PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Abdul Leon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dexter Zuriak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Abdul Leon has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Leon
vs
Zuriak

174 cm
21
161 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

165 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Abdul Leon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dexter Zuriak !
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Roger Salmon and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zuriak works Leon's body with a nice hook.
Leon swats away the attempt to clinch by Zuriak .
Zuriak throws a series of punches but Leon avoids them all with ease.
An attempted straight right counter from Leon misses the target.
No luck for Leon with that takedown attempt.
A countering left hand to the body from Zuriak misses.
Leon misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Leon shoots in for a takedown but Zuriak shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abdul Leon. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Zuriak closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Zuriak lands in his opponent's guard.

Leon is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leon working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuriak trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Zuriak content to stall in guard here.
Leon wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Zuriak should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Zuriak stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Leon swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zuriak controls from within his opponent's guard.
Leon keeping full guard, as Zuriak tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Zuriak is looking to stand up but Leon won't let him.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Zuriak falls off balance throwing a combination
and Leon counters with a three punch combo that has Zuriak backing up. Zuriak nods at Leon to acknowledge the strikes.
Leon steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Zuriak .

Zuriak shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Zuriak was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Zuriak looks up at the clock and then as Leon takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Zuriak smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Zuriak swings around for an armbar but Leon sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Zuriak 's guard.
Leon throwing strikes from guard but Zuriak blocks nicely.
Leon won't allow Zuriak to get back to his feet.
Leon keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Zuriak 's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuriak wants to get back to his feet but Leon is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Zuriak seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Zuriak utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zuriak is controlling Leon's posture.
Zuriak really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Leon. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Zuriak lands an upkick as Leon stands over him.

Leon gets to his feet - Zuriak follows without any prompting.
Jab by Zuriak .
Zuriak misses with a few strikes there.
Leon seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Zuriak doesn't manage to clinch there - Leon circles away.
Leon appears to be looking for a big counter.
Zuriak defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Leon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leon darts in looking for a takedown but Zuriak gets double underhooks and turns Leon into the cage.
Zuriak tries to counter by closing the distance.
Zuriak tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Leon paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Danga de danga de dang - Zuriak scores with a four punch combination!

Zuriak looking to score a takedown here. Leon is defending well but Zuriak drives through and ends up in Leon's guard.
Zuriak is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Zuriak looking to sit in guard and control but Leon gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

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!

Zuriak isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Leon stacks Zuriak on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Leon!
You can see the frustration on Zuriak 's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Zuriak is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dexter Zuriak will probably get the nod.
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.

Zuriak leaves Leon with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Zuriak tries to clinch up
and Leon connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Leon gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Zuriak counters with a right hand to the body.
Zuriak throws a right and a left that Leon avoids nicely.

Zuriak scores with a takedown into Leon's guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Leon manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Leon is pressed up against the cage. Zuriak has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Leon down to the mat. Leon avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Zuriak manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Leon on his heels. He'll look to pass Leon's guard now, I'm sure.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuriak trying to move into half guard but instead Leon has managed to sweep!

Zuriak preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Zuriak controlling Leon's posture.
Zuriak working a defensive guard but Leon passes into half guard.
Zuriak wants to get back to full guard but Leon has passed into side control.
Zuriak is looking for a sweep.
Leon fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Leon working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Leon working away.

Leon tries for a kimura but Zuriak is defending well.
Zuriak is trying to work for a sweep but Leon has mounted him!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leon with good strikes from the mount here!

Leon has hold of Zuriak 's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Zuriak manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zuriak is trying desperately to improve position.
Leon sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Leon looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Zuriak can't escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Leon thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuriak is trying desperately to improve position.
Zuriak keeps trying to improve his position.
Zuriak looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Zuriak tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zuriak covering up well and avoiding damage.
Zuriak is trying to break free.

Leon has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Zuriak is trying to stand back up.
I really don't envy Zuriak right now.
Zuriak wants to control his opponent's hands but Leon gets his hands free.
Leon is hanging on to Zuriak 's back as he tries to escape.
Zuriak wants to control his opponent's hands but Leon gets his hands free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdul Leon dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Zuriak stuffs the takedown attempt from Leon. Leon gets slowly back to his feet.
Leon fails to land the takedown.
Leon slips a jab and a cross from Zuriak .
Leon is looking to counter the offense by Zuriak and move into the clinch.
Leon bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

Zuriak closes the distance and clinches.

Leon breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zuriak stuffs the takedown.
Despite the aggression on Zuriak 's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abdul Leon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Leon avoids a punch combination nicely.

Zuriak shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Leon is trying to defend but Zuriak finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuriak seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Leon does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Zuriak is thwarting Leon's attempts to control the position.
Zuriak wants to advance to full mount but Leon doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Abdul Leon overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Zuriak drops back, looking for a kneebar! Leon looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Leon looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Leon!

Leon throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Leon misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuriak tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Leon presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

Zuriak defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Leon.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zuriak is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Leon working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Zuriak is looking to get to half guard.
Zuriak wants to control but Leon is having none of it.
Zuriak wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Zuriak covering up well under a barage of strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leon keeps control of the position as Zuriak tries to break free.

Leon looking for the choke but no joy.
Zuriak tries to break free.

Zuriak showing good submission defense here.
Leon keeps control of the position as Zuriak tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zuriak trying to control the action but Leon just sinks the hooks in.

Zuriak defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Leon avoiding Zuriak 's attempts to control his hands.
Zuriak tries to break free.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zuriak covering up well under a barage of strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Abdul Leon showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Leon 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abdul Leon!