PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Corbin Leopold (ranked 1351 p4p, 1393 weight class) and Steve Cho (ranked 154 p4p, 159 weight class). Corbin Leopold could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Steve Cho's chin.

Leopold
vs
Cho

179 cm
21
145
7 - 2 - 0

168 cm
26
154
4 - 0 - 1

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Kore Fight Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Corbin Leopold!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Steve Cho!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Josh West and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice shot by Cho.
Leopold avoids the body shot from Cho.
Leopold throws a right hand that Cho ducks under and follows up with a left that Cho also avoids with ease.
Cho is looking for the big counter here.
Leopold misses with a double jab.
Cho throws a nice looking combination but Leopold bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cho misses with a left hand
and Leopold counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cho lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Corbin Leopold seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Leopold checks a leg kick.

Leopold has Cho up against the cage in a clinch.
Leopold tries to work over Cho's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Leopold scores with a nice hook to the head.
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!
Leopold is struggling to control the position.
Leopold presses Cho against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cho breaks the clinch.

Leopold instigates a clinch.
Leopold lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Leopold struggles to land a body shot inside as Cho controls his hands.
Leopold is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Leopold misses with a punch to the body.
Leopold lands a right hand.
Cho is trying to break free.
Leopold tries to work over Cho's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Leopold misses with a body punch.
I was talking to Leopold's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leopold slows down the pace here.
Cho's coach down at MMA Dojo (Top Gym in Tokyo*) was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Cho's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Leopold misses with a punch to the body.
Cho working hard to break the clinch.
Leopold tries to throw a body punch but Cho avoids it by throwing Leopold back against the cage.
Leopold doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cho prevents a body shot from Leopold.
A short body shot lands from Leopold as the two fighters clinch.
Leopold can't find room to land a body shot as Cho controls the action.
Leopold leaning his opponent against the cage.
Leopold effectively controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cho blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Leopold controlling the action here for a moment.
Leopold avoiding damage.
Leopold's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Leopold gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Corbin Leopold.

Leopold rushes Cho and presses him up against the cage.
Leopold can't find room to land a body shot as Cho controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The referee calls for Leopold to work.
Leopold working aggressively here.
Leopold works on Cho's body with a couple of short punches.
Cho tries to circle away but Leopold has him pinned against the cage.
Leopold goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Leopold misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Come on Leopold - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Nice body punch from Leopold.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Leopold throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Chos head.
Leopold lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cho backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Corbin Leopold dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Leopold throws a body punch but Cho moves out of range.
Leopold connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Leopold gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Leopold has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Leopold lands a shoulder strike.
Leopold keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cho's efforts to push away.
Cho wants to get back to striking at distance but Leopold won't allow it.
Cho wants to break the clinch but can't.
Leopold goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leopold is pushing Cho up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Leopold doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leopold tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
The referee is keeping an eye on Leopold - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Leopold working aggressively here.
A body shot lands from Leopold.
Leopold struggles to land a body shot inside as Cho controls his hands.
Leopold lands with a left to the head.
Leopold lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Leopold scores with a shoulder strike.
Leopold goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cho is trying to stall.
A nice right hand lands inside from Leopold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leopold works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Leopold working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Leopold stalling in the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Leopold takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Leopold for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Cho prevents a body shot from Leopold.
Leopold is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cho can do to turn this around?
Cho tries to break free but Leopold pushes him back against the cage.
Cho tries to break free but Leopold pushes him back against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Leopold.
A right hand to the body from Leopold.
Leopold tries a body shot but Cho blocks it.
Cho is looking to break free of the clinch but Leopold has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leopold misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Leopold avoiding damage.
Leopold working aggressively here.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Leopold tries to throw a body punch but Cho avoids it by throwing Leopold back against the cage.
Come on Leopold - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

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.
Leopold goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Leopold.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Corbin Leopold.

Leopold moves into the clinch.
Leopold tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cho's elbow.
Cho wants to get back to striking at distance but Leopold won't allow it.
Leopold throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Leopold keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cho's efforts to push away.
Leopold struggles to land a body shot inside as Cho controls his hands.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Leopold doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Leopold works on Cho's body with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Corbin Leopold dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Cho throws out a loose jab but Leopold uses good head movement to avoid it.
Leopold misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cho.

Leopold moves into the clinch.
Leopold taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Leopold creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Leopold tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cho's elbow.
Leopold goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Leopold lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Leopold can't find room to land a body shot as Cho controls the action.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cho is trying to maintain a safe position but Leopold gets an underhook and turns Cho into the cage.
Leopold misses with a hook to the ribs.
Still in the clinch, Leopold scores with a nice short uppercut.
Leopold misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leopold effectively controlling the action here.
Cho is looking to break free of the clinch but Leopold has double underhooks.
Leopold effectively controlling the action here.
Leopold misses with a hook to the ribs.
Leopold misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Leopold lands with a light punch inside.
Leopold tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cho has had enough of the clinch but Leopold keeps him there for the moment.
Leopold doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Leopold lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cho backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leopold stalling against the cage.
Leopold tries to throw a body punch but Cho avoids it by throwing Leopold back against the cage.
Leopold lands a hook to the side of the head.
Leopold tries to work over Cho's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Leopold lands a body shot in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Leopold scores with a nice short uppercut.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Leopold scores with a hook to the body.
Leopold can't find room to land a body shot as Cho controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cho is trying to break the clinch but Leopold is controlling him.
Leopold tries a body shot but Cho blocks it.
Leopold lands with a light punch inside.
Come on Leopold - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Leopold goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Leopold misses with a punch to the body.
A body shot lands from Leopold.
Leopold lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Leopold has Cho pressed against the cage, preventing Cho from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Leopold leaning against his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leopold misses with a body punch.
Leopold controlling the action here for a moment.
Leopold lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Leopold slows down the pace here.
Steve Cho has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Leopold misses with a body punch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Leopold misses with a punch to the body.
Cho wants to break the clinch but can't.
Corbin Leopold is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cho is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Corbin Leopold showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Leopold, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:25
Judge Josh West scores the fight 30:25
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Corbin Leopold!