PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Bruno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeremy Leben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bruno
vs
Leben

181 cm
20
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

205 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ivan Bruno!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jeremy Leben!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Lou da Vinci and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bruno circles away from the clinch attempt.
Leben misses with a head kick.
Leben is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jeremy Leben seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bruno wants to clinch but Leben slips to the side

and Leben counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Bruno's guard now.

Leben drops back, looking for a kneebar! Bruno looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Bruno looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Bruno!

Bruno decides to stand back up.
Leben shoots in looking for a takedown. Bruno tries to sprawl out of it but Leben keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bruno manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Leben avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leben swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Leben misses with a low kick.

Bruno has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bruno using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Leben has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Leben is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bruno gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Leben wants to stall.

Leben manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Bruno stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Leben swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bruno is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bruno sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Leben's guard.
Leben has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bruno is working away from the top position though.
Leben is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Leben is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Bruno is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Leben is just riding it out for now. Bruno eventually gives up the hold.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bruno decides to stand and escape the position.
Bruno closes the distance looking to clinch
and Leben counters with a head kick. That will keep Bruno thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's four 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.
Leben darts in trying to clinch

and Bruno decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Leben's guard.
Leben has a closed guard, preventing Bruno from standing up.
Leben is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Bruno dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bruno throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bruno fails with an attempt to clinch.
Leben tries for a takedown but Bruno circles away easily

and Bruno moves into the clinch.
Leben is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bruno pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Leben drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ivan Bruno has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeremy Leben.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bruno manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Leben is breathing heavily.
Leben trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruno lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Leben!
Leben squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Bruno trying to control but Leben is having none of it.

Bruno is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Bruno closes the distance and clinches.
Leben is trying to break the clinch but Bruno has him pressed against the cage.
Leben letting Bruno take a breather here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Leben is persisting with his attempts to control the action in the clinch, rather than do any real damage.
Leben fails to pull guard.
Bruno with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Leben has Bruno pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bruno manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Leben escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bruno wants to clinch up but Leben keeps it at a distance.
Bruno tries to clinch but Leben is having none of it.
Ivan Bruno is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Bruno takes the fight into the clinch.
Bruno misses with a knee strike.
Leben tries to pull guard but Bruno won't allow it.
Bruno misses with a knee to the head.

Bruno breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bruno tries to clinch there but Leben circles away.
Leben throws a leg kick but Bruno moved away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bruno is looking to clinch but Leben is avoiding it.
Bruno circles away from the clinch attempt

and Bruno moves into the clinch.
Leben looking for a takedown.
Leben wants a takedown.
Leben tries to pull guard but Bruno won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Bruno misses with a knee strike.
Bruno with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Bruno dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Bruno drives through with a takedown into guard.
Bruno stopping the sweep attempt from Leben.
Bruno might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Bruno decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Leben, up you get!

Bruno scores with a takedown into Leben's guard.
Ivan Bruno overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Leben is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Leben is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Leben looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Bruno passes into side control.

Bruno is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Leben knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Leben is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Bruno is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Bruno has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Bruno rushes Leben and presses him up against the cage.

Bruno breaks from the clinch.
Leben tries for a takedown but Bruno circles away easily

and Bruno counters by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruno lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Leben avoids the elbow strike from Bruno, against the cage.
Leben tries to score a body lock takedown but Bruno shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Bruno ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Bruno no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Leben looking to sit in guard and control but Bruno gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Leben is trying to push Bruno off with his feet but Bruno grabs hold of one of the legs and drops back looking for a submission! He's cranking on one of Leben's ankles and Leben is forced to tap! This one is aaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:04 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Ankle Lock). Ivan Bruno!