PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chris Leben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karim Mousasi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Leben
vs
Mousasi

184 cm
23
185 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

188 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Chris Leben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Karim Mousasi!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Steve Erwin and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mousasi lets loose with a powerful body kick. Leben will feel that in the morning.
Mousasi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mousasi walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Leben checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Mousasi darts in trying to clinch
and Leben counters with a straight right hand.
Mousasi darts in trying to clinch
and Leben counters with a straight right hand.
Mousasi misses with the body kick
and Leben connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mousasi slips a jab and a cross from Leben.
Karim Mousasi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown by Mousasi or perhaps it was just good defense by Leben which made him look bad.
Leben falls off balance throwing a combination
and Mousasi counters with a nice leg kick.
Mousasi dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Leben. That did some damage!
Mousasi tries to clinch up
and Leben counters with a left and a right that stings Mousasi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leben displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Leben rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mousasi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mousasi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Leben counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Mousasi closes the distance but Leben moves to the side
and Leben counters with a series of strikes. Mousasi will be more careful next time no doubt.
Leben rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mousasi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Leben feints a jab promting Mousasi to slip. Leben then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Mousasi slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Leben blocks a head kick by Mousasi.
Leben fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Leben displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Leben misses with a few strikes there.
Leben's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Leben duly obliges.
Mousasi looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leben takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Mousasi slips a jab and a cross from Leben.
Leben throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mousasi.

Mousasi drives through and clinches with Leben against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mousasi can't get the takedown.
Leben swings wildly with an uppercut but Mousasi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Leben jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mousasi walks away with a smile on his face. Leben gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mousasi tries to clinch
and Leben counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Mousasi wants to clinch
and Leben counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Leben circles away from the clinch attempt
and Leben counters with a one-two to the body.
Leben fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mousasi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Leben paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mousasi throws a combination that misses
and Leben counters with a two punch combo.
Mousasi closes the distance but Leben moves to the side
and Leben counters with a series of strikes. Mousasi will be more careful next time no doubt.
Chris Leben is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Leben stalks Mousasi and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Mousasi's face. Mousasi staggers backwards, shaken.
Leben throws a series of punches but Mousasi avoids them all with ease.
Mousasi dodges the punch combination from Leben.
Mousasi lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Mousasi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Leben fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Leben throws a series of strikes that have Mousasi backpedaling.
Leben throws a series of punches but Mousasi moves out of range.
Leben throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mousasi with a poor takedown
and Leben counters with a two punch combo.
Chris Leben has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Karim Mousasi.
Leben lands with a nice body punch.
Leben misses with a two punch combination.
Leben closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Leben throws a series of punches but Mousasi moves out of range.
Mousasi throws a head kick but Leben moves out of range.
Leben lands a head shot.
Leben stuffs the takedown.
Mousasi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Leben.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Leben circles away from the clinch attempt
and Leben counters with a one-two to the body.
A head kick misses from Mousasi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Leben dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

No joy there for Leben, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Leben fails to land with a series of punches.
Mousasi scores with the left hand. Leben knows he should have avoided that one.
Leben throws a left and a right that both miss

and Mousasi counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Mousasi decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Leben, up you get!
Leben misses with a double jab.
Mousasi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mousasi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Mousasi moves to clinch but Leben breaks away
and Leben counters with a three punch combo that has Mousasi backing up. Mousasi nods at Leben to acknowledge the strikes.
Mousasi misses with a takedown
and Leben counters with a one-two to the body.
A nice combination there by Leben.
Mousasi has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mousasi misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mousasi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Leben throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mousasi.
Leben 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.
Leben lands a glancing blow to the side of Mousasi's head.
Mousasi lands a head kick!
Leben scores with a nice right hand.
Mousasi thows a leg kick but Leben checks it
and Leben counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Leben lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Mousasi misses with a double jab
and Leben counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Leben throws a nice looking combination but Mousasi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mousasi throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Leben counters with a one-two to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leben feints a jab promting Mousasi to slip. Leben then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Mousasi slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Mousasi has his takedown stuffed
and Leben counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mousasi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Leben counters with a series of strikes. Mousasi will be more careful next time no doubt.
Leben throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Mousasi counters by clinching up.
Mousasi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mousasi is trying to break the clinch but Leben has him pressed against the cage.
Mousasi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Leben avoids it.
Leben works on Mousasi's body with a couple of short punches.
Leben fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Leben working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A head punch on the inside from Leben fails to land.
Mousasi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Leben has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mousasi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Leben avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mousasi tries a knee to the head but Leben blocks it.
Mousasi keeps control of Leben as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Leben looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A knee to the head by Mousasi.

Mousasi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Leben misses with a double jab.
Leben is working the combinations to good effect here.
Mousasi wants to clinch but Leben slips to the side
enabling Leben to counter with a crisp jab.
Mousasi scores with a head kick. Leben tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Mousasi wants to clinch but Leben slips to the side
and Leben counters with a series of strikes. Mousasi will be more careful next time no doubt.
Mousasi is looking to clinch.
Leben falls off balance throwing a combination
and Mousasi counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Leben is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Leben takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
A head kick by Mousasi misses
and Leben counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Left hook, right uppercut from Leben.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mousasi tries a head kick but it misses.
Mousasi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Mousasi looks to throw a body kick
and Leben counters with a three punch combo that has Mousasi backing up. Mousasi nods at Leben to acknowledge the strikes.
Mousasi tries to clinch but Leben moves away
and Leben counters with a left and a right that stings Mousasi.

Mousasi has Leben up against the cage in a clinch.

Leben breaks from the clinch.
Mousasi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mousasi goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A right-left combo lands from Leben.
Mousasi misses with a head kick.
Mousasi tries to clinch up
and Leben counters with a one-two to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karim Mousasi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Mousasi throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Mousasi lands with a kick to the temple. Leben shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Leben lands a jab-cross combination.
Mousasi fails with a takedown attempt.
Leben throws a right and a left that both miss.
Chris Leben is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Leben throws a combination that misses
enabling Mousasi to counter with a crisp jab.
Leben throws a series of punches but Mousasi moves out of range.
Leben swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Mousasi counters with a head kick.
Leben tries to bum rush Mousasi with a series of wild strikes but Mousasi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mousasi moves to clinch but Leben breaks away
and Leben counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Leben ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Leben tries to bum rush Mousasi with a series of wild strikes but Mousasi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leben misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Chris Leben is winning the standup battle so far.
Leben throws a series of punches but Mousasi avoids them all with ease.
Left hook, right uppercut from Leben.
Mousasi throws a lazy head kick
and Leben counters with a nice body shot.
Leben sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Leben misses with a double jab
and Mousasi counters with a head kick.
Mousasi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mousasi dodges the punch combination from Leben.
Mousasi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Leben throws a combination that misses
and Mousasi counters with a head kick. That will keep Leben thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mousasi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Leben paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Leben takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Mousasi throws a push kick but Leben slaps the foot to one side.
Sloppy strikes from Leben. Those never looked like landing.
Mousasi tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Leben counters with a nice uppercut.
Mousasi throws a head kick but Leben moves out of range.
Leben has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Mousasi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Leben counters with a left and a right that stings Mousasi.
Leben ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Leben avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mousasi tries to clinch
and Leben counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mousasi moves to clinch but Leben breaks away
and Leben counters with a stiff right hand.
A head kick misses from Mousasi.
Mousasi looks to clinch
and Leben counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Leben looks to land a left hand but Mousasi moved out of range nicely.
Mousasi tries a head kick but it misses.
Mousasi lands with a slapping head kick.
Leben throws a combination that misses

and Mousasi moves into the clinch.
Mousasi unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Mousasi prevents Leben from breaking the clinch.

Leben pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mousasi throws a sloppy head kick
and Leben counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A combination from Leben does no damage.
Leben rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mousasi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four 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.
Mousasi tries to clinch up but Leben circles away and keeps his distance.
No luck for Mousasi with that takedown attempt.

Mousasi drives through and clinches with Leben against the cage.
Leben fails to pull guard.
Mousasi scores with a knee to the head.
Leben jumps guard but Mousasi stands there with Leben around his waist. Leben gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mousasi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Leben's efforts to push away.
Leben wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mousasi has him pressed against the cage.
Mousasi prevents Leben from breaking the clinch.
Mousasi tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Leben just stands there and leans against the cage.
Chris Leben has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Karim Mousasi.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Leben can't break the clinch.
Leben jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mousasi walks away with a smile on his face. Leben gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mousasi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Leben pinned against the cage. Leben gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Leben throws a body punch but Mousasi moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Karim Mousasi.
I think Mousasi 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Karim Mousasi!