PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Syth Adam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Liebenn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnny Liebenn has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Adam
vs
Liebenn

185 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
20
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Syth Adam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Johnny Liebenn!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Adam throws a nice looking combination but Liebenn bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Liebenn looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Liebenn moves into the clinch successfully.
Liebenn wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Adam has him pressed against the cage.
Adam wants a takedown.
Liebenn keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Adam's efforts to push away.

Liebenn jumps guard and drags Adam to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Liebenn tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Liebenn keeping moving, preventing Adam from controlling successfully.
Liebenn punching from the bottom - just letting Adam know he's still in a fight.
Adam trying to control the position from guard on top but Liebenn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Liebenn has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Adam passes easily into side control. Nice work.
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.
Liebenn taking a bit of punishment here - Adam scoring with strikes.
Liebenn struggling a bit here.
Adam trying to control the position but Liebenn is working away.

Adam decides to stand back up.
Adam misses with a few strikes there.
Adam wants to clinch but Liebenn slips to the side
and Liebenn counters with a two punch combo.
Adam misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Adam fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Syth Adam. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Adam pushes Liebenn up against the cage in a clinch.
Liebenn tries to score a body lock takedown but Adam shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Adam wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Liebenn has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Adam avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Adam has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Liebenn clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Liebenn rolls, trying to escape but Adam keeps control of the position.
Liebenn trying to control the hands but Adam won't let him.
Adam is working the ground and pound. Can Liebenn escape?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Adam lands punches and elbows.
Liebenn is really stuck here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Liebenn is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Adam wants to control but Liebenn is keeping busy.
Adam throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Liebenn prevents Adam from getting a body triangle.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Liebenn tries to break free.

That's four 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.
Adam gets his hands free as Liebenn looks to control.
Liebenn staying busy and making it hard for Adam to control.
Liebenn is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Liebenn trying to control the action but Adam just sinks the hooks in.
Liebenn tries to escape but Adam has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Syth Adam dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Adam moves into the clinch.
Adam looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Adam can't break the clinch.
Adam tries for a takedown but Liebenn manages to get underhooks.
Liebenn misses with a hook to the ribs.
Liebenn jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Adam walks away with a smile on his face. Liebenn gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Adam shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Liebenn counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Liebenn is looking for a kimura but Adam is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Liebenn to get the leverage.
Adam trying to control from the bottom.
Liebenn missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Liebenn wants to control but Adam is keeping him busy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Liebenn seems to be working for a kimura but Adam defends the submission attempt.

Liebenn is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Adam still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Adam has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liebenn struggling a bit here.
Adam working the ground and pound.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Adam fails to land with a series of punches.
Adam changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Liebenn tries to avoid it but Adam manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Liebenn to the ground. Liebenn escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Syth Adam. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Adam shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Liebenn as he avoids it easily.

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

Liebenn drives through with a takedown into guard.
Liebenn tries to free his leg and advance position but Adam is retaining full guard.
Adam being controlled here, momentarily.
Liebenn lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Adam manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Liebenn tries to control the position but Adam now has his back.

Liebenn defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Adam's arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Adam struggling to keep hold of the position.
Liebenn tries to break free.
Liebenn looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

Adam patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Adam trying to control.
Liebenn is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Adam is controlling the position but Liebenn somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
Liebenn wants to get back to full guard.
Adam is thwarting Liebenn's attempts to control the position.
Adam stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Liebenn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Adam tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Liebenn counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Adam controls Liebenn momentarily but Liebenn frees himself.
Liebenn looking to pass the guard.

Adam has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Liebenn can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Adam holds on and takes a little breather.
Adam is trying to keep Liebenn in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liebenn working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Adam keeping moving, preventing Liebenn from controlling successfully.
Adam bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Liebenn's guard.
Adam preventing the sweep.
Adam postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Liebenn has momentary wrist control but Adam slips an elbow through the middle.
Liebenn keeping moving, preventing Adam from controlling successfully.
Liebenn doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Liebenn is on top in guard.
Liebenn trying to control but Adam is working from the bottom.
Liebenn landing with the ground and pound.

Adam looking for a guillotine here but Liebenn defends easily.
Adam utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liebenn throws a big right hand that misses.
Johnny Liebenn has got the better of the ground game so far.
Liebenn looking to pass the guard.

Adam pushes Liebenn off and scrambles back to his feet.
Liebenn misses with a head kick.
Adam shoots in but no luck this time.

Liebenn shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Adam's guard.

Liebenn drops back, looking for a kneebar! Adam looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Adam looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Adam!
Liebenn is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liebenn regains half guard.
Liebenn tries to roll over but Adam keeps him under control.
Adam is taking a breather. Liebenn says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Liebenn looks like he's trying to stand up.
Adam sitting and controlling from the half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Liebenn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Liebenn has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Liebenn!