PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jia Le Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sammy Spishak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Li comes to the cage accompanied by Die Monster Die!. Spishak has chosen Sleeping with Sirens as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Le Li
vs
Spishak

185 cm
30
200 lbs
23 - 15 - 0

185 cm
29
216 lbs
10 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

The Adrenaline Matrix

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jia Le Li!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sammy Spishak!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spishak punishes Li's body with a nice straight punch.
Li wants to clinch but Spishak slips to the side
and Spishak counters with a one-two to the body.
Li pivots, looking for a leg kick but Spishak is out of range and Li settles back down.
Spishak swings widly with a right hand
and Li makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Spishak really felt that one!
Li dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Li lands the left hand.

It looks like Sammy Spishak has been cut.
Li throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Spishak counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Spishak on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Spishak defending well as Li loads up on a big left hand.
Jab by Li.
A nice inside leg kick there by Li. That's going to slow Spishak down.
Spishak tries to bum rush Li with a series of wild strikes but Li uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Spishak keeps the fight on the outside.
Spishak catches Li with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spishak misses with an uppercut
and Li counters with a solid body kick.
Spishak misses the shot to the body.
The fighters circling - Spishak throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Li tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Spishak paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Li feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Spishaks jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Spishak closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Spishak is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Li manages to get to full guard.
Spishak stopping the sweep attempt from Li.
Li seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Spishak looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li is trying to keep Spishak in close.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Spishak with a flurry of punches that miss.
Li avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Spishak accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Spishak wants to stand but Li is controlling his posture from full guard.
Spishak trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
Spishak has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sammy Spishak was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Li missing with a left hand there. Spishak was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Li displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Spishak throws out the jab.
Li pivots, looking for a leg kick but Spishak is out of range and Li settles back down.
Spishak walks into a left hand.
Li works Spishak's body with a nice hook.

Li gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spishak is trying to break free.
Spishak wants to break free but Li has control.
Li stalling.
Spishak pressing his opponent against the cage.

Spishak gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Spishak is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Li is staying active underneath Spishak, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
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 Jia Le Li will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Sammy Spishak's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Li takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Li looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Li lands a nice hook to Spishak's body. Spishak takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Spishak takes a swing at Li's ribcage but misses.
Li tries to land a leg kick but Spishak saw it coming and moves away.

Spishak looking to score a takedown here. Li is defending well but Spishak drives through and ends up in Li's guard.
Spishak looking to sit in guard and control but Li gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Li has gone for a leg lock! Spishak slips out almost immediately though and dives into Li's guard.
Li can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Spishak controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Spishak has gone for a leg lock! Li slips out almost immediately though and dives into Spishak's guard.
Li wants to pass the guard but Spishak is keeping the position.
Spishak trying to keep a closed guard but Li is proving a slippery customer.
Li prevents Spishak from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spishak keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Spishak has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sammy Spishak has got the better of the ground game so far.
Spishak is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Sammy Spishak wasn't active enough on the ground.
Spishak swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Li rushes Spishak and presses him up against the cage.
Li working aggressively here.
Spishak blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Li trying to land knees to the body.

Spishak breaks from the clinch.

Spishak gets the takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Spishak tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Li is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Spishak's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Spishak throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Li to regain full guard.
Spishak looking to pass the guard.
Spishak wants to stand but Li has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Spishak is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Li is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Li has escaped and now he's on top!
Spishak is trying to keep Li in close.
Li throwing strikes but missing.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Spishak is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Sammy Spishak will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Sammy Spishak's cut.
That's time! 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.

Li scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Jia Le Li is winning the standup battle so far.
Li tries to clinch but Spishak moves out of range.
Spishak circles away from the clinch attempt.
Li wants to clinch but Spishak slips to the side
and Spishak counters with a nice uppercut.
Li explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Li throws a jab but it's blocked by Spishak.
Spishak takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Spishak shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Li defends it nicely.
Li fails in his attempt to clinch.
Spishak misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li misses with a wild body shot.
Spishak looks to land a combination but Li avoids it well.
Li slips a straight right by Spishak.
Li fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Spishak manages to avoid it.
Li throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Li lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Spishak clobbers Li with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
No joy there for Spishak, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Li closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Li softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Li with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Li gets underhooks to prevent Spishak's takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spishak has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Li avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Jia Le Li has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sammy Spishak.
Spishak goes for a takedown attempt but Li pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Spishak looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Li is fending him off so far but Spishak persists. Nope, Li circles away and we're back to standing.
Sammy Spishak is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Spishak takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Li connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Spishak misses with a looping left.
A shot to the liver by Li. Beautiful body shot.
A good leg kick by Li.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Li lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Spishak has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Spishak and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Li lands a nice hook to Spishak's body. Spishak takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Spishak avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li misses with a straight right.
Li thuds a left hand into Spishak's body.
Spishak tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Li defends well and Spishak ends up having to push Li into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Spishak drops down looking for an ankle pick but Li pulls his leg out and moves away.
Li fails in his attempt to clinch.
Li fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Spishak looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Li is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Jia Le Li seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Li connects with a jab.
Spishak throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li misses with a kick to the body.
Li punishes Spishak's body with a nice straight punch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Li.
Spishak has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Spishak there as he acknowledges the shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Spishak fails with the takedown.
Li goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Li tries to close the distance and clinch up but Spishak swats him away and circles back towards the center.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Spishak keeps the fight on the outside.
Spishak looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Li is fending him off so far but Spishak persists. Nope, Li circles away and we're back to standing.
Spishak on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jia Le Li showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Li has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight for Jia Le Li!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Jia Le Li!
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for Jia Le Li!

Jia Le Li wins by unanimous decision!
After winning the bout, Jia Le Li thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.