PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Taka Sho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phan Tran Le (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Le comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Dukes of Hazard Theme Song - Waylon Jennings kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sho
vs
Tran Le

184 cm
23
192 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

179 cm
22
182 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Hellraiser Fightgear ($10 and above)

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Taka Sho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Phan Tran Le!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Chris Saunders and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sho fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Le.
Sho scores with a nice head shot.
Sho circles away from the clinch attempt.
Le blocks the body kick.
Sho throws a half hearted mid kick.

Sho shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Le tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Le controlling Sho's posture.
Sho lands a couple of digs.
Le really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sho. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sho's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sho makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Sho missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sho throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Sho drops back looking for a leg! Le is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Le manages to kick Sho off! Sho jumps back into Le's guard.
Sho with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Le is looking to stand up but Sho isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sho trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sho throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sho with a flurry of punches that miss.
Le avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Le looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Le manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sho manages to get himself to full guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Le wants to stand but Sho has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Le stopping the sweep attempt from Sho.
Le trying to control but Sho is working from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sho throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sho lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Le!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Le can do anything to dispel that myth.
Sho scoring with strikes but Le is staying in there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Le holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Sho tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Le is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sho working the ground and pound effectively.
Sho lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Le is in a horrible position here. Sho smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Le is looking to improve his position but Sho isn't that keen on the idea.
Le takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Le is squirming around, avoiding Sho's attempts to control the action.
The referee warns Le that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Sho looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Le is rocked!

Sho goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Le is on top in guard.
Le is still in real trouble! Can Sho finish him?
Le is pushing down on Sho's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sho is fighting to maintain full guard but Le has managed to sneak the leg through.
Le seems to have recovered his senses.
Le wants to control but Sho is keeping him busy.
Sho throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Le is keen to just control but Sho is a slippery customer.
Sho is trying to control but can't.
Sho is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Le's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Le's back!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Le is trying to break free.
Sho connects with a big shot to the side of Le's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sho is hanging on to Le's back as he tries to escape.
Le just trying to survive but Sho is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Le is trapped and Sho is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Can Le hold on?! Sho is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Le manages to reverse the position and now he's in Sho's guard. Nice work there by Le.
Sho bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Le's guard.
Sho landing with the ground and pound.
Sho won't allow Le to sweep him here.
Le utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sho throws a big elbow that misses.
Sho postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Le bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sho's guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Le is looking to stand up but Sho won't let him.
Sho looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taka Sho 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.

Sho misses with a body kick.
Sho swats away the attempt to clinch by Le.
Sho tries to land a leg kick but Le saw it coming and moves away.
Sho fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Le checks it well.
Le throws a hook but Sho avoids it easily.
Le tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Sho manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Le looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Le wants to clinch.
Le looks to score with a jab to the body but Sho is just out of range.
Le steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sho.
Sho gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Sho takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Sho gets tackled into the ropes by Le. Le maintains the clinch.
Le misses with a punch to the body.
Sho misses with the head strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sho is trying to stall.
A head punch on the inside from Sho fails to land.
Sho is looking for a takedown.
Sho on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sho working aggressively here.
Sho lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Le connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sho's face.
Le gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Le gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Taka Sho has been cut.
Sho is looking to break free of the clinch but Le has double underhooks.
Sho is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Le is keeping busy.
Nice elbow from Le.
Sho has had enough of the clinch but Le keeps him there for the moment.
Le gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sho.
Sho misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sho lands an uppercut.
Le creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sho's defenses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sho misses with some punches.
Sho takes an elbow to the forehead.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Le connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sho's face.
Le blocking some punches.

Sho breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sho's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Le connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sho scrambles back to his feet.
Le walks into a left hand.
Sho throws a half hearted mid kick.
Sho throws a wild body kick that Le sees coming a mile off.
Sho lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Le displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sho throws out the jab.
Le moves out of range of the body kick from Sho.

Sho looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sho working Le over with strikes.
Le regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sho scoring with punches to the head and body.
Sho working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Le is trying to control the position but Sho postures up.
Sho distracts Le with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Le is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sho wants to pass the guard but Le is keeping the position.
Sho preventing the sweep.
Sho with a nice head shot there.
Le wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Sho working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Le trying to control the position.
Sho has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Le avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sho trying to control the position from guard on top but Le is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sho throwing strikes but missing.
Sho lands a couple of elbows.
Sho with a flurry of punches that miss.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Le looking to control.
Sho trying to control but Le is working from the bottom.
Sho throwing strikes but missing.
Le tries to land a sweep but no joy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Le seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Phan Tran Le hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Nice body kick there by Sho.
Sho swats away the attempt to clinch by Le.
Sho just misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taka Sho dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Taka Sho's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Sho throws a wild body kick that Le sees coming a mile off.
Sho shoots in for a double leg but Le sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Le avoids a kick to the body.
Le scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sho doesn't seem bothered though.
Sho misses with a lunging right hand
and Le counters with a three punch combo that has Sho backing up. Sho nods at Le to acknowledge the strikes.
Le fails with an attempt to clinch.
Le steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sho.
Sho thows a body shot but no joy.
Le checks a leg kick.
Le uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sho.
Le's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Sho connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Le scrambles back to his feet.
Sho throws the kick towards the body but Le avoids it.
Le misses with the combination.
Sho swats away the attempt to clinch by Le.
Le lands a jab.

Le clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Le blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sho tries to circle away but Le has him pinned against the ropes.
Le tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sho takes an elbow to the temple.
Le is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Sho is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Le is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Le lands an elbow that stopped Sho in his tracks for a moment.
Le lands a damaging elbow.
Sho tries to score a body lock takedown but Le shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taka Sho. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sho working aggressively here.
Le is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Le comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Sho doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sho is looking for a takedown.
Sho doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Le lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Sho tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Sho as Le tries to tie him up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Le creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sho's defenses.
Le trying to control the position but instead, Sho has worked for underhooks and has pushed Le into the ropes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sho has a couple of punches blocked by Le.
Le landing knees to the body.
Le creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sho's defenses.
Sho takes a knee to the side of the body.
Le lands an elbow just above Sho 's eye.
Sho swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Le lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Sho takes an elbow to the temple.
Le is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Le lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Sho takes a knee right on the jaw!
Le scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Knees in the clinch landing for Le.
Le landing knees to the head.
Le lands a nice knee to the body.
Phan Tran Le has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sho takes an elbow to the forehead.
Sho misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sho takes an elbow to the temple.
Le stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Le landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Le lands a nice elbow.
Sho throws a punch but it's blocked by Le.
A knee to the head by Le.
Nice elbow from Le.
Sho tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Le tries to stall but Sho uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Le lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Taka Sho's cut is getting worse.
Sho throws a punch but it's blocked by Le.
Sho misses with a punch on the inside.
Sho takes a knee right on the jaw!
Sho throws a head punch that misses.
Le with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sho working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Le tries to stall but Sho uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Le creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Le lands a nice elbow.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sho makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Sho scores with a nice short uppercut.
Sho takes a knee right on the jaw!
Sho is looking to break free of the clinch but Le has double underhooks.
Le effectively controlling the action here.
Sho gets through Le's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Sho throws a punch but it's blocked by Le.
Sho swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Sho breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sho. Le does a little dance to reset his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Le uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sho.
Sho misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Le.
Taka Sho is winning the standup battle so far.
Le lands a slapping body shot.
Le scores with a hook to the body. Sho takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

And that's the end of the fight!
Phan Tran Le comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sho 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taka Sho!