PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between jason leben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aaron Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). leben comes to the cage accompanied by DJay Whoop That Trick. Smith is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by "Pray" . Aaron Smith has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

leben
vs
Smith

180 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Attliction

FIGHT19

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 New York, jason leben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Aaron Smith!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Columbo Gatti and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by leben.
Smith looks to land a combination but leben avoids it well.
leben shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
leben shoots in for a double leg but Smith sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
leben fakes the leg kick and cracks Smith in the body.
Both fighters circling a little - Smith finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

leben drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Smith tries to bench press leben off him but leben keeps the position.

leben has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.

leben breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
leben wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.
Smith darts in trying to clinch

and leben holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
leben avoiding damage.
leben pushes Smith back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Smith has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics leben uses from the top position.
leben trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Smith had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. leben is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Smith Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take leben's back instead.
Smith looks gassed!
leben trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

leben is trying escape back to his feet. He turns into his opponent's guard and eventually finds his way back to his feet.
leben throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Smith's waist but Smith gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing leben off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for jason leben. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

leben has managed to clinch.

leben breaks the clinch.

leben closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - leben lands in his opponent's guard.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smith wriggles free and stands up.

Smith rushes leben and presses him up against the cage.
Smith wants to get back to striking at distance but leben won't allow it.
Smith is trying to break free.
leben jumps guard but Smith stands there with leben around his waist. leben gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Smith is trying to stall.
leben has a couple of punches blocked by Smith.
leben stops a takedown attempt from Smith.

Smith pulls guard effortlessly.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith trying to keep a closed guard but leben is proving a slippery customer.
Smith throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Smith looking for a guillotine here but leben defends easily.
leben has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith 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.
Smith is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Smith is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
leben trying to stand up but can't free himself from Smith's guard.
Smith looking to control.
leben sitting in guard here, content to control.

Smith looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
leben postures up.
Smith pulls leben in to control the position.
Let's hope that Smith has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Smith trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
leben wanted to stand there but Smith had control of the position.

Smith pushes leben off and gets back to his feet.
Smith cracks leben with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Smith looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Smith decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
No joy there for leben, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Aaron Smith 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.

leben with a lazy takedown attempt

and Smith counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Smith.
leben is working for takedown but Smith is calmly controlling the position for now.

leben has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Smith regains guard immediately.
Smith looking for a sweep. Not yet Smith, not yet.
Smith can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as leben controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith keeping full guard, as leben tries to pass.
Smith is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
leben prevents Smith from getting back to his feet.
leben is looking to stand up but Smith won't let him.
Smith is breathing heavily.
leben trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
leben tries for a takedown but Smith circles away easily

and Smith holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for jason leben. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith tries to pull guard but leben won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

leben breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Smith looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
leben looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Smith is fending him off so far but leben persists. Nope, Smith circles away and we're back to standing.
leben tries to clinch up
and Smith counters with a one-two to the body.
leben with a poor takedown
and Smith finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Smith lands a two punch combo.
leben misses with a takedown attempt

and Smith counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Smith.
Smith trying to stall but leben improves his position.

leben has clasped his hands together around Smith's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
leben scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Smith to see if he's OK.
Smith struggling a bit here.
Smith regains half guard.
leben is tying to control. Smith wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
jason leben overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Smith actively working from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
leben is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Smith pushes leben off looking to stand but leben dives back in and keeps control.

leben stands up out of the half guard.
Oooh a lovely combination from leben sends Smith down but not out. leben dives into side control looking to finish.

Smith is rocked!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
leben is looking to take a break and control but Smith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smith is still in real trouble! Can leben finish him?
Smith is looking for a sweep.
Smith seems to have recovered his senses.

leben stands up.
Some bone on bone action there as leben checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

leben clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
leben has Smith pushed against the cage.
A body shot lands from leben.

leben pulls guard successfully.
Smith has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of leben is proving hard to escape from.
leben looking for a sweep. Not yet leben, not yet.
Smith working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
leben being controlled here, momentarily.
Smith slips nicely into half guard.
Smith works his way into full mount!

Smith has control of leben's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and leben regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Smith manages to capitalize on a mistake by leben to take his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Smith has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, leben has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Smith has the hooks in. leben is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Smith scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. leben is looking for a way out.

Smith looking for the choke but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
leben trying to control the position but Smith manages to sink in the hooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that jason leben will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Smith shoots and misses

and leben counters with a takedown into side control.

leben decides to take the fight back to the feet.
leben misses with a takedown attempt
and Smith counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
leben avoids the head kick by Smith.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt

and leben counters by moving into the clinch.

leben pulls guard successfully.
leben utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

leben looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. leben is keeping the position for now.
Smith looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
leben keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith with a nice head shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
leben shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.

Smith breaks the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
leben is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Smith has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics leben uses from the top position.
Smith bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in leben's guard.
Smith is looking to work some ground and pound but leben has wrist control.

leben has his feet on Smith's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
leben works over Smith's head and body with a nice combination.
leben Rushes Smith and starts throwing punches like they are going out of style! Smith is up against the cage and has nowhere to go. leben Piles on the pressure and Smith crumples to the floor! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). jason leben!