PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Reed Hightower (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cung Le (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Le is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Untouchable . Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Cung Le enters the cage!

Hightower
vs
Le

179 cm
28
171 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

174 cm
44
183 lbs
36 - 24 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Reed Hightower!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 36 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cung Le!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Steve Smith and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Le is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hightower.
Hightower throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Le stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Le throws a front kick aimed at Hightower's knee but Hightower avoids it well.
Hightower thinks about countering with a body kick.
Hightower throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Le takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Hightower lands with an uppercut that bounces Le off the cage and back into range.
Hightower lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Hightower connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Le momentarily.
A jab from Hightower finds it's way through Le's defenses.
Hightower tries a low kick but Le avoids it.
Hightower throws out a loose jab but Le uses good head movement to avoid it.
Le misses with a wild body shot.
Hightower throws out a powerful jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hightower getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Hightower connects with a crisp jab.
Hightower takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Le avoids the body shot from Hightower.
Le on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Hightower scores with a nice right hand.
Hightower buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Le wants to clinch.
Hightower dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hightower darts in looking for a takedown but Le gets double underhooks and turns Hightower into the cage.
Hightower lands with an uppercut that bounces Le off the cage and back into range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Le throws the kick towards the body but Hightower avoids it.
Le on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Le misses the shot to the body.
Hightower jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Hightower is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Hightower slips under a jab.
Hightower slips under a jab.
Hightower shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Le defends it nicely.
Cung Le is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hightower takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hightower throws a big counter combination but Le scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Hightower scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Hightower fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Le, pushing him back against the cage.
Hightower lands with a short shot to the head.
With the fighters up against the cage, Le throws an elbow but misses.
Le tries a knee to the head but Hightower blocks it.
Le misses with a hook to the ribs.
Le misses with a knee to the head.
Hightower lands a shoulder strike.
Hightower lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Hightower utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Le misses with an elbow over the top.
Hightower landing knees to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hightower with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Hightower.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hightower content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Hightower gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Le content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Le looking to throw knees to the head but Hightower is blocking nicely.
Le swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Le tries to land knees in the clinch but Hightower avoids the damage to the body.
Hightower holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Hightower effectively controlling the action here.
Hightower content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Le putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hightower in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Hightower obliges.
Hightower avoiding damage as Le throws knees to the body.
Le lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Le is pushing Hightower up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Le is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Hightower is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reed Hightower dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hightower lands a jab to the head.

Hightower closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Le quickly recovers to half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Le can do anything to dispel that myth.
Hightower is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Hightower throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Le is controlling Hightower's trapped leg to prevent Hightower from advancing to side control.
Le is not content to let Hightower control the position.
Hightower 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hightower working over Le with some ground and pound. Le looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Nice strikes from Hightower there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le is trying to escape back to his feet but Hightower uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Hightower wants to control but Le is keeping him busy.

Hightower wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Le, who protects the arm well.
Hightower cracks Le with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Hightower works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Hightower throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Le works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Hightower lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hightower in particular looking to stall.

Hightower is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Hightower controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hightower is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hightower scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Hightower landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hightower is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Le can do to turn this around?
Hightower is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Le has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hightower is working away from the top position though.
Hightower lands with a punch from half guard.
Hightower is nestled in close to Le, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Hightower is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Le is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hightower lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hightower looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Le with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Hightower working Le over with strikes.
Hightower passes to side control.
Hightower wants to control but Le is keeping him busy.
Hightower working away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hightower in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hightower lands a decent elbow from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reed Hightower dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

The fighters circle momentarily. Hightower darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Le is rocked!

Hightower looking to score a takedown here. Le is defending well but Hightower drives through and ends up in Le's guard.

Le kicks Hightower off and gets to his feet.
Le is still on wobbly legs! Can Hightower finish him?
A slapping leg kick lands for Hightower.
Le pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Le seems to have recovered his senses.
Le tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hightower scores with a jab. Le acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hightower scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Le doesn't seem bothered though.
Hightower cracks a nice hook into Le's ribs.
Le takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hightower scores with a nice strike.
Le closes the distance but Hightower moves to the side
and Hightower connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le tries to get into range but Hightower steps to the side and lands a beautiful hook that drops Le! He's faceplanted into the mat, ass in the air... he's out cold! That's an image he won't want to show his grandkids when he gets older! Hightower scores the big KO victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:09 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Reed Hightower!
A less than humble Reed Hightower misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.