PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joey Bolten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bryan Leigh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Bolten
vs
Leigh

188 cm
27
175 lbs
11 - 10 - 1

180 cm
29
178 lbs
24 - 7 - 2

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

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 11 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Joey Bolten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 7 - 2, fighting out of Sydney, Bryan Leigh!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Eliza Hachem and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bolten throws a head kick that misses
and Leigh counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Bolten tries to close the distance and clinch up but Leigh swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bolten doesn't manage to clinch there - Leigh circles away.

Bolten gets a clinch.
Leigh tries to land knees in the clinch but Bolten avoids the damage to the body.
Bolten tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Bolten tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Leigh just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bolten misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Leigh.
Leigh avoiding damage as Bolten throws knees to the body.
Bolten tries to land a knee to the head but Leigh blocks with his arms.
Bolten tries to land a knee to the head but Leigh blocks with his arms.
Bolten fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bolten throws a knee to the head but misses.
Bolten with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Leigh looking to stall.
Bolten connects with a nasty looking knee right to Leigh's face.
Bolten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolten misses with a knee to the head.
Leigh using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Bolten has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Bolten as Leigh tries to tie him up.
Bolten tries a knee to the head but Leigh blocks it.
Bolten avoiding damage as Leigh throws knees to the body.
Bolten misses with a knee to the head.
Bolten tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Bolten throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Leigh blocks it with crossed arms.
Bolten tries to land a knee to the head but Leigh blocks with his arms.
Bolten with a knee to the head.
Bolten tries to land a knee to the head but Leigh blocks with his arms.
Bolten tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joey Bolten. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bolten using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Leigh has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Leigh utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Leigh is looking to control Bolten's arms but Bolten gets an underhook and turns him. Now Leigh has his back to the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Bolten throws a knee to the head but misses.
Bolten misses with a knee strike.
Bolten with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Leigh looking to slow down the pace here.
Bolten with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Bolten tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Leigh avoids it.
Bolten is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Leigh is defending well for now.

Bolten has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Leigh uses from the top position.
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.

Bolten looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bolten being controlled here, momentarily.
Leigh wants to control from the top but Bolten keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bolten working for a triangle but Leigh defends it easily.
Bolten wants to sweep here but Leigh controlling him for the moment.
Leigh wants to pass the guard but Bolten is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bolten has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Leigh is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Bolten.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bolten is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bolten manages to work his way to half guard, despite Leigh's best efforts.
Leigh controlling the action here.
Bolten is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Leigh jumps into side control!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Leigh trying to control the action but Bolten is working from the bottom.
Bolten is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Bolten dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Leigh avoids the head kick by Bolten.
Bolten tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A low kick from Bolten is predictable there
and Leigh counters with a right hand to the body.
Bolten throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Leigh's head.
Leigh scores with a kick to the body.
Bolten on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Bolten is looking to clinch but Leigh is avoiding it.

Bolten gets a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Leigh has Bolten pressed against the cage.
Bolten tries a knee to the head but Leigh blocks it.
Bolten with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Bolten is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Leigh to keep the fight standing.
Bolten jumps guard but Leigh turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Leigh tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bolten avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolten landing knees to the head.
Leigh drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bolten gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Bolten using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Leigh has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Leigh breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bolten throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bolten throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bolten throws a head kick but Leigh moves out of range.
Bolten uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Leigh.
Bolten takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Leigh throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Bolten wants to clinch.
Leigh circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolten takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Bolten wants to clinch up but Leigh keeps it at a distance.
Leigh throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Bolten is looking to clinch.
Bolten tries to clinch up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bolten slips under a jab.
Leigh swats away the attempt to clinch by Bolten.
Bolten moves out of range as Leigh strikes.
Bolten is looking to clinch.

Bolten has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bolten gets underhooks to prevent Leigh's takedown attempt.
Bolten lands a knee to the head.
Leigh blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Bolten throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Leigh blocks it with crossed arms.
Leigh wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Bolten has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolten fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joey Bolten. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Leigh with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Bolten tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Bolten tries a knee to the head but Leigh blocks it.
Bolten tries to land knees in the clinch but Leigh avoids the damage to the body.
Bolten misses with a knee strike.
Leigh lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Bolten has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Leigh uses from the top position.
Bolten keeping moving, preventing Leigh from controlling successfully.
Bolten not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Leigh controlling from the top position.

Bolten looking for a guillotine here but Leigh defends easily.
Leigh must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bolten looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Leigh passes into side control.
Bolten is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Leigh controlling the action here.

Bolten looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
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 Joey Bolten will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Bolten misses with a body kick.
Bolten is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Leigh tries to score with a low kick but Bolten moves his leg out of the way.
Leigh takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Bolten takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Bolten misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Leigh looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Leigh digs a good hook to Bolten's body.
Leigh waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bolten.
Leigh throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Leigh misses with an uppercut.
Bolten wants to clinch.
Bolten is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolten throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bolten is looking to clinch but Leigh is avoiding it.
Leigh smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Leigh moves into the clinch.
Bolten tries a knee to the head but Leigh blocks it.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Leigh lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Joey Bolten has been cut.
Bolten looking to throw knees to the head but Leigh is blocking nicely.
Bolten using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Leigh has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bolten misses with a knee to the head.
Bolten is trying to pull guard but Leigh turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Bolten tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Joey Bolten has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Bolten being controlled against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolten tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Leigh on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Bolten scores with a knee to the head.
Bolten takes a knee to the side of the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bolten tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Leigh tries to stall but Bolten uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Knees in the clinch landing for Bolten.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolten with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Bolten misses with a knee to the head.
Leigh trying to land knees to the body.
Leigh taking a breather.
Bolten jumps guard but Leigh stands there with Bolten around his waist. Bolten gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Leigh looking for a takedown.
Leigh missing with knees to the body.
Bolten connects with a knee to the head.
Leigh taking a breather.
Bolten tries to land a knee to the head but Leigh blocks with his arms.
Bolten landing knees to the body.
Leigh looking to stall.
Bolten tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leigh stalling in the clinch but Bolten improves position.

Bolten pulls guard effortlessly.

Bolten had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Leigh defends it easily.
Leigh preventing the sweep.

Bolten looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Bolten keeping moving, preventing Leigh from controlling successfully.
Bryan Leigh has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Leigh throws a big right hand that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Joey Bolten.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bolten, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Joey Bolten!
An out of breath Joey Bolten thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.