PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Asamoah Mensah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cung Le (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mensah comes to the cage accompanied by Blue Moon. Cung Le 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!

Mensah
vs
Le

188 cm
23
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
179 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Asamoah Mensah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cung Le!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Le plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Mensah throws a sloppy head kick and Le moves out of range easily.
Mensah throws a wild body kick that Le sees coming a mile off.
Le throws a sloppy head kick
and Mensah counters with a left and a right that stings Le.
Le misses with a head kick.
Le tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mensah paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mensah misses with the combination.
Mensah throws a head kick but Le moves out of range.
Le throws a predictable looking body shot
and Mensah counters with a head kick. That will keep Le thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
A head kick by Le misses
and Mensah counters with a straight right hand.
Mensah scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Le doesn't seem bothered though.
Mensah throws a head kick but Le moves out of range.
Le throws a sloppy head kick
and Mensah counters with a nice body kick.
Le ducks under a wild hook from Mensah.
Le misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Mensah counters with a left to the body.
Mensah throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mensah lands with a nice combination. Le backs away looking to recover.
Le feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Mensah's calf.
Le throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Mensah.
Le tries to clinch but Mensah moves out of range.
Mensah misses with a series of wild punches.
Crunch! Mensah slams his shin into Le's torso.
Le lands a head kick!
Mensah uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Le.
A head kick by Le misses
and Mensah counters with a good, hard body kick but Le shrugs it off.
Le swings away with a body shot that misses
and Mensah counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Nice body kick there by Mensah.
Le throws a lazy head kick
and Mensah counters with a head kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Le misses with a hook to the body
and Le takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Le is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Mensah rather than just go for the knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mensah scores with a push kick.
A punch combination from Mensah misses.
Le throws a head kick but Mensah moves out of range.
Le with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Le throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mensah's head.
A head kick misses from Le.
Le wants to clinch up but Mensah keeps it at a distance.
A head kick by Le misses
and Mensah counters with a nice kick to the body.
Le misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Le throws a head kick that Mensah semi-blocks.
Le lands a head kick. Mensah smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Le blocks a jab.
Le tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mensah throws a push kick but Le slaps the foot to one side.
Le throws a sloppy head kick
and Mensah counters with a series of strikes. Le will be more careful next time no doubt.
Mensah thows a body kick. Le tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Le feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Mensah's calf.
Le doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Mensah counters with a three punch combo that has Le backing up. Le nods at Mensah to acknowledge the strikes.
Le throws a head kick that misses
and Mensah counters with a head kick. That will keep Le thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Mensah scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Le throws a head kick that misses
and Mensah counters with a two punch combo.
Mensah is breathing heavily.
Le wants to clinch but Mensah slips to the side
and Mensah counters with a big head kick but Le shrugs it off.
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!
Mensah throws a nice looking combination but Le bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Le is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Le has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Mensah.
Le swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Mensah cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mensah pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Le is looking to clinch.
Le wants to clinch but Mensah slips to the side
and Mensah counters with a body kick that stops Le in his tracks momentarily.
Mensah circles away from the clinch attempt.

Le gets a clinch.

Le breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mensah tries to bum rush Le with a series of wild strikes but Le uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Le darts in trying to clinch
and Mensah counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Le throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mensah's head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Le tries to clinch up.
Le cracks the inside of Mensah's front leg.
Le tries to clinch up.
Le wants to clinch up but Mensah keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Asamoah Mensah dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Le lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Le throws a sloppy head kick
and Mensah counters with a two punch combo.

Le forces Mensah back against the cage and clinches.
Mensah has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Mensah blocks the elbow strike.
Le tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Le with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mensah can't get the takedown.
A knee to the head by Le.

It looks like Asamoah Mensah has been cut.
Le with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Le with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mensah slowing the pace effectively.
Le misses with an elbow strike.
Le with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Le wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mensah has him pressed against the cage.
Le blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Le throws an elbow but it misses.
Le tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Le is breathing heavily.

Le manages to break the clinch.
Le throws a head kick that half lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le throws a sloppy head kick
and Mensah counters with a good, hard body kick but Le shrugs it off.
Le throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mensah's head.
Le tries a head kick but it misses.
Mensah throws a series of punches but Le avoids them all with ease.
A head kick misses from Le.
A head kick by Le misses
and Mensah counters with a good, hard body kick but Le shrugs it off.
Le misses with a head kick.
Le throws a sloppy head kick and Mensah moves out of range easily.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Le.
Le takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Asamoah Mensah is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Le blocks a head kick by Mensah.
Le throws a sloppy head kick
and Mensah counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mensah blocks a head kick by Le.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Le looks to clinch
and Mensah counters with a three punch combo that has Le backing up. Le nods at Mensah to acknowledge the strikes.
A shot to the body from Le misses
and Mensah counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Le tries to clinch up but Mensah circles away and keeps his distance.
Mensah tries a head kick but it misses.
A head kick by Le misses
and Le takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Le tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mensah was well out of range. Poor timing from Le.
Mensah scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Le tries to clinch
and Mensah counters with a one-two to the body.
Le swings for the body but Mensah moves out of range.
Le fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mensah manages to avoid it.
Mensah lands with a slapping head kick.
Le lands with a slapping head kick.
Mensah bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Le.
Le throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
A shot to the body from Le misses
and Mensah counters with a body kick.
Le lands a head kick. Mensah smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A solid leg kick lands there for Le.

Le gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Le escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Le throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mensah's head.
Mensah blocks a head kick by Le.
Le looks to score with a jab to the body but Mensah is just out of range.
Le throws a lazy head kick
and Mensah makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Le really felt that one!
Le throws a head kick that misses.
Le pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Le moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Mensah is working the combinations to good effect here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Le pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Le gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Le fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mensah avoids the head kick by Le.
Le throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Le throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mensah looks to land a body kick but Le moved away.
Mensah blocks a head kick by Le.
Le throws a lazy head kick
and Mensah counters with a two punch combo.
Mensah throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Le counters with a nice low kick that buckles Mensah's knee momentarily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Le throws a head kick but Mensah moves out of range.
Le throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Mensah.
Le tries to clinch but Mensah moves away
and Mensah counters with a body kick that stops Le in his tracks momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cung Le showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Asamoah Mensah's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Le tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Le swings for the body but Mensah moves out of range.
Mensah keeps the fight on the outside.
A punch combination from Mensah misses.
Le tries to clinch but Mensah moves out of range.
Le throws a head kick that misses
and Mensah connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mensah with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Mensah throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mensah looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Le pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cung Le seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A looping hook to the body misses from Le. Mensah does a little dance to reset his feet.

Le gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A knee to the head by Le.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mensah tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Le misses with an elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mensah avoids a wild elbow strike from Le.
Mensah blocks an elbow strike from Le.

Le breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Le throws a body punch but Mensah moves out of range.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Mensah, as that shot connected.
Le throws a nice outside leg kick.
Le throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
A head kick by Mensah misses
and Le counters with a body kick.
Le throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mensah's head.
Le goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Le lands a high kick!
Mensah uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Le.
Le throws a sloppy head kick and Mensah moves out of range easily.
Mensah throws the kick towards the body but Le avoids it.

Le pushes Mensah up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Le wants to break free but Mensah has control.
Le tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Le tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Le pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mensah is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Le throws a lazy head kick
and Mensah counters with a big head kick but Le shrugs it off.
Le tries to clinch up
and Mensah counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Le thinking.
Mensah circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mensah takes a kick to the side of the head.
Le tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Asamoah Mensah is winning the standup battle so far.
Mensah circles away from the clinch attempt.
Le tries a head kick but it misses.
Le tries to clinch there but Mensah circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Le throws a quick inside leg kick.
Le throws a sloppy head kick and Mensah moves out of range easily.
Le throws a nice outside leg kick.
Le throws a sloppy head kick
and Mensah counters with a head kick.
Le throws a sloppy head kick
and Mensah counters with a big head kick but Le shrugs it off.
Le throws a head kick that half lands.
Le wants to clinch up but Mensah keeps it at a distance.
Le throws a head kick that misses.
Le has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Mensah blocks a head kick by Le.
Le clinches but Mensah breaks the clinch
and Mensah counters with a left to the body.
Le avoids the head kick by Mensah.
Mensah throws a sloppy head kick

and Le moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Le tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Mensah pulls guard.
Mensah seems keen to control Le's posture.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Mensah has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Le has passed into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Cung Le.
I think Le has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cung Le!