PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leonardo Obrien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Yagan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Obrien
vs
Yagan

162 cm
24
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

213 cm
25
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good elbows
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Leonardo Obrien!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Anthony Yagan!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Ben Hemmingworth and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Obrien throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Yagan was covering up waiting for the punch and Obrien finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Yagan is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Obrien is looking to work some ground and pound but Yagan has wrist control.
Yagan wants to get back to his feet but Obrien is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Obrien stands up from guard. Let's bang!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yagan throws a nice looking combination but Obrien bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Yagan misses with a few strikes there.
Yagan tries to bum rush Obrien with a series of wild strikes but Obrien uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Obrien could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Yagan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Obrien counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Yagan. Those never looked like landing.
Yagan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Yagan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Leonardo Obrien seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Obrien thumps Yagan with a low kick.
Yagan swinging wildly here.
Obrien throws a series of punches but Yagan avoids them all with ease.
Obrien throws a series of punches but Yagan moves out of range.
Obrien throws a sloppy head kick and Yagan moves out of range easily.
Yagan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Obrien moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Obrien tries to counter by clinching up but Yagan breaks away and moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obrien misses with a low kick as Yagan jumps back.
Some wild striking there from Obrien.
As Obrien backs off Yagan throws a huge counter combo but Obrien manages to avoid it all.
Anthony Yagan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Obrien throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Yagan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Obrien moves into the clinch.
Yagan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Obrien tightens his grip and picks Yagan up, before dumping him to the ground. Yagan manages to land in guard.
Yagan wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Obrien manages to pass to side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Obrien is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Obrien thows a huge punch but Yagan dodges it nicely.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Obrien is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Obrien throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Obrien thows a huge punch but Yagan dodges it nicely.
Obrien performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Obrien missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Obrien slips a nice elbow through Yagan's hands, connecting with Yagan's forehead.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yagan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Obrien.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Obrien shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Yagan napping and manages to drive through into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Obrien dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Yagan's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Yagan duly obliges.

It looks like Leonardo Obrien has been cut.
Yagan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Obrien circles away quickly and effectively.
Obrien misses with a double jab
and Yagan counters with a two punch combo.
Yagan throws a nice looking combination but Obrien bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Obrien misses with a right hand
and Yagan counters with a series of strikes. Obrien will be more careful next time no doubt.

Obrien is rocked!
Yagan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Obrien.
It looked like Obrien was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Oh Obrien is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Yagan tries to bum rush Obrien with a series of wild strikes but Obrien uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Leonardo Obrien is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Obrien attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Obrien seems to have got his legs back now.
Yagan throws a series of punches but Obrien avoids them all with ease.
Obrien tried to score with a low kick but Yagan checks it.
Anthony Yagan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Yagan lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Obrien.
Yagan is looking to get back to his feet here but Obrien is keeping cool and he's managed to take Yagan's back.
Yagan is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yagan is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Obrien missing with strikes from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obrien is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Yagan covering up well under a series of strikes from Obrien.
Yagan covering up well under a barage of strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Obrien missing with punches from the back.
Obrien controls the action.

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.
Leonardo Obrien overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Obrien has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Yagan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Leonardo Obrien's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Obrien shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Obrien sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Yagan defending well though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Obrien in particular looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Obrien missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Obrien not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Obrien 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obrien content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Yagan on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Obrien winds up and cracks Yagan with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Obrien throwing shots but Yagan is blocking nicely.
Yagan avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Obrien.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yagan misses with a wild combination.

Obrien closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Yagan bucks up and tries to throw Obrien off but instead Obrien has got his back!
Obrien misses with a punch to the head.
Obrien misses with punches from the back.
Yagan is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Obrien.
Yagan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Obrien manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Obrien controls the position.
Obrien gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Obrien somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Obrien is punishing Yagan with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Obrien misses with punches from the back.
Obrien controls the position.
Obrien lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Yagan hold on?!
Oooh a big shot gets through from Obrien. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Obrien is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Yagan covers up after that shot from Obrien.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leonardo Obrien showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Obrien 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonardo Obrien!