PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hitmon Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miklo Velka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Velka has chosen Cypress Hill - Insane In The Membrane as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Lee
vs
Velka

195 cm
37
222 lbs
33 - 20 - 0

188 cm
41
219 lbs
42 - 28 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Spartan Nutrition

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 33 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hitmon Lee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 42 - 28 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Miklo Velka!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Matheus Silva and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big left from Lee misses.
Velka scores with a sloppy right hand. Lee should have avoided that one.
Miklo Velka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Velka slips a jab and a cross from Lee.
Velka misses with a head kick.
Velka has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Good leg kick by Lee there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Velka displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lee throws out the jab.
Lee lands a right hook to the body.
Velka takes a swing at Lee's ribcage but misses.
Velka misses with a wild body shot.
Lee drops down looking for a counter takedown but Velka sprawls and moves away.
Velka looks to land a combination but Lee avoids it well.
Lee changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Velka doesn't manage to clinch there - Lee circles away.
We've been hearing reports that Lee has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Lee with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Velka takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Nice shot lands for Velka.
Velka missing with a left hand there. Lee was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lee avoids the head kick by Velka.
Lee throws a body kick that misses.
Velka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lee paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee avoids the head kick by Velka.

Velka pushes Lee up against the cage in a clinch.
Velka tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Lee avoids it.
Lee blocks an elbow strike.
Lee tries to circle away but Velka has him pinned against the cage.
Lee is trying to drag Velka to the mat but Velka just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Lee can't break the clinch.
Velka throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Velka tries to land knees in the clinch but Lee avoids the damage to the body.
Lee throws an elbow but it misses.
Velka lands an elbow inside.
Lee misses with a punch on the inside.
Velka blocks an elbow strike from Lee.

Lee's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lee shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velka misses with the combination.
Velka displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lee throws out the jab.

Velka has managed to clinch.
Lee tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Velka avoids it.
Velka keeps control of Lee as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Velka slowing the pace effectively.
Lee misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Velka.
Lee works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Velka tries a knee to the head but Lee blocks it.
Velka pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Lee throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Velka blocks it with crossed arms.

Lee gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Lee missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Lee is stalling here. Velka is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Lee seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Velka has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Velka wants to stand but Lee is controlling his arm.
Lee is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Velka's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Lee wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lee manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Velka trying to control the position from guard on top but Lee is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lee looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lee is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Velka 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.
Lee bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Velka's guard.

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 Hitmon Lee will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nice defenses there by Lee.
Velka lands a leg kick that knocks Lee off balance momentarily.
Velka on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Lee doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Velka counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Lee misses with a low kick.
Velka lands with a nice body punch.
Lee looks to score with a jab to the body but Velka is just out of range.
Lee takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Lee throws out a leg kick but Velka moves out of range and Lee only half commits.
Lee looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velka lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Lee thumps Velka with a low kick.
Velka bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Velka takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Velka tries to clinch but Lee moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velka throws a leg kick that is checked

so Lee counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hitmon Lee overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Velka has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Lee throws an elbow that misses. Velka uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lee's guard. Nice move by Velka!

Velka stopping the sweep attempt from Lee.
Velka sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Lee's guard.
Lee is looking to improve his position.
Lee trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velka trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Lee tries to lock up and control but Velka gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Lee is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Lee can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velka wants to control the pace but Lee is squirming around nicely.
Lee really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Lee is working hard here to advance position.
Lee is squirming around, avoiding Velka's attempts to control the action.
Lee bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee looking to pass the guard.
Lee in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Velka is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lee is controlling him.
Lee throws a strike but Velka rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lee 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.

Lee working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Velka doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Velka manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Miklo Velka will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Lee keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Lee has a takedown stuffed.
Velka scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Velka tries to clinch but Lee is having none of it.
Lee misses with a body kick.
Velka scores with a leg kick.
Velka moves to clinch but Lee breaks away
and Lee counters with a thumping low kick.
Nice shot lands for Lee.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velka cracks Lee with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Lee takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Good shot there by Lee.
Velka takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Velka tries to clinch up.
Good work by Velka as he checks the leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velka cracks Lee with a good jab.
Velka moves away from the strike by Lee.
Velka follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Velka cracks a nice hook into Lee's ribs.
Velka keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Velka ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Velka throws a sloppy head kick and Lee moves out of range easily.
Velka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Lee tries to counter with a takedown but Velka is quick to defend against it.
Velka tries to clinch up but Lee circles away and keeps his distance.
Lee feinted with a counter takedown.
Velka tries to clinch up.
Velka tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Velka throws a leg kick that misses.
Lee lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Lee takes a swing at Velka's ribcage but misses.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Velka! But no joy.
Velka uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lee.
Lee looks to land a right hand but Velka moved out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lee closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Velka to the mat! Velka manages to get full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Velka tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lee stays in close to Velka's body and controls the position.
Lee trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lee trying to control the position from guard on top but Velka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lee missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Velka wants to stand but Lee is controlling the position.
Lee tries to free his leg and advance position but Velka is retaining full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Lee.
Velka lands with an overhand left.
Lee moves out of range of the body kick.
Lee feinted with a counter takedown.

Lee feints and as Velka raises his hands in defense, Lee changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Lee throwing strikes but missing.
Lee postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lee looking to sit in guard and control but Velka gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Lee working for a triangle but Velka defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Velka trying to stand up but can't free himself from Lee's guard.
Lee keeping moving, preventing Velka from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Hitmon Lee.
I think Lee 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Hitmon Lee!
Our winner, Hitmon Lee, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.