PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cung Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin Epstein (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lee has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lee
vs
Epstein

170 cm
21
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cung Lee!
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, Justin Epstein!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Epstein throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Lee was covering up waiting for the punch and Epstein finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Epstein wants to stand but Lee is controlling his posture from full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Epstein wants to control from the top but Lee keeps moving.
Lee can't keep his opponent in guard - Epstein advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Epstein trying to control from half guard but Lee is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Epstein might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Lee kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Lee is breathing heavily.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Justin Epstein.
Epstein shoots for a takedown but Lee saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Lee connects with a right hand. Epstein shakes it off.
Epstein shoots for a takedown but Lee saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Epstein shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lee but Lee pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cung Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Justin Epstein.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Epstein shoots in for a double leg but Lee sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Epstein.
Epstein fails in his attempt to clinch.
Epstein shoots in looking for a takedown. Lee tries to sprawl out of it but Epstein keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lee manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Epstein tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lee sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Epstein somewhat.
Epstein throws a hook to the side of Lee's head but Lee sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee lands with an overhand left.
Epstein misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Epstein keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Lee fails with an attempt to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Epstein.
Lee lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Epstein looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lee is fending him off so far but Epstein persists. Nope, Lee circles away and we're back to standing.
Lee fails with a takedown attempt.
Epstein shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lee sprawls well. Lee wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Epstein gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Epstein doesn't manage to clinch there - Lee circles away.
Epstein misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Epstein is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A head kick by Epstein misses

and Lee moves into the clinch.

Lee drags the fight down to the ground.

Lee is working an open guard so Epstein takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Epstein blocks a head kick by Lee.
Lee fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Epstein dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Epstein closes the distance and clinches up with Lee, looking for a takedown. Epstein pushes Lee against the cage but Lee circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Lee tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Epstein manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Epstein fails with a takedown attempt.
Lee stuffs the takedown.
Cung Lee has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Justin Epstein.
The fight stays on the outside here - Epstein looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Epstein is trying hard to land a takedown here. Lee sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up but Epstein swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lee connects with a jab.
Epstein swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Epstein throws a lazy head kick

and Lee holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Lee stops a takedown attempt from Epstein.

Lee's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Epstein tries to keep at a distance but Lee has taken the fight into the clinch.

Lee breaks from the clinch.
Lee shoots in but no luck this time.
A head kick misses from Epstein.
Epstein misses with a head kick.
Lee tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Epstein drives through and clinches with Lee against the cage.

Lee breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Epstein throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lee's waist but Lee gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Epstein off to one side.
Epstein tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lee swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lee swinging wildly here.
Lee is looking to clinch.
Lee avoids the body shot from Epstein.
Epstein swats away the attempt to clinch by Lee.
Epstein lands with a right hand.
Epstein tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lee paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Epstein rushes Lee and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Epstein blocks it with crossed arms.
Lee prevents the takedown attempt.

Lee manages to break the clinch.
Epstein fails to land the takedown.
Lee misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Epstein throws a looping overhand right but Lee ducks down to avoid it.
Epstein tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Lee manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Justin Epstein seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Lee fails with a takedown attempt.
Epstein fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Epstein misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Lee fails with an attempt to clinch.
Epstein shoots in looking for a takedown but Lee manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Epstein's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Epstein has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Epstein misses with an uppercut. Lee saw that one coming.

Lee clinches up with Epstein and pushes him back against the cage.
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 Cung Lee will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Epstein swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lee fails with the takedown.
Cung Lee seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lee keeps the fight on the outside.
Epstein throws a jab when Lee was well out of range.

Epstein fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Lee sprawls well initially but Epstein persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Epstein trying to control from half guard but Lee is working away.
Epstein is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Epstein throwing shots but Lee is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee is refusing to be controlled, as Epstein sits in half guard.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Justin Epstein hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Lee displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Epstein.
Epstein moves to clinch but Lee breaks away

and Lee moves into the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Lee as Epstein tries to tie him up.
Epstein working hard to break the clinch.
Epstein is working for takedown but Lee is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee jumps guard but Epstein stands there with Lee around his waist. Lee gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Epstein pulls guard effortlessly.
Lee wants to stand and escape but instead Epstein has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Lee is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Epstein is controlling him.
Epstein tries to free his leg and advance position but Lee is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Epstein gets to his feet. Lee looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Epstein misses with a leg kick.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Epstein paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Epstein tries to clinch but Lee is having none of it.

Lee tries to sprawl but Epstein drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Lee pushes Epstein off looking to stand but Epstein dives back in and keeps control.
Lee trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Epstein uses his free foot to push down on Lee's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Lee.
Lee is trying to stand up.
Epstein trying to control but Lee is having none of it.
Epstein landing shots from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Epstein comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Epstein 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Epstein!