PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chris Leben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sydney Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leben comes to the cage accompanied by Skrillex - Kyoto. 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?

Leben
vs
Jones

200 cm
43
280 lbs
27 - 21 - 0

189 cm
29
290 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Great low kicks
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Spartan Nutrition
GREEN!160

MMA Hype Apparel
Spartan Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 21 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris Leben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sydney Jones!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Cecil Peabody and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leben motions for Jones to come forward. Leben throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Leben with a hook.
Leben misses the jab.
Jones looks like he wants to counter punch here.
No joy there for Leben, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Jones throws a fast counter high kick but Leben manages to duck under it in time.
Jones checks a leg kick nicely.
Jones looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Leben fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Jones manages to avoid it.
Leben backing away here, and Jones unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Leben throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Jones counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Jones takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Jones is looking to clinch but Leben is avoiding it.
Leben throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jones throws out a counter right but Leben avoids it with no problem.
Leben swings for the body but Jones moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leben attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Despite the aggression on Jones's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Leben looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Jones now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Leben closes the distance and pushes Jones back into the cage.
Jones is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Jones breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jones takes the fight into the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Leben.

Jones breaks from the clinch.
Chris Leben seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Leben throws a lazy head kick
and Jones counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Leben swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Jones counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Leben thinking.
Leben throws a left and a right that both miss
and Jones counters with a good low kick that Leben was not able to check.
Jones tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Leben seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Leben closes the distance and pushes Jones back into the cage.

Leben pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Leben rushes Jones and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Jones is trying to maintain a safe position but Leben gets an underhook and turns Jones into the cage.
Leben wants to break the clinch but can't.
Leben looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Leben can't find room to land a body shot as Jones controls the action.

Jones manages to break the clinch.

Leben closes the distance and clinches.
Jones misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones prevents Leben from breaking the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Good body shot from Jones.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Leben.

Jones's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Leben misses with a body kick.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Jones! But no joy.
Jones punishes Leben's body with a nice straight punch.
Leben pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Jones tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Leben manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Leben clinches.
Jones takes a shot to the head.
Leben misses with the head strike.
Leben wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Jones scores with a shot to the side of Leben's head.
Jones misses with a knee to the head.
Jones has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Leben seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Jones can turn it around.
Leben on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Leben manages to break the clinch.
Leben throws a lazy body kick
and Jones counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leben misses with a lunging right hand
and Jones counters with a nice leg kick.
Leben throws a lazy head kick
and Jones counters with a nice uppercut.
Leben misses with a leg kick
and Jones counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Jones takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Jones takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Leben looks to throw a body kick
and Jones counters with a one-two to the body.
Jones tries to move into range but Leben moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Leben lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Leben throws a left and a right that both miss
and Jones counters with a left to the body.
A head kick by Leben misses
and Jones connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Crunch! Leben slams his shin into Jones's torso.

Jones rushes Leben and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Leben tries a body shot but Jones blocks it.
Jones lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Leben is breathing heavily.

Jones manages to break the clinch.

Jones gets tackled into the cage by Leben. Leben maintains the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Jones.

Jones escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Leben misses with a jab, cross combination.
Jones scores with a punch to the head.
Leben misses with a jab to the body
and Jones counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Leben clinches up with Jones and pushes him back against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Jones.
Leben looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Leben misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Leben can't break the clinch.
Jones lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

It looks like Chris Leben has been cut.
Jones lands a left hand.
A short left from Jones.

Leben is rocked!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jones taking a breather.
Oh Leben is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Jones lands an uppercut in the clinch that drops Leben to his knees! Jones keeps firing more shots against his stricken opponent and the referee jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Sydney Jones!
In his post fight interview, Sydney Jones started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.