PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dean Lister (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Van Leeder (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leeder has chosen Pantera - Cowboys From Hell as his entrance music. Van Leeder struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 186.3lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Lister
vs
Leeder

185 cm
34
199 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

200 cm
28
200 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dean Lister!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Van Leeder!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Frank Dennis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leeder throws a series of punches but Lister avoids them all with ease.
Lister swats away the attempt to clinch by Leeder.
Lister fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A slapping body kick lands there for Lister.
Lister shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Leeder pinned against the cage. Leeder gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Lister tries to close the distance and clinch up but Leeder swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lister moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Lister takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Dean Lister has been cut.

Lister rushes Leeder and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Lister manages to pull guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Lister trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Lister might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lister wants to get back to his feet but Leeder is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Leeder must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lister 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.
Lister is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Leeder trying to control the position from guard on top but Lister is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Van Leeder wasn't active enough on the ground.
Leeder circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leeder is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Leeder has closed the distance and engaged Lister in a clinch.

Lister pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lister shoots in looking for a takedown but Leeder manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lister's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Lister. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lister tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Leeder paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lister moves in looking to clinch but Leeder pushes him off.
Lister looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Leeder is fending him off so far but Lister persists. Nope, Leeder circles away and we're back to standing.
Leeder throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Lister rushes Leeder and presses him up against the cage.
Leeder looking to stall.

Lister drags the fight down to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leeder advances position into side control!
Leeder is looking to take a break and control but Lister is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Leeder just content to control the position.
Lister is trying to improve his position.
Lister is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Leeder has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lister strikes from the bottom but Leeder takes advantage and advances to full mount!
Lister is working to get back to half guard.
Lister is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Lister is looking to improve his position but Leeder isn't that keen on the idea.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lister is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Lister dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dean Lister's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Leeder with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Lister looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Leeder has an active guard here but Lister has managed to pass into half guard.

Leeder looking for submissions off his back.
Lister is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Lister missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lister decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Leeder lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Leeder.

Lister fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Leeder, pushing him back against the cage.

Lister pulls guard.
Leeder wants to control from the top but Lister keeps moving.

Lister is looking for a triangle here but Leeder uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Leeder trying to control the action but Lister is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lister is looking to regain half guard here but Leeder keeps moving and retains side control.
Leeder misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lister manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Leeder is looking to control Lister's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Leeder avoid being mounted?
Lister perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
We've been informed that Leeder has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Lister is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Leeder sees it coming and defends easily.
Leeder is concentrating on defense, preventing Lister from advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leeder flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Leeder trying to control but Lister postures up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Lister missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Lister is trying to control the action in half guard but Leeder is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Leeder taking some punishment here, with Lister in his half guard.
Lister lands strikes from half guard.
Lister throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lister lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lister stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Leeder to get to his feet.
Lister circles away from the clinch attempt.
Horrible takedown by Lister or perhaps it was just good defense by Leeder which made him look bad.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Lister breaks from the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lister circles away from the clinch attempt.
Leeder swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Lister dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dean Lister's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Lister clinches up with Leeder and pushes him back against the cage.
Lister fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Lister turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Lister has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Lister tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Lister looking to control but instead Leeder has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Leeder regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Lister.
Leeder wants to get back to his feet but Lister passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leeder is trying to control but can't.
Lister stops Leeder from getting back to his feet.

Lister seems to be working for a kimura but Leeder defends the submission attempt.

Lister decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Lister gets a takedown into half guard.
Leeder is trying to stand.
Leeder takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leeder trying to hold on to Lister's head to control him but Lister postures up.

Lister is working for a kimura but Leeder is defending it quite comfortably.
Leeder trying to control here.
Leeder wants to control the action here but instead Lister manages to pass to full mount!
Leeder is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lister landing shots from mount.
Lister trying to control but Leeder is having none of it.
Leeder really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lister. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Lister moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Leeder has worked his arm free - good work by Leeder!
Leeder can't do much from the bottom here.
Leeder wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Lister thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lister creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Leeder sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Leeder throws Lister to one side and escapes!
Leeder misses with an uppercut

and Lister counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lister throwing strikes from guard but Leeder blocks nicely.
Leeder keeping moving, preventing Lister from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Lister gets to his feet - Leeder follows without any prompting.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dean Lister showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lister, 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dean Lister!
Dean Lister took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.