PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jared Listen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Slayter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jack Slayter will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Listen
vs
Slayter

178 cm
19
195 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

187 cm
20
185 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jared Listen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jack Slayter!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Listen throws a sloppy head kick
enabling Slayter to counter with a crisp jab.
Listen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Slayter.
Slayter lands a high kick!

It looks like Jared Listen has been cut.
Listen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sloppy strikes from Slayter. Those never looked like landing.
Listen on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Slayter slips a jab and a cross from Listen.
Jared Listen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Slayter looks for the body kick but Listen saw that one coming.
Some wild striking there from Listen.
Slayter misses with a double jab
and Listen counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Listen throws a sloppy head kick
and Slayter counters with a nice body kick.
Slayter tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Slayter misses with the body kick
enabling Listen to counter with a crisp jab.
A head kick misses from Listen.
A telegraphed right hand from Listen misses the target.
Slayter misses with an uppercut.
Listen moves out of range of the strikes.
Listen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Slayter sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A left and a right from Listen both land. Nice combination.

It looks like Jack Slayter has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slayter misses with the combination.
Listen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Listen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Slayter moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Slayter misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Slayter scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Listen throws a head kick that misses
and Slayter counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The fighters circling - Listen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Slayter looks to land a combination but Listen avoids it well.
Listen throws a sloppy head kick and Slayter moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Listen avoids the body shot from Slayter.
A punch lands to the side of Slayter 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Slayter moves away from the strike by Listen.
Slayter slips a jab and a cross from Listen.
Listen throws an off balance right hand
letting Slayter counter with a right hand.
Listen throws a head kick that misses
and Slayter counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Slayter pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Listen swings for the body but Slayter moves out of range.
Listen misses with a looping right.
Listen misses with a left hand
and Slayter counters with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Slayter misses with a jab, cross combination.
Slayter paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Slayter throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Listen loads up on a big right hand but Slayter slips the punch.
Listen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Listen misses with a right hand
and Slayter counters with a right hand to the body.
Listen circles away from the clinch attempt.
The fighters circling - Slayter throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Listen swings widly with a right hand
and Slayter counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Jared Listen's cut is getting worse.
Slayter tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Listen was well out of range. Poor timing from Slayter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Slayter dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Slayter throws a nice head kick!
Jack Slayter seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Listen slips a jab and a cross from Slayter.
Slayter has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Slayter defending well as Listen loads up on a big left hand.
Slayter throws a right and a left that both miss.
Slayter lands with a thumping leg kick.
Listen 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.
A jab from Listen misses.
Listen scores with a body shot.
Slayter fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Listen.
Listen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Slayter.
Listen looks to land a left hand but Slayter moved out of range nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Listen swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Slayter.
Listen connects with the punch.
Slayter throws a jab but it's blocked by Listen.
Listen with a jab.
Slayter avoids the head kick by Listen.
Slayter slips a jab and a cross from Listen.
Slayter blocks a head kick by Listen.
Slayter scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Listen looks to land a left hand but Slayter moved out of range nicely.
Slayter lands with a kick to the ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slayter rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Listen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Slayter moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Slayter lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Listen circles away quickly and effectively.
Slayter throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Listen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Listen throws a poor cross that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Listen is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Slayter throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Listen throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Slayter defending well as Listen loads up on a big left hand.
Listen throws a hook but Slayter blocks it.
Sloppy strikes from Slayter. Those never looked like landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slayter fails to land with a series of punches.
Listen scores with a head kick. Slayter tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Listen misses with a double jab.
Slayter avoids the head kick by Listen.
Listen misses with a head kick.
Slayter blocks a head kick by Listen.
Slayter lands with a kick to the temple. Listen shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Listen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Jack Slayter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A slow jab from Slayter misses its intended target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Slayter misses
and Slayter takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Slayter throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Listen.
Listen misses with a head kick.
Listen throws a head kick that misses.
Listen misses with the combination.
Listen misses with a looping left.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Slayter misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Slayter throws a front kick that sends Listen stumbling back into the cage.
Listen throws an off balance right hand
and Slayter makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jack Slayter will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Listen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Slayter dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Listen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Slayter throws a nice looking combination but Listen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Listen misses with a hook
and Slayter counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Slayter moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Slayter lands a lovely overhand right.
Slayter throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Slayter wants to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Listen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Listen will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Listen gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Listen misses with a head kick.
Slayter tries to close the distance and clinch up but Listen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Listen misses with a right hand
and Slayter counters with a big head kick but Listen shrugs it off.
Listen throws a poor cross that misses

and Slayter counters with a combination of strikes to the head and body that crumple Listen!

Listen is rocked!

Jared Listen's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Slayter passes into side control, despite Listen's attempt to control the position.
Oh Listen is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Listen defending against the ground and pound.
Slayter tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

Slayter tries for a kimura but Listen is defending well.
Listen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Slayter wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Listen struggling a bit here.
Slayter postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Listen is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Slayter's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Slayter wants to take a breather but Listen is having none of it.
Slayter not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Listen seems to have got his legs back now.
Listen trying to hold on to Slayter's head to control him but Slayter postures up.
Slayter wants to control but Listen is keeping him busy.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Slayter blocks a head kick by Listen.
Listen throws a sloppy head kick and Slayter moves out of range easily.
Slayter throws a head kick but Listen moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Listen throws a sloppy head kick and Slayter moves out of range easily.
Listen thows a body shot but no joy.
Slayter throws a sloppy head kick
and Listen counters with a stiff right hand.
Listen moves out of range as Slayter throws a body kick.
A head kick by Listen misses
and Slayter counters with a nice body kick.
Slayter clobbers Listen with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Slayter dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Slayter misses with a few strikes there.
Listen throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Listen tries a head kick but it misses.
Slayter defending well as Listen loads up on a big left hand.
Listen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Slayter throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Jack Slayter is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Slayter moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Listen scores with a body shot.
A big left from Listen misses.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Listen throws a sloppy head kick
and Slayter counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Jared Listen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Listen pulls out of a head kick attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Slayter comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Slayter 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Slayter!