PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cris Leben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Katsu Saito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Leben
vs
Saito

180 cm
18
190 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

183 cm
26
186 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cris Leben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Katsu Saito!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saito wants to land a leg kick but Leben is out of range.
Saito swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Leben takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Saito looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Saito misses with a few strikes there.
Some wild striking there from Saito.
Saito lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Leben circles away quickly and effectively.
Saito with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Leben dodges the punch combination from Saito.
Leben blocks a low kick nicely.
Saito keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
No joy there for Saito, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Leben shoots for a takedown but Saito saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leben dodges the punch combination from Saito.
Saito fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Saito throws a nice looking combination but Leben bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Saito misses with the combination.
Saito lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Leben circles away quickly and effectively.
Saito misses with a jab, cross combination.
Katsu Saito is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Saito throws a right and a left that Leben avoids nicely.
Leben is trying hard to land a takedown here. Saito sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cris Leben. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saito rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Leben moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Leben closes this distance looking for a takedown but Saito circles away.
Saito throws a series of punches but Leben moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saito misses with a few strikes there.
Good work by Leben as he checks the leg kick.
Saito stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Saito wants it to stay on the feet.
Saito misses with a low kick.
Saito misses with a few strikes there.
Leben checks the leg kick nicely there.
Saito tries to work over Leben's front leg with a kick but Leben checks it.
Leben takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Saito misses with a wild combination.
Leben tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Leben shoots in but Saito avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Leben shoots in and drives through. Saito sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Saito, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Saito misses with a series of wild punches.
Leben dodges the punch combination from Saito.
Saito looks gassed!
Leben shoots in but Saito avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Danga de danga de dang - Saito scores with a four punch combination!
Saito lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Leben shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Saito misses with a two punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leben blocks a leg kick.
Saito throws a series of punches but Leben avoids them all with ease.
Saito throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Saito misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saito throws a front kick aimed at Leben's knee but Leben avoids it well.
No joy there for Saito, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Katsu Saito seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saito fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Leben checks it well.

Leben scores a takedown into full mount!
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Leben with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Leben goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Saito turns into him and now he's in Leben's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Katsu Saito dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Saito throws a low kick but it's checked well by Leben.
Leben dodges the punch combination from Saito.
Some wild striking there from Saito.
Saito misses with the combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leben fails with a takedown attempt.
Saito looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saito misses with a jab, cross combination.
Leben looks for a takedown but Saito sprawls well.
Leben takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Saito looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Saito thumps Leben with a low kick.
Saito fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Saito lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Leben has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Leben and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Leben has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cris Leben. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saito is looking to score with low kicks.
Leben avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saito swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Leben steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Saito.
Sloppy strikes from Saito. Those never looked like landing.
A punch combination from Saito misses.
Saito throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Saito is breathing heavily.
Saito throws a right and a left that both miss.
Saito misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saito wants to slow Leben down by chopping away at his legs.
Saito throws a right and a left that both miss.
Saito lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Leben circles away quickly and effectively.
Saito will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Saito throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saito throws a series of punches but Leben avoids them all with ease.
Saito misses with a two punch combination.
Leben shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Saito sprawls well. Saito wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Leben gets slowly back to his feet.
Leben shoots in looking for a takedown but Saito manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Leben's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
An inside leg kick from Saito misses.
Katsu Saito is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saito throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Leben.
Saito misses with a head kick.
Leben shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Saito but Saito pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Leben shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Saito as he jumps to the side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saito throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Leben closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Saito did well to prevent Leben getting side control.

Leben is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Leben is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Saito has managed to free his arm - good work.

Leben is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Leben passes the guard and advances to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Katsu Saito showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Saito stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Saito wants it to stay on the feet.
Saito swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Saito scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Saito tries to land a leg kick but Leben saw it coming and moves away.
Leben dodges the punch combination from Saito.
Saito scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Leben slips a jab and a cross from Saito.
Saito misses with a two punch combination.
Saito will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Saito throws a series of punches but Leben avoids them all with ease.
Saito takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saito misses with the combination.
Saito pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Some wild striking there from Saito.
Leben shoots in but no luck this time.
Saito misses with the combination.
Leben shoots in and drives through. Saito sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cris Leben. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saito misses with a jab, cross combination.
Saito fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saito looks to land a combination but Leben avoids it well.
Saito throws a right hand that Leben ducks under and follows up with a left that Leben also avoids with ease.
Leben looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Saito is fending him off so far but Leben persists. Nope, Saito circles away and we're back to standing.
Saito misses with the combination.
Leben misses with a takedown attempt - Saito sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Leben shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Saito defends it nicely.
Saito throws a solid leg kick but Leben takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Saito.
Saito misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saito pivots, looking for a leg kick but Leben is out of range and Saito settles back down.
Leben blocks a low kick nicely.
Saito tries a low kick but Leben avoids it.
Leben dodges the punch combination from Saito.
Saito attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Katsu Saito seems to be getting the better of the standup.
No joy there for Saito, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Leben takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Leben manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Saito on his heels. He'll look to pass Saito's guard now, I'm sure.

Leben drops back looking for a leg! Saito is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Saito manages to kick Leben off! Leben jumps back into Saito's guard.

Leben thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Leben drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Saito dives on top into guard.
Saito would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Leben escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Saito gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Leben has his feet on Saito's thighs here. He's pushed Saito off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Saito screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Cris Leben!