PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Equinox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nuriel Leonard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Equinox
vs
Leonard

172 cm
46
147 lbs
60 - 30 - 1

168 cm
39
147 lbs
36 - 20 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Spartan Nutrition
Bad Man Clothing (Nothing Over $40)

Spartan Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 60 - 30 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Equinox!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 36 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nuriel Leonard!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Matheus Silva and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donk. Leonard catches Equinox right on the button with a cross.
Leonard fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Leonard swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Equinox has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Leonard misses with a lunging right hand
and Equinox counters with a left to the body.
Leonard throws a jab when Equinox was well out of range.
Equinox tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Leonard manages to circle out of the way.
Equinox ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Equinox swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Leonard lands a glancing blow to the side of Equinox's head.
Equinox takes a swing at Leonard's ribcage but misses.

Equinox gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Equinox lands a hook to the side of the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Leonard creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Leonard missing with knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Leonard blocks an uppercut.
Leonard with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Equinox misses with a body punch.
Equinox misses with a short punch on the inside.
Leonard lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Equinox backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Equinox lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Equinox doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Leonard with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Equinox working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Equinox just leaning against Leonard, taking a breather.
Equinox scores with a shot to the side of Leonard's head.
Leonard tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Equinox avoids it.
Leonard tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Equinox tries to work over Leonard's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Leonard blocks an uppercut.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Equinox tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Leonard's elbow.
Leonard blocks an uppercut.
Leonard leaning his opponent against the cage.
Leonard is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Equinox lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Leonard backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leonard with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Equinox trying to stall but Leonard improves his position.
Equinox goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Leonard is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Equinox tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch on the inside from Equinox fails to land.
Leonard blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Leonard is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Equinox can't fight it off and eventually Leonard manages to take the fight to the floor. Equinox looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Leonard trying to control but Equinox is working from the bottom.
Leonard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leonard wants to control from the top but Equinox keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Equinox is trying to keep Leonard in close.
Leonard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Equinox preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Leonard accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Leonard misses with a right hand
and Equinox cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Equinox has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Leonard finds it's way round the side to connect with Equinox's head.
Equinox swats away the attempt to clinch by Leonard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Equinox pushes Leonard up against the cage in a clinch.
Equinox scores with a shoulder strike.
Leonard misses with a knee to the head.
Leonard lands with a short shot to the head.
Leonard changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Equinox fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Nuriel Leonard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Equinox is looking to clinch.
Leonard swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Equinox showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Leonard.
Leonard avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Equinox bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A counter left hand to the body from Equinox misses its target.
A slow jab from Equinox misses its intended target.
Equinox slips under a jab.
Leonard throws a right hand that misses
letting Equinox counter with a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nuriel Leonard will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Leonard looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Equinox tries to clinch up but Leonard circles away and keeps his distance.
Leonard changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Leonard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Leonard scores with a jab to the head.
Leonard throws a body punch but Equinox moves out of range.
Equinox throws out a loose jab but Leonard uses good head movement to avoid it.
Equinox has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Equinox there as he acknowledges the shot.
Leonard throws a right and a left that both miss.
Leonard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big right from Leonard misses.
Leonard ducks under a wild hook from Equinox.
Nice uppercut lands for Leonard. That snapped Equinox's head back.
Leonard slips a straight right by Equinox.
Leonard throws out a counter right but Equinox avoids it with no problem.
Nice uppercut there from Leonard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leonard connects with a body shot.
Equinox ducks right into an uppercut from Leonard.
Nuriel Leonard seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Leonard throws a lazy right hand but Equinox sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
It looked like Equinox wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Leonard connects with a body shot.
Equinox looks to throw the jab but Leonard is out of range.
Leonard throws a shot from downtown. Equinox moves away and avoids it.
Equinox seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Equinox throws a series of punches but Leonard avoids them all with ease.

Leonard drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Equinox looking to hit a scissor sweep but Leonard is one step ahead there.
Leonard throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leonard landing some decent shots from guard.
Leonard postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Leonard wants to control from the top but Equinox keeps moving.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Leonard swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leonard throws a nice looking combination but Equinox bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Leonard connects with a right hand. Equinox shakes it off.
Leonard connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Leonard falls off balance throwing a combination
and Equinox counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A lazy left from Equinox finds it's target.
Leonard swings widly with a right hand
and Equinox counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Leonard looks to score with a jab to the body but Equinox is just out of range.
Equinox walks into a left hand.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Leonard!
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!
Equinox takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Leonard shoots and misses
and Equinox counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Equinox.
Equinox misses with a head kick.
Leonard throws an off balance right hand
and Equinox connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A lazy left from Leonard finds it's target.
Equinox avoids the body shot from Leonard.
Equinox slips under a jab.
Leonard misses with a hook.
Equinox takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Sloppy strikes from Leonard. Those never looked like landing.
Equinox keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Leonard.
Leonard misses with a right hand
and Equinox counters with a stiff right hand.
Leonard throws an off balance right hand
and Equinox counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Left hook, right uppercut from Equinox.

Leonard is rocked!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nuriel Leonard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action!

Equinox moves in looking to clinch but Leonard pushes him off.
Leonard circles away from the clinch attempt.
Leonard misses the jab.
Leonard misses the body punch
and Equinox counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Leonard misses with a hook
letting Equinox counter with a right hand.
Leonard is still on wobbly legs! Can Equinox finish him?
A big left from Leonard misses.
Equinox scores with a hook to the body. Leonard takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Jab, jab by Leonard - just one landing.
Equinox moves in close and cracks Leonard with a massive right hand! Leonard, frozen momentarily in time, tumbles to the canvas, already out cold! A brutal knockout by Equinox!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). John Equinox!
John Equinox retains his featherweight title!
John Equinox seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.