PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Carter Mann (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Graham Van Leakenstien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Graham Van Leakenstien has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mann
vs
Van Leakenstien

185 cm
20
205 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

180 cm
19
210 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Carter Mann!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Graham Van Leakenstien!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, James Ackerman and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice combination there by Mann.
Mann throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Van Leakenstien misses with a straight left.

Van Leakenstien decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Van Leakenstien thows a huge punch but Mann dodges it nicely.
Mann is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at FIERCE that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Van Leakenstien is looking to take a break and control but Mann is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Van Leakenstien trying to control the pace.
Van Leakenstien with the ground and pound but Mann uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Van Leakenstien with a flurry of punches that miss.
Van Leakenstien trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Van Leakenstien stands up from Mann's guard - Van Leakenstien perhaps looking for a knockout.
Mann falls off balance throwing a combination
and Van Leakenstien counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Leakenstien avoids a punch combination nicely.
Van Leakenstien falls off balance throwing a combination
and Mann counters with a left to the body.

Van Leakenstien has managed to clinch.

Mann breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mann shoots for a double leg takedown but Van Leakenstien sprawls well. He's pushed Mann's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mann fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Van Leakenstien avoids it really well and circles away.
Mann plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Mann misses with a series of wild punches.
Van Leakenstien shoots in and drives through. Mann sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mann throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mann leaves Van Leakenstien with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Van Leakenstien closes the distance and clinches up with Mann, looking for a takedown. Van Leakenstien pushes Mann against the cage but Mann circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Carter Mann has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Graham Van Leakenstien.

Van Leakenstien closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Van Leakenstien decides to stand back up.
Nice takedown defense from Van Leakenstien. No joy for Mann on that attempt.
Mann is breathing heavily.
Van Leakenstien gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Mann.

Van Leakenstien has managed to clinch.
Van Leakenstien scores with a hook to the body.

Van Leakenstien breaks the clinch.

Van Leakenstien clinches with his opponent.

Mann breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Leakenstien shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mann as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Leakenstien fails to land the takedown.
Mann dodges the punch combination from Van Leakenstien.
Mann shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Van Leakenstien counters with a series of strikes. Mann will be more careful next time no doubt.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Mann!
Van Leakenstien shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mann but Mann pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Van Leakenstien shoots for a takedown but Mann saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Van Leakenstien dives in and grabs Mann's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mann pushes down on Van Leakenstien's head and hops out.

Van Leakenstien pushes Mann up against the cage in a clinch.
Van Leakenstien is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mann to keep the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Leakenstien lands with a right to the head.
Van Leakenstien is looking for a takedown.

Van Leakenstien pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mann throws a right and a left that both miss.

Van Leakenstien closes the distance and clinches.

Van Leakenstien manages to break the clinch.

Van Leakenstien fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mann, pushing him back against the cage.
Van Leakenstien lands a hook that snaps the head of Mann backwards.

Van Leakenstien pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mann throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Donk. Van Leakenstien catches Mann right on the button with a cross.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Graham Van Leakenstien will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mann scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Van Leakenstien fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Mann is out of range.
Van Leakenstien looks for a takedown but Mann sprawls well.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mann is defended easily by Van Leakenstien.
Van Leakenstien scores with a punch to the head.

Mann tries to sprawl but Van Leakenstien drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Mann pushes Van Leakenstien off looking to stand but Van Leakenstien dives back in and keeps control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Van Leakenstien trying to control from Mann's half guard. Mann has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Mann manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mann connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Mann fails with a takedown attempt.

Van Leakenstien takes the fight into the clinch.
Van Leakenstien will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Mann up against the cage.

Mann's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Van Leakenstien gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Van Leakenstien breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Van Leakenstien has Mann up against the cage in a clinch.

Van Leakenstien breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mann avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Van Leakenstien avoids the body shot from Mann.

Van Leakenstien rushes Mann and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Mann breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Van Leakenstien drives through and clinches with Mann against the cage.

Mann pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mann lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Van Leakenstien backs up against the cage.
Van Leakenstien has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mann throws a series of strikes that have Van Leakenstien backpedaling.

Mann tries to keep at a distance but Van Leakenstien has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mann pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Carter Mann is winning the standup battle so far.

Van Leakenstien moves into the clinch.
Van Leakenstien lands with a short shot to the head.

Van Leakenstien pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Van Leakenstien is looking to clinch but Mann is avoiding it.
Mann lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Van Leakenstien displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mann.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carter Mann. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Van Leakenstien gets a clinch.
Van Leakenstien creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Van Leakenstien breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mann moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Van Leakenstien drives through and clinches with Mann against the cage.
Van Leakenstien lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Mann backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mann blocks an elbow strike from Van Leakenstien.

Van Leakenstien breaks from the clinch.
Mann buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Van Leakenstien misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Van Leakenstien takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A combination from Mann does no damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Carter Mann will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Van Leakenstien avoids a punch combination nicely.
Carter Mann is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Graham Van Leakenstien seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Mann escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van Leakenstien misses with a wild combination.
As Van Leakenstien looks to move away, Mann throws a big counter combo but Van Leakenstien just gets out of the way.
Van Leakenstien leaves Mann with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mann tries to keep at a distance but Van Leakenstien has taken the fight into the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Van Leakenstien takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Leakenstien breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mann throws a right hand that Van Leakenstien ducks under and follows up with a left that Van Leakenstien also avoids with ease.
Mann shoots in looking for a takedown but Van Leakenstien manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Mann's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

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

Mann kicks off Van Leakenstien and gets to his feet.
Mann rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Van Leakenstien moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Van Leakenstien darts in and clinches Mann up against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Mann pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Horrible takedown attempt by Mann or perhaps it was just good defense by Van Leakenstien, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carter Mann. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Leakenstien misses with a series of wild punches.
Mann will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mann fails with the takedown.
Mann throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mann is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Van Leakenstien.
Nice shot lands for Van Leakenstien.
Nice cross by Van Leakenstien.
Mann takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

It looks like Carter Mann has been cut.

Van Leakenstien clinches up with Mann and pushes him back against the cage.
Van Leakenstien with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Van Leakenstien makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Leakenstien is looking to take this one to the mat.

Van Leakenstien manages to pull guard.
Mann stops Van Leakenstien from standing up.

Mann decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Van Leakenstien, up you get!
A looping hook to the body misses from Mann. Van Leakenstien does a little dance to reset his feet.
As Mann backs off Van Leakenstien throws a huge counter combo but Mann manages to avoid it all.
Van Leakenstien with a poor takedown
and Van Leakenstien takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Van Leakenstien drives through and clinches with Mann against the cage.

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

Van Leakenstien closes the distance and pushes Mann back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Van Leakenstien's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mann misses with a double jab.

Van Leakenstien moves into range and clinches up with Mann.
Van Leakenstien tries to pull guard but Mann won't allow it.
Van Leakenstien tries to pull guard but Mann won't allow it.
Van Leakenstien tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Mann smiles and moves away.

Van Leakenstien drives through with a takedown into Mann's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Mann wriggles free and stands up.
A punch combination from Mann misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Graham Van Leakenstien comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Van Leakenstien 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Graham Van Leakenstien!