PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bob Marley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manny Le (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Marley
vs
Le

185 cm
18
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bob Marley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Manny Le!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Jeff Smith and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Le is looking to slow Marley down with leg kicks.
Marley fails to land the takedown.
Le keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Le shoots for a double leg takedown but Marley sprawls well. He's pushed Le's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Marley really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Marley.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Marley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marley fails to land the takedown.
Marley shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Le counters with a big head kick but Marley shrugs it off.

Le 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.
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.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Le looking to pass the guard.
Marley preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le trying to stand up but can't free himself from Marley's guard.
Marley 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.
Marley can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Le controls the pace.

Bob Marley has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Marley gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Le counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Le.
Marley is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marley misses with a hook to the ribs.
Marley drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Le gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Marley is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Le jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Marley walks away with a smile on his face. Le gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Marley slips a jab and a cross from Le.
Le shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Marley as he avoids it easily.
Nice sprawl there from Le as Marley shoots in.
Le scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Le moves into range and clinches up with Marley.

Le pulls Marley into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marley prevents Le from getting back to his feet.
Le is trying to keep Marley in close.
Le throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Le keeping full guard, as Marley tries to pass.
Le is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Marley trying to control but Le is working from the bottom.
Le pulls Marley in close to his closed guard and prevents Marley from doing any damage or advancing position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Manny Le was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Le closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marley slowing the pace effectively.
Le pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Le effectively controlling the action here.
Le jumps guard but Marley stands there with Le around his waist. Le gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Le breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Le moves into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Le goes for a takedown attempt but Marley pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Le clinches up with Marley and pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Le dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Le fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Le fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Marley dives in and grabs Le's left leg, looking for a takedown. Le pushes down on Marley's head and hops out.
Bob Marley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Marley defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Le.
Bob Marley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manny Le.
Le pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Le closes the distance and pushes Marley back into the cage.
Marley lands a damaging elbow.
Marley wants a takedown but no success here.
Le is trying to break free.
Le has had enough of the clinch but Marley keeps him there for the moment.
Le tries for a takedown. No joy.
Marley has Le pushed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Marley is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Marley tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Le prevents the takedown attempt.
Marley throws an elbow that misses.
Le wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Marley has him pressed against the cage.
Marley is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Le is defending well.

Le ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Le no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Marley throwing strikes from guard but Le blocks nicely.
Le not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marley trying to control but Le is working from the bottom.
Marley has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Marley prevents Le from getting back to his feet.
Le not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marley trying to control the position from guard on top but Le is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Le moves into the clinch.
Marley looking for a takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Le goes for a takedown in the clinch but Marley prevents it.
Le is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Marley to keep the fight standing.
Le lands a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Le is trying to trip Marley. He has hold of a leg but Marley is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Le persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Le stopping the sweep attempt from Marley.
Le wants to control from the top but Marley keeps moving.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Manny Le hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Marley tries to keep at a distance but Le has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marley is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Le has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Marley avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Le's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Marley is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Manny Le seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Marley has Le pressed against the cage, preventing Le from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Le has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Marley avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Marley has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Le avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Marley looking to slow down the pace here.
Le using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Le showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Marley shoots and misses

and Le counters with a shoot takedown. Marley fights it but they end up in guard.
Marley bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Le's guard.
Marley won't allow Le to sweep him here.
Marley throws a big elbow that misses.
Le not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Le has Marley pulled in close to control his posture.
Marley trying to control but Le is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Manny Le has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Le fails with the takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Le closes the distance and clinches.
Le gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Marley.
Marley misses with a punch on the inside.
Le misses with a knee strike.
Le wants a takedown.
Le tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Marley smiles and moves away.
Bob Marley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manny Le.

Le has Marley up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Le just leaning against Marley, taking a breather.
Le can't break the clinch.
Marley is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Le pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Marley is pushing Le up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Le is trying to force a seperation but Marley has the dominant position.
Le tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Marley smiles and moves away.
No luck for Marley with that takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marley has his takedown stuffed

so Le counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Le thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Le content to stall in guard here.
Marley keeping moving, preventing Le from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Manny Le has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Le closes the distance and clinches up with Marley, looking for a takedown. Le pushes Marley against the cage but Marley circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Le fails with the takedown

and Marley counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Le is looking to control Marley's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Le avoid being mounted?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Marley trying to pass the guard but Le defending well.
Bob Marley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Manny Le is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Marley is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

And that's the end of the fight!
Manny Le comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Le has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manny Le!