PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hitmon Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muay Thai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Lee
vs
Thai

195 cm
20
222 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

192 cm
27
212 lbs
12 - 11 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hitmon Lee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Muay Thai!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Mauricio Rocha and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thai pushes Lee away with a front kick.
Lee throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Thai counters with a nice body kick.
Lee shoots in for a takedown but Thai shows good takedown defense.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Thai, right into the meat.

Thai instigates a clinch.
Thai landing knees to the head.

It looks like Hitmon Lee has been cut.
Lee blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Lee working hard to break the clinch.
Knees to the body from Thai.
Lee is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thai connects with a nasty looking knee right to Lee's face.
Thai landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Thai breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Thai scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Lee swats away the attempt to clinch by Thai.
Thai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thai lands a head kick. Lee smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Thai moves away from the strike by Lee.
Lee slips a jab and a cross from Thai.
Thai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thai connects with a leg kick. Lee looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Thai darts in and clinches Lee up against the cage.

Thai breaks from the clinch.
A head kick misses from Thai.
Lee shoots in but Thai avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Thai wants to clinch but Lee slips to the side
and Lee counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Lee swings and misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Thai changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Lee avoids the head kick by Thai.
Thai swinging wildly here.
Thai will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Thai plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Thai takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Thai will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Thai misses

and Lee counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thai's guard now.
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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lee is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Lee prevents Thai from getting back to his feet.
Thai is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Lee stands up over Thai, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Lee controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Lee prevents Thai from getting back to his feet.
Lee not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Thai throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Thai moves to clinch but Lee breaks away

and Lee counters with a shoot takedown. Thai fights it but they end up in guard.
Thai is looking to stand up but Lee isn't so interested in that idea.
Lee looking to pass the guard.
Lee trying to control the position from guard on top but Thai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lee missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thai is keeping the position for now.
Lee is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Thai preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thai wants to get back to his feet but Lee is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Thai keeping moving, preventing Lee from controlling successfully.
Lee stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thai swivels though and keeps the full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Hitmon Lee just wasn't active enough.
Thai misses with a combination
and Lee counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Thai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muay Thai dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hitmon Lee's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Thai looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Thai looks to clinch
letting Lee counter with a right hand.

It looks like Muay Thai has been cut.
Lee takes a swing at Thai's ribcage but misses.
Thai lands a front kick.
A decent looking cross lands there for Lee.
Thai misses with a few strikes there.
Lee shoots in for a takedown but Thai shows good takedown defense.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Thai.
Lee takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Thai throws a series of punches but Lee avoids them all with ease.
Thai tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Thai closes the distance but Lee moves to the side

and Lee counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thai's guard now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lee in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lee accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thai has his feet on Lee's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Muay Thai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thai throws a sloppy head kick and Lee moves out of range easily.
Lee throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hitmon Lee is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A solid body kick from Thai.
Thai throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Lee counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thai's guard now.
Thai keeping moving, preventing Lee from controlling successfully.
Lee stops Thai from standing up.
Lee looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee prevents Thai from getting back to his feet.
Lee is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Hitmon Lee has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Lee is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Thai.
Lee scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
A jab lands there for Lee.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Crunch! Thai slams his shin into Lee's torso.
Thai misses with a double jab.
Thai on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Thai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lee tests Thai's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Lee lands a jab-cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lee. Thai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lee blocks a head kick by Thai.
Thai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Lee crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Thai - the referee stops the clock and Lee gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Thai. Lee manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Lee connects with a nice looking jab.
Muay Thai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Thai misses with a combination

and Lee counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thai's guard now.
Lee passes into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Lee landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Thai is trying to stand back up but Lee is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Lee is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Lee perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Thai is trying to stand up here but Lee is controlling him well.
Lee scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Lee looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lee throwing shots but Thai is blocking nicely.
Thai avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Lee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hitmon Lee dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Thai's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Thai duly obliges.
Thai tries a head kick but it misses.
Lee will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Lee connects with a good right hand that stumbles Thai. Thai circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Lee lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thai circles away quickly and effectively.
Lee with a nice cross.
Thai throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Lee counters with a straight right hand.
Lee throws a right and a left that Thai avoids nicely.
Lee misses with a wild combination.
Thai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thai uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lee.
Thai doesn't manage to clinch there - Lee circles away.
Thai takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Thai lands a nice hook to Lee's body. Lee takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Lee throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lee throws a right hand that Thai ducks under and follows up with a left that Thai also avoids with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai misses with a body kick.
Lee throws a shot to the body.
Jab from Thai.
Lee throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Thai throws a head kick that misses.
Lee gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Thai counters with a body kick that stops Lee in his tracks momentarily.
Thai throws a combination that misses
and Lee connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Thai moves in looking to clinch but Lee pushes him off.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Thai.
Muay Thai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lee shoots in for a takedown but Thai shows good takedown defense.
Thai wants to clinch up but Lee keeps it at a distance.
Thai throws a head kick that misses.
Thai tries to clinch up but Lee circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thai scores with a leg kick.
Thai wants to clinch up but Lee keeps it at a distance.
Thai throws a right and a left that Lee avoids nicely.
Lee misses with a body punch
and Thai counters with a series of strikes. Lee will be more careful next time no doubt.
Thai sizes up Lee with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Thai wants to clinch.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Thai.
Thai takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Lee misses with an uppercut. Thai saw that one coming.
Lee avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thai misses with a double jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
A jab from Lee misses.
Lee lands a nice hook to Thai's body. Thai takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Lee scores with the left hand. Thai knows he should have avoided that one.
A solid leg kick lands there for Thai.
Lee tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thai was well out of range. Poor timing from Lee.
Lee thows a body shot but no joy.
Thai looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Lee drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Lee tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Lee trying to control the action but Thai is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thai tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Lee is punishing Thai with some ground and pound.
Lee throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Thai is trying to get back to his feet but Lee has full control of the position and if anything, Thai has just worked his way into a worse spot.

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 Hitmon Lee.
I think Lee has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hitmon Lee!