PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Frederic Bastiat (ranked 2320 p4p, 3069 weight class) and Ellis Leeuman (ranked 326 p4p, 401 weight class). Frederic Bastiat has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Bastiat
vs
Leeuman

183 cm
21
171
9 - 6 - 0

185 cm
20
190
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Frederic Bastiat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ellis Leeuman!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, John Roberts and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bastiat moves into the clinch.
Bastiat lands a body shot in the clinch.
Leeuman is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bastiat gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Bastiat lands a body punch in the clinch.
Bastiat slowing the pace effectively.
Bastiat lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short right from Bastiat.

Leeuman pulls guard.
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.
Leeuman is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Leeuman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bastiat keeps working.
Bastiat wants to improve his position but Leeuman is controlling well.

Leeuman is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bastiat moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Leeuman wants to control from the top but Bastiat keeps moving.
Bastiat is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Leeuman wants to stand but Bastiat is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bastiat is controlling Leeuman's posture.
Bastiat is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Leeuman drops back looking for a leg! Bastiat is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Bastiat manages to kick Leeuman off! Leeuman jumps back into Bastiat's guard.
Leeuman trying to control but Bastiat is working from the bottom.
Leeuman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bastiat swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bastiat wants to sweep but no luck.
Leeuman wants to get up but he can't break Bastiat's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Leeuman missing with a left hand there. Bastiat was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Leeuman lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Bastiat at a distance.
Bastiat moves into range and connects with a jab.
Bastiat slips under a jab from Leeuman.
Leeuman just misses with a punch to the body.
Bastiat needs to keep his hands up - Leeuman had a free shot at his head there.
Bastiat uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Leeuman.
Bastiat comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Good exchange - Bastiat coming out on top.
Leeuman takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Frederic Bastiat seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Bastiat darts in and clinches Leeuman up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bastiat lands a body shot.
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!
Leeuman is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bastiat pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Leeuman looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Bastiat pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bastiat lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Leeuman takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Bastiat bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Leeuman's head backwards.
A looping hook to the body misses from Leeuman. Bastiat does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bastiat throws a hook but Leeuman blocks it.
Leeuman misses with an uppercut.

Bastiat moves into range and clinches up with Leeuman.
Bastiat softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Leeuman working aggressively here.
Bastiat scores with a nice hook to the head.
I was talking to Bastiat's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Leeuman pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bastiat throws a body shot but no joy.
Leeuman keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frederic Bastiat dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Bastiat misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Leeuman.

Bastiat takes the fight into the clinch.
Leeuman jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bastiat walks away with a smile on his face. Leeuman gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Bastiat uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Leeuman.
Leeuman throws a jab when Bastiat was well out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bastiat. Leeuman does a little dance to reset his feet.
Leeuman throws out a counter right but Bastiat avoids it with no problem.

Bastiat moves into the clinch.

Leeuman jumps into guard, dragging Bastiat to the mat.
Bastiat cracks Leeuman with a solid left hand.
Bastiat with a nice head shot there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leeuman can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Bastiat controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bastiat makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Bastiat working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bastiat cracks Leeuman with a solid left hand.
Bastiat connects with a couple of short punches.
Bastiat has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bastiat is working Leeuman over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Leeuman wants to stand and escape but Bastiat is having none of it.
Bastiat is working Leeuman over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Frederic Bastiat overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bastiat lands a couple of elbows.
Bastiat cracks Leeuman with a solid left hand.

Leeuman is looking for a triangle but Bastiat pushes his legs off easily.
Bastiat stands up over Leeuman, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Bastiat not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Leeuman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bastiat connects with a couple of short punches.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bastiat stands up over Leeuman, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Bastiat got a little sloppy there for a moment and Leeuman has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bastiat has managed to get both his arms back between Leeuman's legs - danger averted.
Bastiat content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Bastiat trying to control but Leeuman is working from the bottom.
Bastiat works over Leeuman with some ground and pound from guard.
Bastiat looking to sit in guard and control but Leeuman gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

This has been an exciting period of action!
Bastiat seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Leeuman wants to get up but he can't break Bastiat's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bastiat wants to sweep but no luck.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Bastiat here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Leeuman is looking to stand up but Bastiat won't let him.
Bastiat is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Leeuman is looking to stand up but Bastiat won't let him.
Leeuman trying to control the position from guard on top but Bastiat is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bastiat is adopting a defensive guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bastiat connects with a good right hand that stumbles Leeuman. Leeuman circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Bastiat walks into a jab.
Leeuman keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Leeuman tests Bastiat's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Leeuman scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A cross from Leeuman lands.

Bastiat is rocked!
Today's fight clock is brought to you by... OOOH that's a huge shot by Leeuman! Bastiat is in big trouble here - the ref steps in to save him and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ellis Leeuman!