PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zhelin Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tico Ponce De Leon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Li
vs
Ponce De Leon

171 cm
29
160 lbs
4 - 6 - 1

172 cm
24
160 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

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 4 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zhelin Li!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tico Ponce De Leon!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ponce De Leon swivels and escapes.
Li shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ponce De Leon defends it nicely.
Ponce De Leon lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Ponce De Leon gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Li to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Ponce De Leon keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Li throwing strikes but missing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ponce De Leon avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Li tries to free his leg and advance position but Ponce De Leon is retaining full guard.
Ponce De Leon keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Li tries to free his leg and advance position but Ponce De Leon is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li throwing strikes from guard but Ponce De Leon blocks nicely.
Ponce De Leon can't keep his opponent in guard - Li advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Ponce De Leon is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Li wants to work for an arm triangle but Ponce De Leon is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Li is controlling the pace.

Li is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ponce De Leon sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li trying to advance position but Ponce De Leon counters by regaining guard.
Li pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ponce De Leon is keeping the position for now.
Li won't allow Ponce De Leon to sweep him here.
Li looking to sit in guard and control but Ponce De Leon gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ponce De Leon avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
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.

Ponce De Leon avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponce De Leon trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
Li looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ponce De Leon wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Ponce De Leon must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Li not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Li is really struggling to control Ponce De Leon but he's trying to hold on to the position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Tico Ponce De Leon hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Li shoots in for a double leg but Ponce De Leon sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zhelin Li. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ponce De Leon is looking to clinch but Li is avoiding it.
Zhelin Li seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ponce De Leon keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Li.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ponce De Leon scores with a leg kick.
Li rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Ponce De Leon counters with a thumping low kick.

Li closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ponce De Leon to the mat! Ponce De Leon manages to get full guard.
Li postures up in Ponce De Leon's guard and throws a big left but Ponce De Leon blocks it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Li stopping the sweep attempt from Ponce De Leon.
Ponce De Leon keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.

Li drops back looking for a leg! Ponce De Leon is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ponce De Leon manages to kick Li off! Li jumps back into Ponce De Leon's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ponce De Leon tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zhelin Li dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Li shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ponce De Leon pinned against the cage. Ponce De Leon gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ponce De Leon stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ponce De Leon wants it to stay on the feet.
Ponce De Leon pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Li or perhaps it was just good defense by Ponce De Leon, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zhelin Li. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Li looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

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

Li is working for a submission of some sort.
Ponce De Leon tries to get to full guard but Li has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponce De Leon blocking the ground and pound attempt from Li.
Ponce De Leon makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ponce De Leon.
Li trying to control but Ponce De Leon is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li throwing strikes from guard but Ponce De Leon blocks nicely.
Li is working Ponce De Leon over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Li wants to pass the guard but Ponce De Leon is keeping the position.
Li missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Li accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ponce De Leon wants to sweep but no luck.
Li wants to control from the top but Ponce De Leon keeps moving.
Ponce De Leon wants to sweep here but Li controlling him for the moment.

Li has gone for a leg lock! Ponce De Leon slips out almost immediately though and dives into Li's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponce De Leon wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.

Ponce De Leon avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Li throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Li had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ponce De Leon defends it easily.
Ponce De Leon trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
Ponce De Leon has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Li is proving hard to escape from.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Li has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ponce De Leon can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Li trying to keep a closed guard but Ponce De Leon is proving a slippery customer.
Ponce De Leon is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Li looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ponce De Leon wants to stand but Li is controlling his posture from full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ponce De Leon trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zhelin Li dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Ponce De Leon slaps away a takedown attempt from Li, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Li shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ponce De Leon as he avoids it easily.
Ponce De Leon is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Ponce De Leon is looking to land body kicks.
Li throws a poor cross that misses
and Ponce De Leon cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Li shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ponce De Leon defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zhelin Li. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Li closes the distance and clinches up with Ponce De Leon, looking for a takedown. Li pushes Ponce De Leon against the cage but Ponce De Leon circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ponce De Leon tries a head kick but it misses.

Ponce De Leon has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ponce De Leon throws a knee to the head but misses.
Li is trying to pull guard but Ponce De Leon turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponce De Leon is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A short uppercut from Ponce De Leon.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ponce De Leon scores with a knee to the head.
Ponce De Leon connects with a nasty looking knee right to Li's face.

Li has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Ponce De Leon clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Li working for a choke but Ponce De Leon reverses nicely into Li 's guard.

Li working for a triangle but Ponce De Leon defends it easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ponce De Leon sitting in guard here, content to control.

Li looking for a guillotine here but Ponce De Leon defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Zhelin Li overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ponce De Leon wants to stand but Li is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ponce De Leon is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Li working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ponce De Leon doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Li is tightening it up a little... Ponce De Leon has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Ponce De Leon reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Ponce De Leon taps out! Nice BJJ there by Li!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Zhelin Li!