PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chris Leben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cub Swanson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leben comes to the cage accompanied by power. The key to victory for Chris Leben has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Leben
vs
Swanson

185 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined

Dragon

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Chris Leben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Cub Swanson!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Phil Schofield and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leben tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Swanson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Leben is trying hard to land a takedown here. Swanson sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Leben shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Leben gets to his feet. Swanson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Chris Leben seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Leben looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Leben closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Leben breaks from the clinch.
Leben closes the distance but Swanson moves to the side

and Swanson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Leben is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Swanson is defending well for now.

Leben drags the fight down to the ground.
Swanson trying to control but Leben is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swanson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Swanson tries to free his leg and advance position but Leben is retaining full guard.
Swanson trying to control the position from guard on top but Leben is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Swanson throwing strikes from guard but Leben blocks nicely.

Swanson is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Leben is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Leben has escaped and now he's on top!

Swanson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Leben is aware though and is defending well.

Swanson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Leben defends it easily.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Swanson is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leben throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Swanson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Swanson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Swanson 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.

Leben avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Leben drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Leben jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Leben cracks Swanson with a solid left hand.
Leben wants to pass the guard but Swanson is keeping the position.
Swanson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Leben throwing strikes from guard but Swanson blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leben looking to pass the guard.
Swanson controls Leben momentarily but Leben frees himself.

Swanson is looking for a triangle but Leben pushes his legs off easily.
Leben connects with a couple of short punches.
Leben looking to pass the guard.
Leben seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Leben landing with the ground and pound.

Swanson has his foot on Leben's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Leben works his way back into a safe position though.
Leben trying to control the position from guard on top but Swanson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Leben working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leben wants to stand but Swanson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Leben throwing strikes but missing.
Leben is breathing heavily.

Swanson has his foot on Leben's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Leben works his way back into a safe position though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Leben throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Swanson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Leben avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Swanson working for a triangle but Leben defends it easily.
Leben tries to free his leg and advance position but Swanson is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Swanson 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Chris Leben will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Leben throws a head kick that misses.
Leben misses with a double jab.
Leben scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Leben really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Swanson keeps the fight on the outside.
Leben doesn't manage to clinch there - Swanson circles away.

Leben lands a left and a right that send Swanson crashing to the mat, dazed. Leben thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Leben wants to clinch but Swanson slips to the side

and Swanson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Leben jumps guard but Swanson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Leben gets control of Swanson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Leben will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Leben working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Swanson.
Swanson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Swanson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Swanson wants to control from the top but Leben keeps moving.
Swanson lands a couple of elbows.
Swanson postures up.
Swanson being controlled here momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leben has momentary wrist control but Swanson slips an elbow through the middle.
Swanson postures up and lands a big shot to Leben's brow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Swanson trying to control but Leben is working from the bottom.
Swanson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Swanson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Leben's head.
Swanson trying to control the position from guard on top but Leben is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Swanson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Swanson won't allow Leben to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leben can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Swanson controls the pace.
Swanson wants to control from the top but Leben keeps moving.
Swanson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Leben works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Swanson content to stall in guard here.
Leben trying to keep a closed guard but Swanson is proving a slippery customer.

Cub Swanson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Leben is looking to clinch but Swanson is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Leben closes the distance and pushes Swanson back into the cage.
Leben pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Leben tries to land a knee to the head but Swanson blocks with his arms.
Leben is looking to take this one to the mat.
Swanson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Swanson wants a takedown.
Leben is trying to maintain a safe position but Swanson gets an underhook and turns Leben into the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Leben lands a takedown into guard.
Swanson keeping moving, preventing Leben from controlling successfully.
Leben has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Swanson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Leben dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Leben moves into range and clinches up with Swanson.
Swanson tries for a takedown. No joy.
Leben tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Leben with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Swanson is trying to trip Leben. He has hold of a leg but Leben is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Swanson persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Swanson drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Leben manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Swanson has Leben in his guard.

Leben got a little sloppy there for a moment and Swanson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Leben has managed to get both his arms back between Swanson's legs - danger averted.
Swanson is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Leben's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Leben makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Leben is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Swanson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Leben doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Leben manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Swanson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Swanson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Leben gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Leben working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Swanson's head.

Swanson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Leben got a little sloppy there for a moment and Swanson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Leben has managed to get both his arms back between Swanson's legs - danger averted.
Leben with a nice head shot there.
Leben postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Leben working some strikes from top position.
Swanson keeping moving, preventing Leben from controlling successfully.

Swanson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Leben lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Leben postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Leben lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Leben wants to stand but Swanson is controlling his posture from full guard.

Leben avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Swanson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Leben working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Swanson's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leben pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Swanson is keeping the position for now.

Swanson is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Leben has his hands clasped together but Swanson extends an breaks Leben's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Swanson.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Cub Swanson!