PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Raniel Mancuso (ranked 3091 p4p, 4246 weight class) and Guy Leblond (ranked 176 p4p, 232 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Mancuso might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to O RetrÃ´ Ativo - HerÃ³is do Status Quo. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Mancuso
vs
Leblond

180 cm
26
147
6 - 2 - 0

165 cm
27
145
13 - 7 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Carnage

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Raniel Mancuso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Guy Leblond!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Leblond closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Leblond looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Mancuso is avoiding damage well.
Leblond throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Leblond is looking to take a break and control but Mancuso is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Leblond stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Mancuso connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Raniel Mancuso seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mancuso takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Mancuso throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Leblond takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
We've been told by Mancuso's head coaches at Kaptajnernes TrÃ¦ningscenter that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.

Leblond shoots in and gets a takedown into Mancuso's guard.

Mancuso scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leblond misses with a body shot.
A low kick lands for Mancuso.
Mancuso throws a head kick that half lands.

Leblond darts in and clinches Mancuso up against the cage.

Mancuso breaks the clinch.
Mancuso connects with a high kick.
Leblond swats away the attempt to clinch by Mancuso.

Leblond gets a clinch.
Leblond has Mancuso pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Mancuso manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Mancuso breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Leblond pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mancuso lands with a slapping head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Leblond shoots in but no luck this time.
It looked like Mancuso was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Leblond is looking to clinch.
Mancuso throws a head kick but Leblond moves out of range.

Leblond throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Mancuso was covering up waiting for the punch and Leblond finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Mancuso is working an open guard so Leblond takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Mancuso lands a jab-cross combination.
Mancuso fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Mancuso.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Leblond! But no joy.
Donk. Mancuso catches Leblond right on the button with a cross.

Mancuso drives through and clinches with Leblond against the cage.

Mancuso breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leblond avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Leblond swats away the attempt to clinch by Mancuso.
Mancuso misses with a head kick.
A low kick lands for Mancuso.

Leblond shoots in and gets a takedown into Mancuso's guard.

Mancuso is working an open guard so Leblond takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Leblond fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mancuso thinks about countering with a head kick.
Raniel Mancuso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Guy Leblond.
Leblond avoids the head kick by Mancuso.
Leblond changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Mancuso gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Leblond stays in close to Mancuso's body and controls the position.
Leblond has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leblond throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Leblond stays in close to Mancuso's body and controls the position.
Mancuso keeping full guard, as Leblond tries to pass.
Mancuso wants to stand but Leblond is controlling the position.
Leblond with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Raniel Mancuso 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.

Mancuso lands with a kick to the temple. Leblond shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Mancuso throws a series of punches but Leblond moves out of range.

Leblond feints and as Mancuso raises his hands in defense, Leblond changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Leblond tries to free his leg and advance position but Mancuso is retaining full guard.
Leblond stops Mancuso from standing up.
Leblond looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Leblond lands a couple of digs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leblond is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Mancuso wants to stand up but Leblond is controlling him.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Mancuso clinches up against the cage.
Mancuso really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
The referee is keeping an eye on Leblond - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Mancuso tries to circle away but Leblond has him pinned against the cage.
Mancuso tries to circle away but Leblond has him pinned against the cage.
Mancuso is trying to force a seperation but Leblond has the dominant position.
Leblond has Mancuso pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Mancuso manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

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

Leblond clinches up with Mancuso and pushes him back against the cage.
Mancuso is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Leblond can do to turn this around?

Leblond escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mancuso slaps away a takedown attempt from Leblond, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Mancuso misses with a head kick.
Left hook, right uppercut from Mancuso.
Mancuso tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Leblond is able to avoid easily.
Leblond shoots in and drives through. Mancuso sprawls well.
Raniel Mancuso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Guy Leblond.
Leblond has his takedown stuffed
and Mancuso counters with a one-two to the body.
Mancuso connects with a body shot.
Mancuso scores with a body shot.
Leblond keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mancuso lands with a nice body kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Mancuso.
Raniel Mancuso is winning the standup battle so far.
Mancuso throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mancuso misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Leblond unleashes a big counter combination but Mancuso bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Mancuso lands a head kick!
Mancuso tries a head kick but it misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Leblond instigates a clinch.

Mancuso breaks from the clinch.

Leblond closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Leblond lands in his opponent's guard.
Leblond controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mancuso keeping moving, preventing Leblond from controlling successfully.
Leblond looking to pass the guard.

Leblond stands and steps away. Mancuso gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Raniel Mancuso is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mancuso thumps Leblond with a low kick.
Mancuso throws a head kick but Leblond moves out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Raniel Mancuso dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Leblond shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Mancuso counter with a right hand.
Mancuso throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Leblond's head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Leblond looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Leblond closes the distance and clinches.

Mancuso breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mancuso misses with a wild combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Leblond moves into the clinch.

Mancuso manages to break the clinch.
Mancuso is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Leblond feints a jab promting Mancuso to slip. Leblond then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Mancuso slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mancuso misses with a head kick.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Mancuso enables Leblond to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Mancuso manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Mancuso pushes Leblond off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Mancuso uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Leblond.
Mancuso throws a sloppy head kick and Leblond moves out of range easily.
Mancuso scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Mancuso circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mancuso looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

Leblond moves into the clinch.
Mancuso looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Mancuso breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Leblond has closed the distance and engaged Mancuso in a clinch.
Leblond lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Leblond is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Leblond manages to pull guard.
Leblond has a closed guard, preventing Mancuso from standing up.

Leblond is working an open guard so Mancuso takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Mancuso misses with a body kick.
Leblond walks forward, straight into a front kick from Mancuso.

Leblond moves into the clinch.
Leblond is leaning against Mancuso and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Mancuso is trying to break the clinch but Leblond is controlling him.
Leblond pushes off an throws an elbow but Mancuso leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Mancuso avoiding damage as Leblond throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leblond stalling the fight.
Leblond is trying to drag Mancuso to the mat but Mancuso just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Raniel Mancuso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Guy Leblond.
Leblond displaying some good clinch control by pressing Mancuso up against the cage.
Guy Leblond seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Leblond keeps control of Mancuso as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Raniel Mancuso is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Leblond throws a head punch that misses.

Mancuso breaks the clinch.
Mancuso fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Leblond manages to avoid it.
Mancuso doesn't manage to clinch there - Leblond circles away.
Leblond drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mancuso defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mancuso tries a head kick but it misses.
Leblond showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mancuso.
Leblond tries to counter by closing the distance.
Leblond shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mancuso as he jumps to the side.
Mancuso throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Leblond.
Both fighters circling a little - Mancuso finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Raniel Mancuso is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mancuso closes the distance and clinches.
Leblond has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Mancuso after a bit of a struggle.
Mancuso is trying to break the clinch but Leblond has him pressed against the cage.
Mancuso has had enough of the clinch but Leblond keeps him there for the moment.
Guy Leblond has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Leblond decides to pull guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Raniel Mancuso.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mancuso, 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raniel Mancuso!
A less than humble Raniel Mancuso misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.