PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between LenDale Cleaver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Conroy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Victor Conroy will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Cleaver
vs
Conroy

181 cm
22
164 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

175 cm
25
155 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, LenDale Cleaver!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Victor Conroy!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Donald Grub and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cleaver stuffs the takedown.
Cleaver fails with the takedown

and Conroy counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Cleaver!
Conroy looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Conroy tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.
Cleaver is looking to get to half guard.
Cleaver tries to hold on but Conroy pushes him away.
Conroy can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cleaver is looking to escape.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Cleaver tries to hold on but Conroy pushes him away.
Cleaver manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Conroy wants to take a breather but Cleaver is having none of it.

Cleaver actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Conroy wants to work for an arm triangle but Cleaver is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Cleaver moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Conroy showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Cleaver is looking for a triangle here but Conroy uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Cleaver is trying to get back to half guard.
Conroy working away.
Conroy trying to control the action but Cleaver is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cleaver is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Conroy throwing strikes but Cleaver manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Conroy is looking to regain half guard here but Cleaver keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cleaver taking a breather here.
Cleaver moves into full mount!
Conroy regains half guard.
Cleaver seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Conroy does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Conroy looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Conroy won't allow Cleaver to pass to mount.
Cleaver is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Conroy reverses the position - he's now on top in Cleaver's guard.
Cleaver is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Conroy avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Conroy slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Cleaver can't do much from the bottom here.
Cleaver is trying to improve his position.

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.
Cleaver is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Conroy off and has taken his back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cleaver is looking for the choke from the back position but Conroy is controlling his hands well.

Conroy is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Cleaver has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Conroy has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Cleaver.
Conroy has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Conroy is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cleaver's half guard.

Conroy is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cleaver is not content to let Conroy control the position.
Cleaver moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Cleaver throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Cleaver had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Conroy defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conroy trying to control but Cleaver is working from the bottom.

Cleaver has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Conroy can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Conroy stands up from Cleaver's guard - Conroy perhaps looking for a knockout.
Cleaver tries to close the distance and clinch but Conroy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cleaver with a poor takedown

and Conroy counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cleaver manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Cleaver trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Cleaver wants to finish this one by submission but Conroy is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Cleaver.
Cleaver controlling the pace for now.
Conroy is desperately trying to improve his position but Cleaver has a good base and remains in mount.
Cleaver lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conroy slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Cleaver throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Cleaver winds up and cracks Conroy with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Conroy regains full guard. Nicely done.
Conroy pulls Cleaver in close to prevent any damage.
Cleaver pushing down on Conroy's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Cleaver thows a huge punch but Conroy dodges it nicely.
Cleaver wants to take a breather but Conroy is having none of it.
Cleaver stops Conroy from getting back to his feet.
Conroy is breathing heavily.
Conroy striking from the bottom.
Victor Conroy has got the better of the ground game so far.

Cleaver is looking for a kimura but Conroy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Cleaver to get the leverage.
Conroy trying to control here.
Conroy is refusing to be controlled, as Cleaver sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cleaver moves into full mount! Conroy won't be happy about that!
Conroy tries to lock up and control but Cleaver gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cleaver trying to control but Conroy is having none of it.
Conroy tries to reverse the position but Cleaver maintains control.
Conroy is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Conroy gets back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cleaver looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Conroy looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Victor Conroy will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Cleaver decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Conroy wants to improve his position but Cleaver is controlling well.
Cleaver lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Conroy is looking to improve his position.
Conroy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cleaver not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Conroy trying to control from the bottom.
Cleaver tries to pass to full mount but Conroy defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conroy makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Conroy.
Cleaver is looking to work some ground and pound but Conroy has wrist control.
Cleaver landing some decent shots from guard.
Cleaver stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Conroy swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Cleaver drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cleaver jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Conroy looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Cleaver pushing down on Conroy's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Cleaver passes to full mount!
Cleaver working the ground and pound effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Conroy that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Conroy is squirming around, avoiding Cleaver's attempts to control the action.
Cleaver controlling from the full mount.
Cleaver has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Cleaver tries to control but Conroy wriggling away.
Conroy is in a horrible position here. Cleaver smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Cleaver looking to secure an arm triangle but Conroy defends it well.
LenDale Cleaver has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cleaver trying to control but Conroy is having none of it.
Cleaver lands a heavy elbow.
Cleaver prevents Conroy from getting the reversal.
Cleaver has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Conroy's face.
Conroy tries to hold on but Cleaver pushes him away.

Cleaver goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Conroy turns into him and now he's in Cleaver's guard.
Conroy trying to control the position from guard on top but Cleaver is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conroy won't allow Cleaver to sweep him here.

Cleaver is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Conroy is aware though and is defending well.
Cleaver manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Conroy manages to get himself to full guard.
Cleaver trying to control the position from guard on top but Conroy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Conroy has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Conroy is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Victor Conroy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Conroy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
LenDale Cleaver showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Conroy 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Victor Conroy!