PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rock Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James has chosen Super Freak as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Rock Lee has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lee
vs
James

175 cm
18
165 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
18
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rock Lee!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rick James!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Chris Dean and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lee blocks a head kick by James.
Lee blocks a head kick by James.
James moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lee is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
James feints a counter leg kick.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Lee looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Lee working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of James's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
James can't keep his opponent in guard - Lee advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Lee performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Lee tries to pass to full mount but James defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Lee controlling the pace.
Lee throwing shots but James is blocking nicely.
Lee moves nicely into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Lee decides to stand up, so the ref orders James to his feet.
James misses with a low kick.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Lee.
Lee shoots in but James avoids the takedown attempt easily.

A momentary lapse in concentration from James enables Lee to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. James manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Lee 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.
Lee sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed James's guard.
Lee controlling the action here.
Lee missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rock Lee dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

James fakes the leg kick and cracks Lee in the body.
Lee throws a head kick that misses.
Lee dives in for a single leg takedown but James sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
James tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lee is looking for a counter combo.
James looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
James leaves Lee with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
James pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Good leg kick by James there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Lee avoids the head kick by James.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Lee!
We've been told by Lee's head coaches at Makaveli fighting arts inc that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
James fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Lee has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A lazy body kick from James
and Lee counters with a left and a right that stings James.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
James throws a leg kick which misses Lee's front leg but catches the back leg as Lee tries to avoid it.
James fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Lee has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Lee shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. James defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rock Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Lee moves out of range of the body kick from James.
Lee tries to counter with a takedown but James is quick to defend against it.
Lee takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

Lee decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

James has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Lee is on him like a limpet, forcing James back against the cage.

Lee escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
James throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lee chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before James can pounce on him.
James attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by James.
Lee shoots in for a takedown but James shows good takedown defense.
James feints a counter leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
James pulls out of a head kick attempt.
James throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Lee tries to clinch up.
A head kick misses from James.
Rock Lee is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
James throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
A nice inside leg kick there by James. That's going to slow Lee down.
James misses with a kick to the body.
James has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
James throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Lee gets a clinch.
James holding his opponent close, against the cage.
James controlling the action here for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick James showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lee takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Lee shoots in for a takedown but James shows good takedown defense.
James misses with a body kick.
Lee tried to counter with a leg kick but James avoided it.
James swats away the attempt to clinch by Lee.
James lands with a nice body kick.
James throws a nice inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lee shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has James pinned against the cage. James gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
James shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Rick James seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lee.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rock Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lee doesn't manage to clinch there - James circles away.
James keeps the fight on the outside.
James keeps Lee at a distance using the push kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Lee tries to keep at a distance but James has taken the fight into the clinch.

James breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A slapping leg kick lands for James.
James fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Lee has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Lee on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by James. James obviously looking to wear him down.
James throws a head kick that misses.
James looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Lee throws a nice inside leg kick.
James connects with a high kick.

It looks like Rock Lee has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James throws a half hearted mid kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Lee gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Lee has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. James is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Lee will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
James stalling.
James is pressed up against the cage. Lee has hold of a leg and is looking to drag James down to the mat. James avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
James fakes the leg kick and cracks Lee in the body.
Lee tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
James blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

James breaks from the clinch.
Rick James seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Lee shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and James counters with a leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick James really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rock Lee's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

James scoring well with a low kick there.
Lee fails with a takedown attempt.
James throws a head kick that misses.
James circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lee shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and James counters with an outside leg kick.
James throws a body kick that misses.
James throws a head kick that misses.
James throws a quick inside leg kick.
Lee is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from James.
James tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
James is looking to land body kicks.
James misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
It looked like Lee was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
A combination from Lee does no damage.
James throws a sloppy head kick and Lee moves out of range easily.
Lee tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but James swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rock Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lee decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

James makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
James throws a head kick that misses.
James throws a head kick that misses
and Lee counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps James thinking.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lee scores with a head kick.
James cracks the inside of Lee's front leg.
A jab from Lee finds it's way through James's defenses.

James gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

James's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
James turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Lee on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
That kick from James tenderised Lee's leg. Lee is trying to keep his angry face on.
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but James paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Lee gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Lee tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. James just stands there and leans against the cage.

James breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lee scores with a crisp jab that stopped James in his tracks.
Lee throws a sloppy head kick and James moves out of range easily.
Lee avoids a kick to the body.
A good leg kick by James.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick James dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Rock Lee's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

James throws a nice head kick!
James throws a sloppy head kick
and Lee counters with a series of strikes. James will be more careful next time no doubt.

Lee has taken the fight to the clinch.
Lee tries to pull guard but James holds him up against the cage and eventually Lee drops back down to his feet.

James breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
James chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Lee tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. James manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
James looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
James buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
James lands with a thumping leg kick.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lee shoots in looking for a takedown but James manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lee's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Lee shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in James's guard.
Rock Lee overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lee accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Lee is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
James working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lee.
Lee stays in close to James's body and controls the position.
Lee trying to control the position from guard on top but James is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Lee throws a big right hand that misses.

Lee stands up from James's guard - Lee perhaps looking for a knockout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Lee.
James defending against the ground and pound.

Lee decides to stand up, so the ref orders James to his feet.
Rock Lee has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rick James is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lee lands a right hook to the body.

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 Rock Lee.
I think James has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight for Rick James!
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight for Rick James!
Judge John Mangel scores the fight for Rick James!

Rick James wins by unanimous decision! Rick James retains his lightweight title!
A relieved looking Rick James thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Rock Lee spoke after the fight, saying 'I want my muuummyy '.