control the position.

Barry tries for a kimura but Leben is defending well.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Barry working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Leben wants to control but Barry postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Barry wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Leben, who protects the arm well.
Leben can't do much from the bottom here.
Barry wants to lay and pray for a moment but Leben keeps working.
Barry has knee on belly momentarily but Leben bucks him off and regains half guard.

Barry looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Barry passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Leben defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Barry.
Barry throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Leben tries to hold on but Barry postures up.

Barry wants to finish this one by submission but Leben is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Barry.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barry tries to control but Leben wriggling away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Manny Barry showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Barry, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manny Barry!