PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Terrence Leonard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddie Manson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Manson is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Megadeth - Symphony of Destruction. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Leonard
vs
Manson

150 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
19
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

KAISER
Kore Fight Nutrition [TG]

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Terrence Leonard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Eddie Manson!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Damien Edna and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Leonard tries to avoid it but Manson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Leonard to the ground. Leonard escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Manson shoots in and bounces Leonard off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Leonard 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.
Manson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Leonard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Manson is controlling him.
Manson wants to pass the guard but Leonard is keeping the position.
Manson won't allow Leonard to get back to his feet.
Manson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Leonard could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Manson wants to stand but Leonard is controlling his posture from full guard.
Leonard striking off his back but it's not causing Manson any problems.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Leonard really is built like a bowling ball. I wonder if he'd roll if you pushed him down a hill...
Manson won't allow Leonard to sweep him here.
Leonard controls Manson momentarily but Manson frees himself.
Leonard looking for a sweep. Not yet Leonard, not yet.
Leonard wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Terrence Leonard just wasn't active enough.

Leonard gets caught flat footed, as Manson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Leonard keeping full guard, as Manson tries to pass.
Manson advances position into side control!
Leonard tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Manson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Manson wants to stand but Leonard is controlling his arm.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Manson decides to stand back up.

Leonard shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Leonard showed some decent athleticism there.
Leonard is breathing heavily.
Leonard seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Manson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Leonard prevents Manson from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Leonard's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Leonard's back!
Manson scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Leonard might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Leonard is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Manson is working the ground and pound. Can Leonard escape?
Manson connects with a big shot to the side of Leonard's head.
Manson is punishing Leonard with strikes - can he finish him?!
I really don't envy Leonard right now.
Manson scores with strikes from the back.
Leonard is in bad spot here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manson lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Leonard hold on?!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Manson is landing with strikes from the back.
Leonard just trying to survive but Manson is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Manson scores with punches from the back.
Manson softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Leonard tries to escape the position.
Manson lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Leonard hold on?!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Manson lands strikes to the head.
Manson scores with punches to the body.
Manson gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Manson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Manson fails with a takedown attempt.
Leonard with a poor takedown

so Manson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Leonard is rocked!
Manson pushing down on Leonard's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Oh Leonard is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Manson wants to stand up but Leonard is controlling the position.
Leonard seems to have got his legs back now.
Manson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Leonard knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Manson scoring with strikes to the body and head.
It looks like Manson is going to stand back up.
Manson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Leonard defending well though.
Manson is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Manson stops Leonard from getting back to his feet.
Leonard is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Manson trying to pass the guard but Leonard defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Leonard is trying to escape the mount.
Manson landing strikes from the mount.
Manson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Leonard is looking to get to half guard.
Manson has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Leonard's face.
Leonard sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manson tries to pass to full mount but Leonard defends it.
Manson working Leonard over with strikes.
Manson is looking to advance position but Leonard won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Leonard is trying to get back to full guard.
Manson wants to pass the guard but Leonard is defending well.
Manson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Manson is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leonard can't escape the position.
Leonard regains half guard.
Leonard is trying to get back to full guard.
Manson wants to free his trapped foot but Leonard is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Manson is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Manson works his way into full mount!
Leonard tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Leonard can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Leonard is bucking up trying to escape but Manson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Leonard is looking to improve his position but Manson isn't that keen on the idea.
Manson is landing with some decent strikes but Leonard is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Leonard is trying desperately to improve position.
Manson lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Leonard tries to lock up and control but Manson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Manson breaks from Leonard's wrist control and lands an elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Manson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
A nice elbow there by Manson.
Manson working the ground and pound effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Manson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Leonard's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Leonard doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Manson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Leonard is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Manson wants to pass the guard but Leonard is keeping the position.
Manson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Leonard is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Manson wants to improve his position but Leonard is controlling well.
Eddie Manson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Manson is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Terrence Leonard wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Leonard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Manson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Manson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Leonard avoids it really well and circles away.

Manson looking to score a takedown here. Leonard is defending well but Manson drives through and ends up in Leonard's guard.
Leonard wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leonard is working hard here to advance position.
Manson is looking to pass into half guard but Leonard pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Leonard is in guard.
Leonard trying to stand up but can't free himself from Manson's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Manson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Leonard stopping the sweep attempt from Manson.

We're going to have a standup here because Terrence Leonard wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Manson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manson throws a strike but Leonard avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Manson distracts Leonard with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Manson stands up over Leonard, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Manson landing some decent shots from guard.
Manson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Leonard swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Leonard looking to control.
Manson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Leonard looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Manson being controlled here momentarily.
Manson stopping the sweep attempt from Leonard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Manson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Manson works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Leonard is trying to stand.
Ground and pound from Manson.
Manson frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Manson is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Terrence Leonard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eddie Manson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Manson controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eddie Manson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Manson 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eddie Manson!
Eddie Manson very nearly forgot to thank Kore Fight Nutrition [TG] amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.