PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tommy Leben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Minowa Shittu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tommy Leben could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Minowa Shittu's chin.

Leben
vs
Shittu

187 cm
20
218 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
218 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

S.W.A.T.

Fight King Nutrition

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 Rio de Janeiro, Tommy Leben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Minowa Shittu!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Shittu scores with a takedown into Leben's guard.
Shittu working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Leben's head.
Shittu stopping the sweep attempt from Leben.
Leben tries to strike from the bottom.
Shittu tries to free his leg and advance position but Leben is retaining full guard.
Shittu is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Leben keeping moving, preventing Shittu from controlling successfully.
Leben looking for a sweep. Not yet Leben, not yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Leben stuffs the takedown.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Shittu.
Leben tries for a takedown but Shittu circles away easily

and Shittu counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Shittu.

Leben pushes Shittu off and scrambles back to his feet.

Shittu fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Leben, pushing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shittu is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Come on Shittu - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Leben looking for a takedown.

Shittu gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Leben regains guard.
Shittu looks gassed!
Leben looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Shittu puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Shittu takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Leben is refusing to be controlled, as Shittu sits in half guard.
Leben wants to get back to full guard.
Leben is working hard here to advance position.
Leben wants to sweep but Shittu has passed to side control!
Shittu moves into full mount!
Leben is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Leben knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shittu on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leben slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Leben is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Leben is in trouble now - Shittu has advanced to mount!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Shittu lands a nice shot to the head.
Leben is looking to improve his position but Shittu isn't that keen on the idea.
Leben is in a horrible position here. Shittu smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Leben swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Shittu has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Shittu in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shittu lands with some strikes.
Shittu scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Leben tries to reverse the position but Shittu maintains control.
Leben on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Leben tries to get out of the position.
Shittu lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Leben is trying desperately to improve position.
Leben regains half guard.
Shittu prevents Leben from improving his position.
Leben lands a couple of sideways elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leben missing with punches from the bottom.

Leben has one foot on Shittu's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
A right-left combo lands from Shittu.
Leben doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Shittu counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy Leben. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Leben drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Leben works over Shittu with some ground and pound from guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Leben preventing the sweep.
Leben advances position into side control!
Shittu manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Leben trying to advance position but Shittu counters by regaining guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shittu is pulling down on Leben's head. It's preventing any offense from Leben, at least for the moment.

Shittu scrambles and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Minowa Shittu dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Shittu has closed the distance and engaged Leben in a clinch.

Shittu gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Shittu stands up out of the half guard.
Tommy Leben seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Leben shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Shittu counters by clinching up.
Leben is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Shittu gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Shittu tightens his grip and picks Leben up, before dumping him to the ground. Leben manages to land in guard.
Shittu is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Shittu wants to control from the top but Leben keeps moving.
Shittu preventing the sweep.
Shittu passes into half guard.
Leben is trying to stand.
Leben strikes from the bottom but Shittu passes into mount!
Shittu is breathing heavily.
Shittu can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Leben is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leben is in all sorts of trouble here.
Shittu connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Shittu cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Leben really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Shittu looking to finish Leben with some ground and pound. This is bad for Leben!
Shittu prevents Leben from getting the reversal.
Minowa Shittu has got the better of the ground game so far.
Shittu scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Leben?
Leben is squirming around, avoiding Shittu's attempts to control the action.
Leben sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Leben strikes from the bottom but Shittu uses the opportunity to move to side control.
Leben throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

Shittu decides to stand back up.

Shittu moves into the clinch successfully.
Leben is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Shittu gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy Leben. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shittu using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Shittu manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Shittu prevents the takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shittu is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Leben has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Shittu is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Leben goes for a takedown attempt but Shittu pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Shittu looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Shittu working the head and body with strikes.
Leben moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Shittu trying to control but Leben is working from the bottom.
Shittu lands a couple of digs.

Shittu stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Leben has his takedown stuffed
and Shittu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Leben is rocked!
Shittu throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Leben's waist but Leben gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Shittu off to one side.

Leben drives through with a takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Shittu is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shittu slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Leben tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Leben gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Leben slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Leben looking for a sweep. Not yet Leben, not yet.

Shittu gets to his feet - Leben follows without any prompting.

Shittu clinches up against the cage.
Leben drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Shittu gets the underhooks and prevents it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shittu is pressed up against the cage. Leben has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Shittu down to the mat. Shittu avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Tommy Leben is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Shittu shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Shittu was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Leben is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Minowa Shittu 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!

Shittu works Leben's body with a nice hook.
Shittu connects with a body shot.
Shittu throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Shittu has closed the distance and engaged Leben in a clinch.
Shittu is stalling here.
Shittu lands a damaging elbow.

Shittu escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Shittu lands a nice shot to the body.

Shittu gets the takedown into side control.

Shittu stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Leben shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat. Leben advances position into side control!
Shittu manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Leben misses with a head shot. Shittu uses the momentum to regain guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shittu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shittu trying to control the position.
Leben thows a big elbow that misses.
Shittu scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.
Leben lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Shittu had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Leben is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Shittu Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Leben's back instead.
Shittu wants to control but Leben is keeping busy.

Leben defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Shittu's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Shittu is hanging on to Leben's back as he tries to escape.
Shittu is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Shittu is hanging on to Leben's back as he tries to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leben is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Shittu.
I really don't envy Leben right now.
Shittu trying to control.
Shittu is hanging on to Leben's back as he tries to escape.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Will Shittu go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Shittu is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Shittu tries to get the hooks in deep but Leben pushed the leg off.

Despite being in the dominant position, Minowa Shittu just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Leben shoots and misses
and Shittu counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Shittu clinches up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shittu gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Leben.
Shittu lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Leben drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Shittu gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy Leben. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shittu wants to get back to striking at distance but Leben won't allow it.
Leben goes for a takedown in the clinch but Shittu prevents it.
Leben is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Shittu gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Leben.
Shittu drops down looking for an ankle pick but Leben pulls his leg out and moves away.
Shittu comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Leben misses with a takedown attempt
and Shittu counters with a left and a right that stings Leben.
Leben has his takedown stuffed

and Shittu counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Leben's guard now.
Leben has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Shittu has passed into side control.
Tommy Leben has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leben tries to improve position but can't.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Leben gets a takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Leben is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Shittu is trying to maintain the position but Leben is very close to passing his half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Minowa Shittu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Shittu has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Minowa Shittu!