PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Maurice Leon (ranked 6642 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thabani Jfk (ranked 6716 p4p, 335 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.

Leon
vs
Jfk

165 cm
19
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

155 cm
20
137 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight 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, Maurice Leon!
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, Thabani Jfk!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Alyssa Summers and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leon moves out of range of the body kick.
Leon is looking for a counter combo.
Leon closes this distance looking for a takedown but Jfk circles away.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Jfk! But no joy.

Jfk shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Leon manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Leon knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Jfk on the ground.
Leon controls Jfk momentarily but Jfk frees himself.

Jfk gets to his feet. Leon looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Jfk dives in and scores a takedown into Leon's guard.

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

Leon gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Leon has his hands on Jfk's head, controlling the position.
Jfk sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jfk lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Leon not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jfk accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jfk trying to control but Leon is working from the bottom.
Leon pulls Jfk in close to his closed guard and prevents Jfk from doing any damage or advancing position.

Leon is looking for a triangle here but Jfk uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You can see the frustration on Leon's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Jfk remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Jfk is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Leon is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Jfk looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Leon can't do much from the bottom here.
Leon tries to bench press Jfk off him but Jfk keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leon can't do much from the bottom here.

Jfk tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Jfk has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Leon can't do much from the bottom here.
Jfk just content to control the position.
You can see the frustration on Leon's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Leon is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jfk working away.
Leon tries to buck Jfk off but Jfk is having none of it.
Jfk moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Leon is trying to control Jfk's posture but Jfk avoids it.
Leon is breathing heavily.
Jfk advances to full mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jfk controlling the pace for now.
Leon is bucking up trying to escape but Jfk cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thabani Jfk dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Jfk looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Leon!
Leon is looking for a sweep.
Leon struggling a bit here.
Jfk works to advance to full mount. Leon defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Leon keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Jfk is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Leon to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Leon shrugs it off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jfk looking to control and managing it successfully.
Jfk should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Leon is in a horrible position here. Jfk smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leon wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Jfk controlling from the back.
Leon covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Leon trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Jfk is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Leon. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

Jfk looking for the RNC.
Jfk has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Jfk struggling to keep hold of the position.

Leon is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Leon trying to control the hands but Jfk breaks the grip.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jfk is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Jfk tries to keep control of the position but Leon is staying busy.
Leon is trying to break free.
Jfk tries to get the hooks in deep but Leon pushed the leg off.
Leon manages to reverse the position and now he's in Jfk's guard. Nice work there by Leon.
Leon wants to control from the top but Jfk keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jfk wants to sweep here but Leon controlling him for the moment.
Jfk is breathing heavily.
Jfk wants to hit a switch here but Leon passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Jfk there!
Jfk regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jfk trying to control from the bottom.
Jfk slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Jfk is pulling down on Leon's head. It's preventing any offense from Leon, at least for the moment.
Jfk looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thabani Jfk showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. And we move into the final round!

Leon throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A punch combination from Leon misses.
Leon tries to clinch but Jfk moves out of range.
No luck for Leon with that takedown attempt.
Leon tries for a takedown but Jfk sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Jfk appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

Jfk shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Leon's guard.
Jfk keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Leon's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leon working a defensive guard here.

Leon has his foot on Jfk's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Jfk works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jfk decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Leon is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Jfk clinches up against the cage.

Jfk's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Leon throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Jfk scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Check out the look on Jfk's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Jfk is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Leon will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jfk wants to control but Leon is keeping him busy.

Jfk is trying to get an arm triangle but Leon is defending well.
Check out the look on Jfk's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Leon avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Jfk.
Leon wants to control but Jfk postures up.
Thabani Jfk has got the better of the ground game so far.

Jfk stands up and we're back to a striking position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jfk moves in looking to clinch but Leon pushes him off.

Jfk shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Leon napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jfk scores with punches from side control.
Leon is trying to control Jfk's posture but Jfk avoids it.
Jfk is staying tight to Leon's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Leon is looking for a sweep.

Jfk stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Jfk is looking to clinch but Leon is avoiding it.

Jfk rushes Leon and presses him up against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Leon throws an elbow but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jfk has hold of one of Leon's legs. Leon is fighting the takedown attempt but Jfk gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Leon is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Jfk is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Jfk advances position into side control!

Jfk decides to stand back up.
Leon circles away from the clinch attempt.
Maurice Leon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thabani Jfk is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Horrible takedown attempt by Leon or perhaps it was just good defense by Jfk, which made it look bad.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thabani Jfk comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Jfk 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thabani Jfk!