PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Average (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and LenDale Cleaver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Average
vs
Cleaver

178 cm
23
156 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

181 cm
24
164 lbs
7 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

ADCC Champion
Counter striker
Powerful

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 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Aaron Average!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, LenDale Cleaver!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Colin Fotheringham and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Average looks to land a combination but Cleaver avoids it well.
Cleaver with a poor takedown
and Average counters with a series of strikes. Cleaver will be more careful next time no doubt.
Average swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Cleaver counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Average wants to get back to full guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Average makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Cleaver fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Average leaves Cleaver with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Aaron Average has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of LenDale Cleaver.
Cleaver changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Average tries to avoid it but Cleaver manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Average to the ground. Average escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cleaver gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Average counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Cleaver's guard now.
Average has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Cleaver is proving hard to escape from.

Average gets to his feet - Cleaver follows without any prompting.
Sloppy strikes from Average. Those never looked like landing.

Average looking to score a takedown here. Cleaver is defending well but Average drives through and ends up in Cleaver's guard.

Average gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Cleaver misses the body punch
and Average counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Average moves into the clinch successfully.
Average wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cleaver wants a takedown.

Average breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Average is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cleaver sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Average gets caught napping as Cleaver dives in and scores a takedown. Average manages to retain guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cleaver trying to control but Average is working from the bottom.

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

Cleaver is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Average has escaped the position, nice work there.

Cleaver is trying to get an arm triangle but Average is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cleaver in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Cleaver wants to lay and pray for a moment but Average keeps working.
Average is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Cleaver is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Cleaver trying to control the position but Average is working away.
Cleaver prevents Average from escaping the position.

Cleaver is trying to get an arm triangle but Average is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Average is pushing Cleaver's head away, looking to escape. Cleaver manages to hold on to the position though.

Cleaver wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Average, who protects the arm well.
Average is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Cleaver is controlling him well.
Average is breathing heavily.
Cleaver is putting a hurting on Average here, landing some big shots from side control.
Cleaver has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Average squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Cleaver working for a guillotine from mount but Average is in no mood to give up.
Average is squirming around, avoiding Cleaver's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cleaver misses with a takedown attempt

and Average holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Average is trying to push Cleaver away but Cleaver has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Average breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cleaver shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Average pinned against the cage. Average gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Average looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Cleaver!
Cleaver is working to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Average trying to control but Cleaver is having none of it.

Average is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Cleaver has his takedown stuffed
and Average counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Aaron Average has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of LenDale Cleaver.
Average throws a hook but Cleaver avoids it easily.
Cleaver shoots and misses
and Average counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cleaver slaps away a takedown attempt from Average, before circling back to the center of the mat.

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.
Cleaver throws a leg kick

and Average counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Cleaver!

Average has hold of Cleaver's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Cleaver manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Average is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Cleaver shoots in but Average avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Cleaver avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cleaver misses with a shot to the body
and Average counters with a three punch combo that has Cleaver backing up. Cleaver nods at Average to acknowledge the strikes.
Cleaver shoots and misses
and Average counters with a left and a right that stings Cleaver.
Average moves out of range of the leg kick from Cleaver.
Cleaver misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cleaver throws a leg kick but Average sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Aaron Average is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

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.
Cleaver doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Average counters with a one-two to the body.
LenDale Cleaver seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A low kick from Cleaver misses
and Average counters with a series of strikes. Cleaver will be more careful next time no doubt.
Cleaver slips a jab and a cross from Average.
Cleaver shoots for a double leg takedown but Average sprawls well. He's pushed Cleaver's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Average tries to bum rush Cleaver with a series of wild strikes but Cleaver uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Average dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Nice sprawl there from Average as Cleaver shoots in.
Cleaver thows a body shot but no joy.
Cleaver shoots and misses

and Average counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Cleaver's guard now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Average stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Average misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Average lands a head shot.
Average fails with an attempt to clinch.
Average throws a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Average moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Cleaver misses with a takedown attempt
and Cleaver takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Aaron Average has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of LenDale Cleaver.
Average connects with a body shot that sends Cleaver's belly button to the back.
Cleaver shoots in but no luck this time.
Some wild striking there from Average.
Cleaver does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

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.
Average is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cleaver sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Average looks to land a combination. Cleaver sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Average throws a big shot that misses.
Average defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Cleaver.
Cleaver fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Cleaver with that takedown attempt.
Cleaver swings for the body but Average moves out of range.
Average goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Cleaver throws a leg kick
enabling Average to counter with a crisp jab.

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 tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Average throws a hook to the side of Cleaver's head but Cleaver sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Average tries to clinch but Cleaver moves out of range.
Cleaver showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Average.

Cleaver feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron Average showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Average 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Average!